Telegram-herald., 1890-03-16
The True InWardn sss Of the Fire
Limits Ordinance.
FURNITURE aasUFiCIuRERS KICK
ABa Proessd - sast4ia Their kiek by
stroas AFsansat-A Lst 0f EHPsas~
azd TroabIs n the OFdtaaAss
Ams8aneaE - Enforced.

matter MHA-4 AElp 80 --t~ '~-~N'
right. We might commence by stating
that up 70 date We know Ok no petition
OF aay kind beng sent to the council
requesting any change ia the IRE ordl-
nance. But We manufacturers on re-
Gently learning that there was an
amendment 20 the hre ordinance
proper, IA which the council voted To
compel the manufacturers 10 move
their lumber yards by March 20, We
sent IN 4 remOnstrance 10 the Common
Council, asking a resembling of the
same, which Was referred 70 the Com
mlttee on Ordinances. said committee
was composed OF MessIs. Turner, 1erex
and Rodgers, who held meeting for
the purpose OF investigation, both from
the complaining parties and the owners
of the iumber piles. 1T this meeting
the cOmpla nauts consisted manly OF
one grocer and salOOn-keeper, Mr..
klndleberg, and one or two owners OF "A
Few small houses IN the Fourth ward,
On the one SIDE, and a number OF the
furniture manufacturers on the other.
The compliments claimed al tins meet
Ing that the lumber yards Affected their
insurance rates, and that they were
dangerous and Liable To burn out their
houses at any time. After an argu-
meuJ on their part, regarding tins
point, Il Was easily proved 10y the man
utacturcTs, % the entire satisfaction OF
the committee, that n long Is the IN
surance rates on the lumber piles was
only percent, and on Mr.. Rindleberg's
frame house and saloon, 81 per cent;
II there was any cause tor COM
plant. 10 was on the part OF the lumber
pile owners, IN place of Mr.. Rindleberg,
a. there Wa three times the
risk OF the frame grocery and
saloon burning down that there was of
the lumber piles. People posted on
such matters, who are the IN urance
men OF this country, stated that what
made the difference N the rates was
that there was three times as much risk
OF the frame houses burning down as
there was of the lumber piles. After
that was proven TO the satisfaction OF
the compliments, they had no cause
Tor complaint on such grounds. Then
they started another argument, bv
claiming that the lumber piles injured
their property rs whole; tnat that
ward had not improved IN proportion
with other wards Of the city, for the
reason that the lumber piles were there.
The furniture manufacturers claimed
that as the lumber piles were there long
before any OF these houses, they had a
perfect right 10 stay; that the city cOun-
Cll had no right III the matter 10 con-
denim the lumber piles unless they were
a nuisance. The committee was willing
10 acknowledge on all sides that the
far r.rf - no n
sequCutiv the manufacturers had
grounds that the Common Council had
no rjght TO condemn their property 10
improve that of their neighbOrs, and
still claim this; and that We have every
reason 10 believe, backed up by late
City Attorney Ransom. that the courts
would not sustain any such law made
by our city council. We claim We know
OF furniture manufacturers with lum-
ber yards beng located a. near the
center Of the city of the following cities,
VIZ: Chicago, Philadelphia. It. Louis.
Cincinnati, New York and Boston, hav-
my their factories and lumber yards all
together, as any manufacturer here IN
Grand Rapids, and why the Common
tOunCil here should try To compel us TO
move our lumber yards from being IN
connection with our factories, = some
thing beyond our comprehension.
Now, possibly. they Go not know how
this would affect the manufacturers; We
give you the following explanation on
that account: We will take As
Al illustration the case of the
Orel Cabnent Co., tOr instance.
Take their lumber yards away from
their factory proper and move them
outside OF the FIRE limits. or rather out
side Of the city limits. where they
would be compelled 10 go 50 far tor
fear Of another extension of IRE limits.
would entail, first, an expense of land.
fences. etc. second. BRICK kilns with
boilers, engines, engineers. firemen and
tie necessary coal tO make steam To
ruu the k.lns. THIS would possibly on
taIi an Investment Of about Sl5. 600.
and then IN expense of about 81 600 a
year to cover the cost of coal md the
salaries of the engineer and fireman
and The necessary repairs, etc.. to saw
nothing pi tne bauhug winch world
CosL ahout 5000 or more. The above
ls about what it means f they are com-
peIcd 90 move. "A it ls. thev have
tarr lumber yards aud Silns close at
hand lud Use fle exhaust steam from
she present toI ars wb.ca IS made from
waste ard cute urs n their factory. A
YOU viii SEE from the above the ex-
pense of drying their lumber is verv llt-
tie Vow this Of course. would effect
each and every manufacturer exactly
fhe same way Z they 8re compelled 20
move their lumber yards and consider
frz the above expense we would lise to
know huw long any factory would oe
able to mnet their outside competition.
Vr- tnIosg0. or the entire eastern
trrs undcr such crcurl stances. The
prstE - crauJ Rapids furniture man
nfscierer- hafe t0dav has heea oy
fHe.r rfaSng gond nrst-ciass furniture
at Farv .ov Er.cfs. or ln otaCr words
DONG a large tgsrcs~ on lmtod
capital AMI trrnru r often ana max
small margn, and wben
taken r.n constellation that
Vrlv few rry ot them. are making
or usvHnC her.eT th7n a s ar = rcr cent.
rdlrd rr base not far MANY wears
tarS then g IS easily to.t what WI be
tec effect q tho manufacturer
are compe. led 20 move their lumber
raris
ti6eruan Rodgers stated IN hls
interview 0-ta zee Erre reporter th5t
the fgrr ture waulfscturors opposed
fs. rrscs~S.rr 81 tne entire FIRE onif-
re-,er. Th.s we poslt. Velv cialm IS nor
4 tset ard has roe been put forward m
s--v stfch rht We 40 not care wsst
tr.l - a frf rr3 'r1snce the cttv coir1eil
r,av arske ,r eomUei tae necrls n
buld wita1 ,Ae are district limits,