Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-06-18


Could the city make arrangements
whereby, by the paymentofan annual
rental, such alarm service could be OBJ
tanned it would perhaps be better than
Tor the city to buy and attempt to
maintain the system itself. a. In the
latter case, in addition to the original
cost, the city would have to employ a
competent elt ctrician to keep the sys-
TEN in efficient working order.
BUILD NC LAWS.
In a city Of your present size il can
not be expected that you should enact
such stringent building laws, with a
saIaried building inspector, as obtains
in the large cities.
BY your ordinance, No. 20, you have
defined fire limits. as follows: Com
mencing at the Intersection Of Fifth
and Pleasant streets; thence east along
Pleasant TO Tenth; south on Tenth to
Bridge; west on Bridge to SIKH;
south on sixth TO railroad reservation;
sOuthw esterly on reservation to Fith,
and north on Fifth to point Of com-
mencement.
This district embraces the business
section, and within il the erection Of
any but substantial, fire-proot build
iDgs dwellings, permits for which
may be granted by the council, ex-
cepted) is prohibited.
One section of the fire limit ordi-
n prohibits the erection or the
maintenance Of ST yepipes through
walls or roofs.
When l state q At over 50 per cent
of the loss by fire < caused by defect
i've stovepipes, tn value Of such pro-
tective Legislation and Of its strict
forcement will b. realized.
To my sstoni-hment and regret. 1
find many dangerous ]stovepipes right
in the heart q the business portion Of
your city, endangering your finest
buildings and most valuable stocks.
Your law on the subject is ample,
and I trust that II will be strictly en-
forced until this great source Of dan
ger il entirely removed.
IN conclusion, permit me to say that
when the special rates Of insurance
were made for this town, they were
based upon the supposition that you
lad OF would soon have an ample sup
ply of water, under pressure, an ef-
fective paid fire department, with
complete fire alarm system; ERE limits,
and with building laws enforced, etc.
You have now provided a fairly
good water system, and as far Is / can
ASCERTAIN without seeing il in active
operation, an efficient and prompt fire
department, etc.
You still lack, however, facilities
that / have hereinbefore called your
attention to. / will add that in many
other own which have failed to pro-
vide the requisite fire protection, the
rates of insurance have been advanced
from % &c so per cent higher than
Miles City is paying today, and bad
you not taken the steps you have, such
course would have been followed in
your case. Assuming that the fore
going suggestions will be carried out.
and in recognition Of the same and Of
the means you have already taken 10
protect your city from devastation by
fire. / shall recommend TO the Pacific
Insurance Union that q commensurate
reduction be madein your present rates.
1 will add that I have CAREFUL 7 in
spected your buildings, and have
pointed out to many Of your mer-
chants how they could obtain a reduc-
ton of rates upon their individual
ri-ks by remed wing defects in con-
%struction, such a. protecting skylights
by covering them with a wire screen
OF No. 10 wire, mesh not 10 exceed an
inch and q half, the screen to be firmly
secured to the framework and kept
four inches from the glass. Such
screens serve a twO-fold purpose-they
prevent injury and loss Of life to fire
men while cropping in smoke or dark
ness over roofs, and they prevent the
spread Of fires by heavy cinders break
ing through IN glass and starting
fires in unexpected places.
Also by protecting openings In the
walls of prick buildings by means Of
standard" doors or shutters. These
standard doors are made Of a double
thickness Of inch matched stuff,
crossed and completely covered lodges
and ALI with tin or sheet-iron.) The
metal covering being put On with
roOfers' locked joints and hinge
straps bolted through the door, These
standard" doors afford a much bet
ter protection than the old style Of
shutters made Of boiler plate, ald are
very much less expensive. The
boiler plate dOOrs-Old style-curl up