Fire Disaster and Social Assistance in Biga at the Beginning of 20th Century

Abstract

In the history there are many disasters that people are faced with. Some of these are natural causes such as lightning, or fi res coming from people, because of carelessness or sabotage. In the study, two fi res which occured in the town of Biga at the beginning of the twentieth century are evaluated. The causes of both fi res and the damages they cause will be tried to be revealed according to documents. Both the attitude of the local administrators and the central government towards these fi res and the points to be taken are among the topics examined in the study. Again, due to the economic troubles in the Ottoman State, the fact that majority of the money required for the wounding of both fi res is met by the people with various aid campaigns is also one of the examined points. In the study, periodicals and research studies were benefi ted from the documents in various grades of the Prime Ministry Ottoman Archives.