The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-01-14
THE KANSAS FIELD CLUB
Ask Fire Insurance Companies In Indian
Territory. "ShaIl we Continue to do
Business with Your"

At a recent meeting of the Kansas
Field Club the matter of insurance
against fire in the Indian Territory
under present conditions was ex-
haustively discussed and the con-
clusions reduced to a circular letter
to the various agencies doing bust
ness in this country. From this letter
the ARDMoREITE is privileged to
make the following extracts:
sin summing up the various
causes of the enormous fire waste in
the Indian Territory during the year
which closed on the 31st day of last
December, by the insurance compan-
les doing business in this Territory,
it was found that the most disast-
rous of these fires, those which
occurred at Tahlequah, Ardmore,
Purcell and Ryan, might have avert
ed, had even five barrels of water
been accessible at the time the fire
was discovered in each town named,
and it can safely be said that this
would have been the case in nearly,
II AAOA All VI NhC ONhCA hACnf " W nlCA
they have been called upon to con
tribute. That fires have and will
occur in towns apparently free from
them, goes without saying, but who
i1no VS. what town may suffer next
from these sweeping confiagrations.
They have, therefore, advised Us
that unless some steps are taken by
the insuring public of this Territory,
to provide such protection against
fire as will merit approval on in
spection, that rates will be SHARPLY
advanced, or the e1mpanies will
withdraw their protection. In order
to avoid either of these possibilities 3,
the former of which would mean
more expense to you and the latter
most disastrous TO the business
interests of this Territory, we desire
to impress upon you the absolute
necessity of taking prompt action in
organizing a fire brigade, and to
provide it with sufficient number C
hook and ladders, and to maintain
stationary ladders on the side and
roof of all frame business buildings,
/ and in front of said buildings, and
7 on the sidewalk shall keep at least
/ two barrels of water, with fire
buckets handy ready for use in case
/ of fire. We recommend fire buckets
made of zinc with cone shaped
bottoms, which are not suitable for
any other purpose than fighting fire
Barrels must be headed and bung
closed and kept in good repair, so
they may be accessible and may be
rolled to the scene of any fire which
may occur.
'If all business property owners in
your town will cooperate, the pro
rata expense will be nominal as
compared to your losses in case oi
your property being destroyed by
fire.
"There are other matters in connect
ion with this which, while they may
seem of minor Importance, are the
most frequent causes of fire,) sci
forth in the printed pamphlet which
we herewith enclose, which th6
insurance companies insist on being
faithfully carried out, and we know
your good judgment Will prompt YOU
10 do so, the moment your attention
is called to them. We may add
that no reduction in rates will b'
made for the improvements required
"Any information that we can give
you in reference to making thes'
| improvements, will be cheerful.
accorded, upon a request from yol
to do so.
5 "We speak without fear Of contra
= diction, when we say t1at the exper
ience of the companies in this Terri
/ tory, has been an Improbable on
for more than ten years: proof o
= which is established by the fact tina
. nearly as many companies hav
withdrawn from this field during tn
term named, as now remain doin
: business here. Ii must therefore b
{ apparent to you that this is no
4 intended as a "bluff," but that
: means Just what il says, and tha
e unless promptly compiled with, tn
day is not far distant when ever
respo hsible fire insurance compap
d will be obliged to withdraw, as
e business proposition, from the uT
, equal contest. 1t is, therefore,
serious matter to you, to the CON
AGENTS.