Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-10-08
A FIT INSPECTOR WANTED
One Qualified to Look After
New Buildings.
B0ARD0F TRADES SNEW OFFICERS
The Fire Marshal Question
Discussed.


Inc annual meeting OF the members
of the Board of Trade was held in their
rooms in the Builders Exchange Thurs
day evening, with President Daniel w.
Taylor in the chair. The meeting was
called to order shortly after 8 o'clock,
with full quorum or more members
present. Mark NJ. Cleaver, appointed
at the last meeting of the board as chair
man of the committee to consider the
proposition of the chief engineer of the
fire department, asking the board to
favor the new fire bill for redistricting
the city, reported progress. The object
of the bill is to divide the city into
several fire districts and assign the
various companies to the fire districts
allotted to them.
The report of James A. Bradford,
treasurer of the Board of Trade was
submitted, and showed the board to
have in the treasury after the receipts
amounting to $51S.79, and the expendi-
lures, $517.40, were compared, the mar
row margin of $3.50.
Mr.. Taylor then announced that a
motion would be in order to go into
election of officers for the ensuing year.
A motion was adopted that committee
of three be appointed for the purpose of
nominating officers, and the president
appointed John G. Farra, A. S. Reed
and Mark NJ. Cleaver to constitute the
committee.
The committee nominated officers as
follows: President, William d. Mullin,
Jr.; president, Daniel w. Taylor;
Secretary, l.. A. Van Trump; Treasurer,
James A, Bradford.
A motion was made that Mr.. Farra
cast the unanimous vote of the meeting.
The officers were duly elected. On motion
the assessments per capita for each
member of the board was placed at So.
The board is in debt 1870, and an extra
assessment was ordered laid at the rate
of 50 per capita to liquidate their in
debteHness.
A Communication was received from
Superintendent of the Census Robert p.
Porter, asking the question whether or
not the board favored the establishment
of permanent census bureau. The
secretary was instructed to answer the
communication and state that the board
did not care To express an opinion on
this subject.
Mr.. Cleaver stated that there was one
matter of importance which he wanted
to bring before the board, and that was
the adyisability of securing the appoint
ment~ of q fire marshal in this CITY,
whose duties it would be to look after
all buildings erected in conjunction
with the building inspector and see to
1t that buildings were put up in strict
conformity to law. Two fire companies,
he said, had already signified their in
tentions of pushing the scheme, and he
thought 1t quite likely that the rest
would fall in line as soon as the matter
was far enough advanced for them to
do so. He thought 1t matter of the
most vital Importance that fire mar
shal should be appointed in order that
better buildings might be insured with
more safety than heretofore.
A. 5. Reed was of the opinion that if
the building law was strictly adhered to
and the building inspector performed
his duties properly there would be no
unsafe buildings going up in the city to-
day. What this city wants, thought Mr..
Reed, is a building inspector that knows
his duty and is not afraid to exercise
that duty. He should see TO it that
buildings are erected in strict CON
fornity to law. There were buildings
going up in this city that are veritablc
fire traps and this is in strict violation
of the law. There is nothing to prevent
this city from having good building
inspector, Mr.. Reed thought, and the
city is paying enough money to employ
such man to devote his whole time to
the matter. He thought it of the great
est importance that enough pressure be
brought to bear upon City Council to
induce them to choose man thoroughly
capable of filling this position.
Mr.. Van Trump heartily agreed with
the views expressed by Mr.. Reed and
thought Council should appoint man
capable of the position and one who
would devote his entire time to the work,
the salary, $1,000, being entirely ade-
quatc for that purpose.
Mr.. Farra thought that il the build
ing law was carried out to the letter
there would be no need of fire mar
shal and there would be no unsafe
erected in the city. The law,
he said, was q good one, if properly
with.
President Taylor thought good man
should be chosen as building inspector
by City Council, as it was responsible
position, and one of supreme Importance
to the interests of the people. The city
wanted no unsafe buildings erected,
that were death traps in case
Of fire; but, on the other hand it wanted
buildings erected in strict conformity to
law
Mr.. Cleaver stated that by the unsafe
of buildings fire might entail
4 million-dollar loss in one night,
causing a great calamity. 1t was de.
cided to bring the matter up again at the
next meeting.
Wouldn't be Duncoetl.