St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-01-02
Fire Cannot Be Successfully
Fought in Big Business
Blocks.
Insurance Men Lose Money in
Risks Placed in This
Locality.
ST. Paul Wopkmen Experience
a Rough Emeute at West
Superior.
Gov. Peck Will Be Requested
to MuzZle the Alleged
Rioters.

The question Of holding fires in sub
lection in the large buildings of city,
in the event of being unable to eX-
tinguish them entirely, is becoming very
reconcile. No matter how fire proof
the structure is considered TO be, if it is
stored with combuStible materials, and
more especially if it is large and high
structure, the fire department of an
ordinary city is totally inadequate to
cope with it when fire has once gained
Roadway. st. Paul is no exception to
the rule. 1t has one of the best depart
mentS of the country, considering its
demands, but it still meets with disaster
now and then. The local agencies for
fire insurance companies were inter-
viewed yesterday upon the theme.
Usually they were found rather reti-
cent, but 5. 5. Eaton talked in an inter-
eSting way and gave deal of informa
ton. He said that it has been
demonstrated that water is an in
competent agency in eXtinguishing
Il big fire. 1t "adds fuel to the
flames" as it were, and now
the question to be solved by insurance
companies that have written policies
upon the big business blocks in great
city, is the most effective and econOmi-
ing element. No fire department can
recover when the fire has once been
well started in one of the ten to four
teen story buildings. The experience
of the st. Paul department shows this.
Mr.. Eaton insists that the most valua-
bic apparatus in fire department is
the chemical engine. 1t suppresses
more incipient fires than all the balance
of the department, and he holds that
when a cOnflagration has gone beyond
the control of tirst-claSS chemical in a
big wholesale house, there is absolutely
no salvation. The entire Mississippi
river might have been turned upon the
Griggs, Cooper & Co.. and Farwell, Or
nun & Kirk fires and it all would have
simply accelerated the flames.
Insurance is always speculative
problem. 1t is polite system of gam
bling. The owner of property, in other
words, bets an Insurance company a
certain sum of money against greater
sum that his property will be destroyed
by fire. As rule the business reaps a
fair profit to the insurance companies,
but it is in the main residence property
aud small industries that support the
insurance companies. The wholesale
district of st. Paul, for instance,
is mighty dangerous element in the
business. The past year, the agents
declare, the premiums received on all
property has been more than wiped out
by the fires in the wholesale district
of the city, and it is alleged that
there are six Of the heavy houses
of st. Paul doing business to-
day upon the money paid them
by the insurance companies. 1t is Just
this lamentable condition, persist the
agents, that has compelled the insur-
dnce companies to increase their rates.
The business done in suburban and
resident property has proved generally
both satisfactory and profitable, and it
is suggested that readjuStment of
rates be made reducing the premiums
On such property.
Mr.. Eaton sees but one ready solution
of the problem. He says the mercural
alarm is the only proper protection
both the insured and the insurer have
that is, the only protection that does
good service. In the Wholesale district
of st. Paul it is of transcendental
Importance that the fire depart
ment be on the scene of
fire as soon after
fire starts as possible. If the night
Waterman in big block is entirely de-
pended upon, there are often times
when the block may be in ashes and no
one the wiser. The watchmen often
leave their posts of duty for hours at
time, and when a fire starts during
such period, it is almost physical
lmpOSSibility to recover when the de-
partment happens TO be summoned.
The mercurial alarm is said to work
perfectly. This was inadvertently
proven by messenger boy recently.
who touched a match to the alarm and
brought out the department a few min
utes later.
The reports of the chief of the fire de-
Dartment indicate that the total amount
of losses in the wholesale district is in
creasing every year. The past year has
been particularly disastrous.