, 1874-09-25

CH1EAGQ AND THE UNDER " lklTEfsH.
Ylao autiou Of tho National Board Of Under
writer's, cruel an unjnstihahle as IL ill., iH noyer-
theless q fact which has to ho met. Tue prnp-
ersy Of all kinds III Chicago-bui!dings. machino-
~, merchandise, aud household goodH-ia i'll
sured for poeaibly ea0o, ,0oo, ,0Q0> Tho Chicago
underwriters represent sono govonty companies,
Of which fifty arc members OF tie National Board.
Tho action Of tile National Board IL, OF course,
to follow tho advice or not It in immatcral,
however, whether these companies actually With
draw in whole or III part, whatever damage and
ininry tho National Buartl could DO 10 tho credit
and intorcats Of Chicago has beon done, and wo
must face tho consequences.
Chicago has r City Government that ia not
alive to Tho Importance Of prompt action in im-
portant n,attors. Tho fire Of July II croated q
panic among stockholders Of insurance eompa~
uiea Which might havo boon allaysd hy prompt
action GU tho part Of tho City Government but
the Tre-Lmts ordinance was not mado elf. ctiye
until tho middle Of September. In tho n1can-
time, the National Doard acting under this In
ppiratiou Of panlc-strickon stockholders had de-
nlaldod as condition of their continuing to do
business in Chlcago. tho following notion:
!. That tho hre-lmlts should ba n,aio eoextensivo
with ths city.
2. That nov Building Inv, like that Of NsW York,
should 10 adopted.
9. Tho Reorganization Of tho Fire Department.,
L. An Increase III the size of tho waor.n1aia In soy
oral districts.
6. Authoritative inyestigaon Of tho causca Of ali
fires.
6, Tho removal Of lumbar-yards ana hazardous
buildings from she southwestern part Of tho city.
TLcso domands inoluio reforms ttat must bo
adopted whether insurance compauios 80 out or
atay in. Tho lfe-limitB haYo been extended, and
tho city is layiug nav aud larger water-mains.
1n this aat particular, citizens aud property-oua-
CTS In the bns'noas part Of tho city aro 1aying at
their own cost largo malns to DO used oxcluBiyol,
| for fire PURPOSES. To enact tho proposed Build
lug Inv requires action by Tho State Legislature
which alono III authorized In this or any otAo
ssatc to nass such = law. Tho roorg an1zatio1
| Of tho Fire Department unfortunately rsquires
oflangs in tho preaont State lars. md the ennct
raent Of otAors-both beyond the jurisdiction Q
tho City Government. Tho removal Of tho lum
bor-yards from tho river dooka is About M lrac
tieabe o. ta require tho removal Of the nhippin1
frou, Now York harbor. Iheao lumbor-yar1s, o
themselves, aro not particularly hazardous
There III no case oil record Of 2 fro originatin
In them. Provision for tlor protection III cas-
OF fro has boon made aud will be rapidly pc,
fectod, by ateam-pumps on tho tug-boata OF til
river and Oh tAo neEgllboring dookH. There
10 I'm Rnl no logal authority Tint can compt
the removal Of six to eight niloR Of lunbol
yards within SIXTY days, aa required BY tAe Ma
tionnl Board OF Underwriters.
Tho first tlnng to 10 done Ia to enlarge th
wstor.mslns III the businoas portion Ut tho cit,
We strongly Huapoot that our water-ppoa nj
oven now "a large as those Of Non York, phlIt
dolphla, Baltimore. Cincinnati or St. LouiD, b.
no hayo found t|at they arc luade4uate-tht
tloy arc too soon sucked dry 10 largo fri
rhis Ia point In olty engineering which Boom
10 l,aye been overlooked BY our public author
tica, and tho doticiouoy must be romedled 1t
tatoa tho shirt oil our bRoka. The cost (
s-Inch nains IN 4l.60 per front foot Of til
property Oh each Bido Of tho atsoot. proport,
onuo.s, by paying sl.6o par front foot Into Il
Board OF Public Works. can hArs In 8>ino