Morning journal and courier., 1889-08-14

ings of the association during the year, from
which the following extracts are made:
Fifteen department members and eleven
companies have joined during the year, while
not single company has withdrawn, except
by the cancellations of the two companies
at Torrington, which makes the gross num-
Der one less. There are also few depart
ment officers who have been superseded and
perhaps have again joined their companies,
which would probably reduce our number
some four or Ave, making our total member
ecutiys committee held FIVE meetings ss fol-
lows: Meriden, October 8, 1888; New Haven,
January z. 1889; Hartford, February FL,
1889; Hartford, June 5, 1899, and Hartford,
July 90, 1889.
Our only honorary member, Colonel George
L. Perkins of Norwich, has been removed by
death at the age Of 100 years, month and
days, having died just thirty-two days after
appearing before this association at our last
convention, held in Norwich August Z, 1888.
The only active members of the association
who have died since our last convention are:
Randolph Crane, q member of Washington
Hook and Ladder company No. of Danbury,
aged AZ years, died December 4, 1885, VIM.
Timpany, . member of steamer No. l of
Bridgeport, died March II, 1889, aged "a
years; Thomas O'Brien, q menber of Hook
and Ladder company No. of Hartford, died
April 12, 1889, aged 40 years.
The number Of orders for benefits during
the year has been ffty-seven, amounting to
$2,39S.
An address was given by President Charles
b. Whiting of the Orient Insurance company.
In his address he said
AN IMPORTANT AUXILIARY.
As It 10 the aim of the department to pre-.
,aut tha Ja.t ructiop If y,ropartu tbinL thara
should be In connection with the apparatus
for extinguishing fires appliances for the pre-
vention Of damage or destruction by water.
For instance, FIRE In the second story of a
building would entail great damage to the
property on the first hoor by water coming
through from above. This Is unavoidable
and In case of paper stock would almost de.
stroy 1t, though no fire was on that floor.
think the department should be supplied with
tarpaulins and these could be handled by the
hook and ladder companies, and 1t made a
part of their duty to protect property In this
way. In some cities there are protective
companies doing this work. In a number
these are supported by fire insurance COM
panies. But as they 20 wherever there is a
are and without regard to whether the prop
erty IL insured or not, think the apparatus
should be owned and operated by the city.
As I have said before, the fire insurance
companies base their rates upon the protec-
ton which each city or town affords and
1t would hardly seem fair to ask them
to support System of protection
and thus reduce their rates because such pro-
lection is afforded. Besides, I think, and
you will agree with me, that every appliance
for the protection of property at a fire should
be under the control Of the chief engineer.
The expense of a few tarpaulins Is not much;
any city can well afford to procure them, as
they are at times Of very great service.
BUILDING LAWS.
One of the serious things which both
Are insurance companies and fremen
have to meet Is poor building laws. In
many places there are none at all, and
when they Ihave good ones, the slsckness
of official inspection renders them nuga-
tory. A very great proportion of our
fires come from imperfectly constructed
shimnsys. To find frst-class chimney
In every respect is rarity. The number of
fires that come from defective fues Is a mars
vel, and yet how difficult II is to get pro-
per building law passed, or, If passed, to get
an inspector who Is competent to do the
work for the pay which the authorities estab-
lish. have always thought the building in
speotor should be the chief engineer. No
other person could be named who would
have the same interest in seeing that build
ings were properly constructed as he. A
poor chimney means calling out the depart
ment sometime; an unsafe wall may mean
death to him or to some of his subordinates;
with this in mind he could be depended
upon to do his duty without fear or favor.
There ID law in regard to fire escapes on
high buildings where persons either live or
are employed, but how few comply with 1t,
simply because the law Is defective In penal
iiaa or there IN no one who has power to en-
force 10. The building inspector should have
Il made part of his duty and the chief. II
he was the inspector, would soon see the law
enforced.
Before close lot me say that think the
authorities ought to take ont certain
amount Of accident insurance for the benefit
of each and every fireman, the amount being
not less than q, 900, and / would favor still
larger figure. Every fireman, If he does his
full duty, oftentimes takes his life In his
hand when he rushes into burning buildings.
There may DO explosives therein; q floor may
give way, a wall may fall and he may be
satasa dAed or MANNED. He likely has Q