Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-07-16
PLAN ron rsorEorIox,
Proposed BY Merchants % Insaranc
CompanfeR.

Proposed By Merchants 10 Insurance
Csmpantes-
The stand pipe and FIRE escape, which
were placed on the Riverside furniture
factory q short time ago and given . thor.
ough test by the fire department,h have shown
conclusively to quitea number Of our citi-
zens the great advantage derived from hav.
ing the apparatus attached to . lsrge
building. Several gentlemen have signi-
fed their intention of having them put up
on their different buildings in this city,
provided the insurance companies are
willing to allow rebate on present policies
and q reasonable reduction In rates of in
surance on buildings having such appa-
ratus attached.
nOf course" said one gentleman, 81 do
not feel disposed to invest in it without
the insurance men will bear At least o
portion of the expense, (by q reduction in
rates of insurance. as they really derive
as much benefit from it as the properly
holder; in fact, l believe they derive
chow do you figure that?'
well, our buildings are insured in one,
two, or some times more insurance COM
panies. Now suppose / 90 to the expense
Of putting up a fire escape, who really gains
the benefit from it, the insurance men or
myself? Most certainly they do, for this
reason: This apparatus, as has been fully
demonstrated, is Of great assistance to the
fremep, giving them quick access to the
fire, no matter what portion OF the building
it is in. II my house should catch fire and
be partially burned down, the insurance
money always goes first toward making
good the losses, and if, as I stated above, /
had one of these apparatus on the build
ing, and by its assistance to the tremen
the loss was not nearly so great by the fire,
then the insurance companies would be the
gamers"
. Have you any idea that the insurance
men will grant a rebate, or grant policies
at q reduced rate, to owners who have the
fre-escape attachedT'
Il certainly believe they will. From what
/ can learn they do it in other cities, and l
do not see why they would not do it here.
The Fire Department in this city is not .
full paid department, like those in other
cities, and therefore can not control a fire
as well as a larger department. (But do
not want you to understand that | am
speaking d~isparagingly of our department,
for it has done excellent work ct all the
fires in this city, Now, if the insurance
men in the Eastern cities can grant policies
at a reduction | cannot see why Wheeling
insurance men cannot do likewise. In fact,
| believe they will. II l am not misin.
formed the insurance men will hold a
meeting in this city one day this week and
decide this question" .
The scribe met Mr. Goodrich, the agent
fer the Stand Pipe and Fire Escape Com.
psny, a short time afterward, and asked
him What are the prospects for putting
up the fire escapes in this city? Do the
property holders take hold of it?"
Il have been around among them for
some time and quite a number have signi.
fed their intention OF having them placed
on their buildings provided the insurance
can be had at a reduced rate, but very few
Of the gentlemen feel inclined TO PIT up
the apparatus without the insurance men
do as others do in the larger cities"
What have the insurance men to say on
the subject"
Il am hardly able to say. 1t is ira |
have seen several of them aud talked the
matter over, but nothing OF a definite ma
rure has been sgreed on. They will meet
This week and decide as to what is just and
right in the matter. i feel very confident
vf their doing our company justice. for !
cen and have shown them numbers OF in.
starces where in other cities the Insurance
men have made a reduction on buildings
having our apparatus OIL them. Come
around the latter part Of this week and
can tell you more definitely just what has
been done, and the property-owners'
names that will have the apparatus put on
their buildings.