Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-04-24
DON ADNNTS RETORT-

ah'i'A'Ailh AfAAANk Nllf NNMN lMtANN
months / have repaired 1000 feet OF
hose, thus saving the city $1,000.
DON ADAMS REPORT.
Tho report Of Don b. Adams ON Sal.
wage and the paid department question
b. Of great interest and is given here.
with.
Fort Worth, Tex, April e. 1S03.
To The officers and members of the State
Frpmvn's Association of Texas.
Gentlemen You will see hy our last
proceedings that topic No. I, was referred
Go the Fort Worth Fire Department. our
department did not cake any action ON
the matter until their meeting ou 3lw
day Of March last; / was not present at
said meeting but learned after several
days that | had been appointed chairman
Of committee, being quite busy ot the
time, aud not having time Since of
course. did not prepare a paper such as
/ should liked Co, you will therefore
please pardon me- fof not handing iu a
more elaborate paper on the subject
The topic reads as folloWN "Should
the legislature be asked 90 pass law
giving Salvage 30 Fire Departments, if
not, why notT'
viii FIRST explain the word Salvage,
and what 10 b. derived from az given
In Chambers Encyclopedia.
Salvage is from the Latin word Sal
wore, means 90 suve, it is the payment
by the owners of "a ship or cargo 10 per
sons who may have been instrumental Boz
saving 10 from extraordinary danger, from
the sea, fire or un enemy
Salvage was recognized in the earliest
muratIue codes. us the laws OF Rhodes.
Oliver and Wisely. The laws of Eng
land divides Il into two classes, civil
aud hostile Salvage: ciyi Salvage Us the
az ID al ID ID
part thereof from the pcrils OF the deep
Hostile Salvage RECEIVERS 10 from ah enc
omy or pirate after capture. No pupOr
ton o. laid down ON civil Salvage, as
generally applicable. Each curo must hf
decided ON ib merits, the ingredients
for decisions being
I. The degree of danger incurred by
the sulVcrs.
!. The degree or peril iu which the
property rescued stood
g. The value and nature Of property,
except where the assistance rendered has
been tdHinp, the Salvage sllN Boz from
% third Go "a bali ut thr property saved.
A royal ship is bound to lid a merchant
man iu distress, but II still can claim Sal
wage.
Hostile Salvage was fixed In 1903 go
Onc.righh the value OF the property
saved for royal ships, aud oue-siXth for
private vessels.
Now. gentlemen. | muy bc wrong, but
/ do not thing there is "A state bon the
union that allows Salvage 10 Fire De
parimcuts. However,, my answer 10 iho
question Is un, as | am opposed 10 the
measure in toto,
Ny reasons nrc az follows;
!. Should the legislature pass such a
law n would undoubtedly be- uent
temptation 90 those so Inclined 90 COM
init arson, aud ! think, gentlemen, with
tho list at iucculiary hrrs that we con-
tinunlly have throughout the state, with
possibly no intention of gain on the part
of thc parties committing the crime
would bc sufficient without the state hy
a law setting up @ premium 20 those 30
inclined tO commit such crimes; inicad of
sucn a law being passed. / should think
Il would be- wise for this association 90
ask that the state offer "a standing re-
ward for the arrest aud conNcllnn of
anyone found guilty of arson. Ills, j
take nc least would have % tendency
90 lessen the great hre waste oil our
country.
Aly second reason rs: That a law
would undoubtedly cause al sometime,
"A serious complication OF adjustment of
losses between the owners OF property
subject 90 loss by fire and the Insurance
companies
j heard Il remarked chat such o law
might be- a benefit 60 insurance com
panies, the remark was made by an ina
surauce man. j asked him for his reason
be said that II would have q tendency TO
make the hremon work harder, thus Civ
INC better service. ] told him ] thought
he was wrong for this rcason while we
admit that the iiremen might work llt'
he harder 10 save the goods in q building
that was in immediate danger, sim The
adjoining building or stock might suffer
almost as great loss hy the rough
handling Of goods unnecessarily re-
moved.
3. N should not boz a matter between
the owners az property and the man
WHO saves. nor should u be matter
between insurance companies anu the
man who saves, but Il should be- q matter
between the owners OF property uhmasta
bv fire and the Insurance alone.
4 And last bnt not least, gentlemen,
Il would, without q doubt have q Tend
ency 10 lower the patriotic duty, OF our
brave volunteer hfemen 90 the level of
gaining the almighty dolim ana l take ~
gentlemen, we, as volunteer hreitn'
have NO more right % ask ne state
to nav MS for our services thAu VIC
bave 10 70 before our city council ana
ASK thot each member receive 2 stipulated
amount for his services as hfemen ANA
class ourselves volunteer hremep.
Hoping that the above fieNs hlAy |
meet with the approval ~ this nssoaa'
tton remain y0ur obelient servant
"1' DON b. ADAMS.
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