The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-16
RESULTS REGULATE RATES.
THE INSURANCE COMMITTEES RE-
PORT ON SAVANNAH.

| The Document a Conservative One.
The Committee Finds the Water
supply Ample and the Fire De-
partmcnt Wen Equipped-NO Crit
fcism of the Personnel of the De-
partmcnt Mnde-It Has Been TOO
Much in Politics, ThOugh-ShOuId
be Removed Entirely From II and
the Chief Given Ample Power.
The report of the special committee Of
the executive committee of the Southeast
ern Tariff Association, which visited Sa-
vannah on tour of investigation last
month, has been given out.
A copy OF the report was received yes
terday by Capt. John F. Wheaton, chair
man of the local committee, which con-
ferred with the special committee in Sa-
| vannah From the harmless and inoffen-
sive character of the report there is SEEM
ingly no reason why it should not have
been given to the public when presented to
the executive committee in Atlanta ten
days ago.
The report is an exceedingly moderate
pyrotechnics.
1t makes no attack upon the fire depart
ment, nor does it demand the head of Fire
Chief Mcguire. 1t is so carefully worded
and so pleasantly, too, that it requires
second reading to discover that the COM
mittee really finds anything to complain
of in the condition of the fire department
After a brief statement of their visit 10
Savannah the report says:
After comforting with the various COM
mittees referred to above, your commit
tee were convinced that the water supply
of Savannah is all-sufficient and that, af-
ter a few changes shall have been made
in the MAINS such as substituting large
mains in the place of small ones in some
of the cross streets, there will be nothing
to complain of in that respect"
AS to the ordinary fire pressure there is
no question that it is still deficient though
1t is true, we think that, when the fire
pressure is put on at the pumping station,
It is sufficient for all ordinary purposes of
fire protection"
The physical equipment of the city as to
the apparatus attached to the fire depart
ment, and as to the water service the re-
port states is all that could be reasona bly,
demanded of a city of its size. The re-
port also states that the city has cheer
fully met the material recommendations
son of the national board
Here comes the meat of the report Find
ing things as they have stated above, I'VE
are led irresistibly to the conclusion" the
report states, that we have a natural
loss TO population in Savannah greater
than in other similar cities, or that the APP
paratus is not properly handled by the fire
department, thus causing unnecessary
waste by fire, either or both The city
cannot regulate the enormous loss to pop
ulation, if it exists; therefore we think the
management of the fire department should
receive its attention at once. We DO not
desire to criticise the present chief nor the
personnel of the fire department, but we
do assert most unhesitatingly. from our
observation and experience, that politics
pervades the department to a most per-
nicious extent. Until the department Is
organized on a permanent basis, so as to
avoid interference by each succeeding
administration as it comes into power, and
until practically absolute power over the
personnel and mana cement of the depart
| ment is conferred upon a chief relieved
from any doubt as to the retention of his
position, except from inefficiency, no per-
! manent good work can be done by the
department in our opinion. We do not
| think it becomes underwriters to sus-
gest names for office, nor to lay down any
| absolute rule as to the regulation of the
1
! by the city authorities. We think it best
to let the city proceed in its own way t.
| bring about these reforms"
There is nothing in the above which
could not be heartily Endorsed by Chief
Mcguire, except, perhaps, the referenc;
to politics in the department. The las
three sentences of this paragraph ar,
worth more than a passing glance, how
! ever They are as follows:
1T is the province of underwriters t,
charge for conditions as they find them
and If these conditions be improved t,
lessen the charge. If they. are never i'm
| proved, the extra premium collected pro
vides for the excessive loss. Yet the bur
den of the Improvement rest with tn
city, where it belongs the underwater
recognizing it only after it shall have beer
actually accomplished, as proven by ex
perience."
In other words, If. with a well equippe
fire department and an ample water sup
ply, better results are not obtained, al
increase in rates will be put into effect
The report closes with the statemen
that the committee understood it's dut
to have been simply one of in
vestigation, and did not, therefore
think that it was desired or expected t
consider the question of rates as affecte
by the fire protection.
The recommendations of Inspector John
|
writers and the action of the city author
tiles, thereon, are attacked, showing
that the recomme ndations have alread
been complied with or are under favorabl
consideration. Practically all these sug
gestions were original with the fire com
mission and were under consideration
when Mr.. Johnson made his inspection
meeting of the local underwriters wa
held yesterday afternoon for the purpos
of considering the report. Capt J. +
Wheaton, who furnished a copy of tn
} report to the Morning News, stated tina
the underwriters Endorsed the report a
conservative and in proper spirit