New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-22
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
eIrrcuARDs AGAINST FIRE,

Il
xxu INFECT OF HIGHER RATES OF IN<URANCE FOR
xssrcuRr BuILDNes-wOoDKN MANsiRD ROOFS
OUT OF FAvoR--A HEAVY loss ny FIRE PRE-
VENTED by NEEDED ALTERAr1ON-Low RATES
vOR VIRsT-UAss BUILDINGS.
The Committee on Rates and Surveys of
Ae New York Board Of Fire Underwriters submitted
yesterday 10 that body the report OF Superintendent
HARRISON Of the Bureau of Rates and Surveys. The
sew system OF warehouse rates and surveys has now
been ~ operation year. and the report sets forth
What hss boon accomplished. The inducements pre-
sested by Of have satisfied owners
On many instances as 10 the e1pedeney OF snppahhg
She old Undertook mansardroof with something
substantial and less innammaoe, and
thus comparatively few frame mansards have
Been erected frequently plans have been modified
the OF underwriters. This has been done
whenever the plans have received originally the ap-
proval Of the Superintendent Of the Department Of
Buildings bonG consistent with the present building
INV For instance. the OF the building Nos 1872.
ss4 Is6 and lSS shsthan-st had received permission
mem the Superintendent Of Buildings surmount il
with a wooden frame mansard roof. He Informed
~ superintendent Harrison that his of insurance
vould he at fun mansard rates ~ each 500 if he
10 20 and finish II as he had bogus The owner
caused the construction of the roof TO he changed The
wood work was removed and metal substituted at a
sest Of $2O TGS change alone reduced his insurance
ssto oueha.
necessary survey Of buildings used warehouses
ana storage stores and the Bureau of Rates and Surveys
Ass been of for owners and occupants
81 buildings used for storage purposes, who wished 10
ssoerIan what alterations necessary to render
sheir property from external internal
exposure TO fire IN consequence of the reports made
" the bureau considerable alterations have been made
n, the following storage stores Brooklyn Columbia
Riores, Clinton stores, L1mbeers Commercial Wharf.
Atlantic Dock Nos. 80 aud s.; iIsze'nes, stranahsns
formerly cotton warchouse) Continental stores. and
stheTs The value OF these alterations shown the
recent fire al the Empire Stores. Lhe large storage
warehouse In the and abutting Maiu-st.,
bad ar area OF about 1900 square feet. Acting
sho recommendation OF the Surveyor ana the Bureau
% Rates and Surveys the owner bniit wall IN the
center of the binding and made other alterations. The
consequence that the fire which broke ont there
prevented from spreading. ana the damage not
sBe-ffth what II would have been had the aera-
Hons been made. At Beard RohnsOns stores there is
n large fye-story wooden elevator Acting on the
Recommendation made, the owners have caused 10 he
hut brick back. lsoiting the elevator from the build
ins adjoining. These are specimens OF the alterations
made
Duriuc the year there have been $3.50 surveys made
81 this kind. including Subsequent inspections 10
ascertain II toe suggestions have been complied with
Thase surveys have resulted in the closing oi i4l stair
aud ~ sRyghts, the addition Of shutters i'm IS
the removal OF ~ cornIces the trapping OF ~
elevators and hatchways. the cosn. by hon doors
ny hrckng of <6 communications the addition OF %
Snsde aud outside vertical pipes the erection of 81 para
Iet WALL the substitution of substantial composition
foT old grave roofs IN cases. and u case the Ieduc
Windows have been bricked mp; there have been 60
Aansard roofs altered or removed, and others are m
OF alteration or this class OF roof there Vet
Eemaiu IA unaltorCd and unimprOvcd
The Board has been successful IN securing the
placing of vertical pipes the outside OF buildings for
sho use o the Fire Department. This improvement mas
met with much favor by both property-owners and
underwriters ana gives promise OF great usefulness and
advantage in the event Of great cOnfagratOn. The
the year has been over average Of
thau 81 IN each business day OF the year. The
conditions Of The alteration ana construction OF insird
sooe embodied in the schedule Of rates sweep
inF than those authorized by the building law OF this
rlty lnasmuCh as they provide Tor entire protection
IRON external exposure 30 fa a. the malisdId j. con
serned.
The attention OF the Superintendent has been called
Nv surveyors report tho a largo number
Uf the warehouses in the very heart the business
occupied fOr manufacturing purposes of hazard
ens kinds. where IN many instances steam engines ana
noers used, well Is fire heat such as furnaces,
barge laundry stoves lets, dryiHgrUOms heated by
stoves 81 some decided action is necessary in hehalf
Of underwriting interests. In this respect. Between
Warren and Cana!-sts. Broadway and West Broadway,
there arr y buildings used for manufacturing pur-
played II these occupations within the district
feu.d to; and some "f these factories are sec
rer and continual mcuace 70 surrounding III
teroste % immense magnitude. The Committee and
Of are clearly OF the opinion that there s
great danger m TINS combination OF ~i'oossig dso,' "
sDcb ava nxno.nre il EpfigeIv and gbonlJ
moi H. aniety acuiesSed i 6y The HderWrfert Whose
capital l. thus needleSsly endangered.
snce buildings in various districts Of the city under
tbe present sj-ston OF rating .urveys:
Avtsr rate % ssrfouse> 70 dry ecoi' district '"21
Az ,}e st, - warehouse lover pan '1 c 'ow -" and
kssras, Of al warehouse. 10 ne ey, 10.
A's,sse r4'. Of 'tora-e stores, iculg AsHsid shore line
Ay.r,ce Ne--Nofk solfst siore,. - -.
Average al Se rt sua BROOKLYN o. 81.
In jersey cry and HODOkeu, nan.
IL IL vet 10 ne demonstrated that The averages
81 all toe high FOR tine security o. insurance capital and
30 single extensive storage fire might prove they
700, voc w. ~, aIC DSvn ~ % oion Win I 10
manimy of part of the members Of the
Board and tne as.I.i .mcc certain number OF ex
ssk, and changes uoted ana reported from time time
81 they may occur such n system OF concentration
would be conducive 10 the interests OF the entire insur
nuCe community.
The report was accepted aud ordered 10 be printed.
superintendent Harrison especially cOmmends Inc
kteres Nos a. 26 aud % Leonardst, being erected
hy II. u. Claim & Co These almost entirely IA
accord with The new schedule and are now rated a.
low ~ and ths De reduced 40 cents
~ some minor alterations are made The store Nos ii
and Is Worth ST, owned by Mr.. Naylor answers the
No n LeOnsrtst aud Nj SHADES the old New
York Hospital site are also cited complying with all
tIe requirements
RIGHTS Or NsCRANCEICoNPANIEs
The bin OF Assomblynan Weed, introduced IN the
Assembly on Tuesday providing that II an Insurance
company any other country shall he sucd in
my ths state and shall have the removed
60 United state, Circuit Court, the company shall for
felt the night 60 business the state ala
excite much comment among the insurance companies
yesterdas II seemed 10 DC the prevailing opinion that
law OF this KIND would DC unconstitutional The |
President O! leading company said that his opinion
IL company compiled with al the requirements OF the
INSURANCE laws and for should appeal
United States court, II would 1e absurd 10 suppose
that Ai.y penalty could be imposed.
A Town COLLECTOR MISSING.
II was rumOrcd yesterday that Mr. Schaefer |