The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-03-12
PROTECTION FROM FIRE.
The President of the Local Ii GARD of Under
writer's Says it is not Sufficient.
He Declares That to it are Due the High
Rates Oh Insurance Demanded

The IRE insurance business is most unprofit-
able in Texas" observed Mr.. Il. +. Brady, Pres-
ldent OF the San Antonio Board of Underwrit-
ers, to LIGHT commissioner. "Of the 60 conn.,
panies doing business all have lost to the ex-
tent OF 3OO per cent, save one. In every city
in Texas the loss by fire has been great, but
strange to say San Antonio stands like an oasis
in the desert, and is, believe, the only city
that has yielded any profit to the fire insurance
companies. Yet in san Antonio there has been
much loss by fire that should not have occurred
II the hre department was properly organized
ana worked. Inc volunteer fire department
was at the date of its organizations a good
thing, and its members deserve the thanks of
the city Tor their noble effort to save lite and
but II has outlived its day A city having the
population and extent of San Antonio should
have an efficient paid department, and until
this is done property hes no real security If
there were only paid men at the fire sta
tions night and day in sufficient number
to take out and work the engines
IL would be good innovation, for the great
thing Is to have the engine at the fire quickly
You can always find extraneous and willing aid
at nres, II there is experienced men to manage
| the engines and to direct the action. A few
moments often decides the fate of the building
am told that almost an hour elapsed before
me nre engines were working upon the house
| 'llO when II was burnt down, and that later in
the day hre engine No. was delayed half
| hour because the team was out hauling for the
| CITY. Inese delays are dangerous to the pro
perty OF the citizens and serve to establish a
| sense OF insecurity which is prejudicial
| A savage corps is another necessity of the
DAY ana the sooner it is instituted the better
will 1t be for the city. We also REQUIRE a better
| system of fire alarm. The city should be por-
| toned into fire districts and a distinct alarm
sound Tor each district, so that instead of vast
| ing time In searching for the fire, they MAY be
| directed to II. L wish some citizens could see
| the fire system of Chicago where in about three
minutes after the alarm of fire is sounded fire.
men are off to the direct locality of the fire
| do not expect that San Antonio can rival
| Chicago, but | think the general opinion is
| that much can and must be done to secure an
ehclent service. IL is real and pressing
| necessity and the sooner the insufficiency Il
| reYedied the better will it be for the safety
and prosperity of the city. OF course recon-
| mend fire insurance and shall re glad to do
| business for you or anyone else believe that
al persons should insure against fire as well as
lire, but there are certain responsibilities which
rest upon the city administration in securing
the best means of protecting the citizens
property from unnecessary loss. The rates
for fire insurance in this city range from 10 to
21S per cent. on merchandise and from "a TO
l12 per cent. on household furniture These
rates are higher than in the North and are
based upon the insecurity of property In the
Northern cities there are many fires but profit
Is made because the loss is reduced to a mini
mum by efficient fire service"
Mr.. w. A. Bonynge, a fire insurance agent
doing an extensive business in this city, ex-
pressed similar views and went so far as TO
assert that unless the fire department was ma
terlally improved it was questionable whether
the already high insurance rates of San An
tonic would not be increased.