Omaha daily bee., 1894-02-25
AMONG THE INSURANCE MEN
Inspector Hartman Expresses Himself on the
Subject of Electric Hazards.
CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS CRITICISED
Appeal of Fire Underwriters for New Or
dinances--What the Life Insurance Men
Are Doing-Events of the Week
Items of Interest.
INSTRUCTION. OF BUILDINGS CRITICISED

Inspector Chris Hartman was interviewed
yesterday upon the subject of electric haz-
ards and defective construction. Insurance
men of Omaha are keenly interested in this
respect at present and are discussing rem
edial possibilities. Mr.. Hartman said:
The electric hazard is receiving the care
ful attention OF fire underwriters through
out the country on account of the large fire
losses directly traceable to electricity. A
committee appointed by the Illinois State
Board of Fire Underwriters some months
ago to investigate the hazard of electric
light and power and to recommend the
proper treatment of the same from an insur-
ance standpoint. made a report on the sub
ject last week in which it says in part:
1T is estimated that within the last five
years over 5000 miles of trolley and feeder
wires have been strung in the United States,
and over 200, 600 miles of arc and incades-
cent wires have been put in use. Also,
within the last nine years, there have been
over $65, 900, 90 of fire losses in the United
States directly traceable to electric currents
referring to the charges that should be
made for defective installation, 1t says:
The only way the underwater can receive
help In meeting an increased loss ratio from
an ascertained cause is by making an extra
charge therefor. 1t is universally conceded
tnat thousands OF buildings already wired
by inexperienced and incompetent work
men will cost the companies mil
lions Of dollars in losses by fire,
Let us at once set about receiving
payment for the increased loss ratio on the
imperfectly completed work, and by raising
rates on faulty construction of the future
equipments demonstrate to the electric com
panies that they must correct faults or
they will have no patronage because Of too
high cost to the consumer. In this way
,4A- % IA ,lAN 80 tIA a"I Ia1.- 900.
selves and fulfill that important public
service of fire underwriters, make safer the
homes and business interests of our GUS
toners from loss by fire.
Omaha property is by no means exempt
from this hazard, but, on the contrary, |
believe that it is one of the worst hazards
that companies have to insure against here,
and unless the situation is speedily i'm
proved companies will either decline to write
risks at all equipped with electric appliances
or they will make an additional charge for
the electric hazard. If the necessary
municipal legislation could be had on the
subject the present condition of the hazard
could be rapidly improved.
Every citizen Of Omaha who has a dol
lars worth of property subject to loss by
fire should at once urge upon the city coun-
ell the necessity OF the immediate passage
OF the electric ordinance now pending be-
fore that body. Omaha should have had a
city electrician and a strong ordinance re-
quiring the proper installation Of electric
work ten years ago, but this matter has been
sadly neglected all these years, and the re-
suit is a large amount of defective wiring.
If our city council will pass the pending or
dinance and require a rigid enforcement OF
the same, much relief can be had from the
present bad condition at once, and at no
| greater expense to the taxpayers than the
| present methods entail. Again, II this pend
ing ordinance were passed the property OF
this city would not long be at the mercy OF
a hazard, which, in all probability, caused
the Boston Store fire, and endangered the
whole business portion of the city with a
serious confagration.
"The interests OF thS