The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-26
THE OTHER SIDE OF IT.
What the Insurance Men Say About
Electric Wiring.

It Must Be Done in Accordance With
the Tariff Associations Require
ments or the Extra Rate Will Be
Charged-The Purpose of the New
Rules to Reduce the Fire Risk From
Electricity to Minimum.
Several of the insurance agents called
upon policy holders in their companies
yesterday who are using electric ap-
planes and notified them that the APP
pliances must be made to conform to the
latest rules of the Southeastern Tariff
Association, otherwise an increase Of
80 to IS cents on the 300 would be
charged. The extra charge cannot of
course be collected from old policy
holders, but will be enforced in all renew
ais of policies.
The insurance agents of course take an
entirely opposite ground from that
expressed by Superintendent Kecl1
of the Brush Electric Light
and Power Company as reported
in yesterdays MORNING NEWS. While
they regret the necessity they are under
of notifying their patrons of an increase
in rates unless certain conditions are COM
piled with, they hold that the new rules
are entirely reasonable and proper and
the conditions prescribed are those which
have been already concluded upon by the
most experienced electricians as the best
means of reducing the danger of fire from
electric appliances to minimum.
WHY THE CHANGE.
The insurance companies suffered a
500, 900 loss out west a short while ago,
originating in defective electric wires,
and this is one reason why they are de-
termined that only the most approved APP
planes shall be used upon risks carried
by them.
"Any intelligent man who will give the
subject a moments consideration" said
an insurance agent yesterday, "ought to
see at once that it is to his interest to do
away with any dangerous electric APP
planes upon his property, even at
some cost to himself, rather than
run daily risk of disastrous fire. The
fact that some of these appliances have
been in use for several years without bad
results is no argument The longer they
are used the more dangerous they be-
come
"Any ordinary man." said the agent,
''who has only the slightest acquaintance
with electricity will acknowledge at once
that porcelain cleats and rosettes for fas-
b6ulnR wires are pFeIeTdDlS 10 WOOD,
which is liable to take fire from live
wire. The same man will see the neces-
sity of inclosing wires in some kind of
protective tubing where they pass through
floors and ceilings, to prevent contact with
the wood"
TO REDUCE THE RISK.
"Awire which is improperly insulated is
liable to cause a conhagration at any time.
There are other changes required, the
reason for which can be explained only by
an electrician, but which are doubles as
reasonable as those already named"
The agent who is one of the best posted
men on insurance topics in the city. made
| some points upon Mr.. Keck's statements.
The Brush company will have to bear
| the expense of changing the electric APP
pliances, MIR. Kec6 to the contrary" said
he. THE company put them in and it is
responsible for them. What is more, it
win make the changes, because if it does
not its patrons will desert it,"
There is only one thing for the users
of electric lights to do, and that is to COM
| ply with the asso cations requirements.
| The matter is out of the hands of the
agents and they can do nothing. In the
| large majority of cases the cost of max
| ing the required changes will be very
small. There are only q few buildings
that use a large number of lights, where
| the cost of making the change will APP
| pear burdenSOme"