Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-01
YEARS OFFICIAL REPOR is
Has Been a Prosperous One for Fire Insur
ance Companies in Omaha,
LOSSES REDUCED TO A THRILLING FIGURE
building Operations Not Large, hut
Nuke ~ Good showing FOR the
Timcs-Customs Receipts
Fail on.

The record of the year In Omaha, like all
other places, is not one which requires any
very extended comment In business way
it is too familiar to need review. In an
official way the various officers have not
sufficiently completed their reports to give
anything like a compile summary
The fire insurance companies which are
operating in this city can hand over to them
selves as a New Years gift nice profit ON
their business in Omaha. According to the
report Of Fire Chief Redell, which will be
issued in few days, the fire loss in the
city during the past year has been the light
est recorded for many years From figures
gathered from the best source 1t is estmat-
ed that the citizens of Omaha have paid in
premiums during the past year fully $780,
600. OF this the insurance companies paid
back in losses $71.9SS, according to the fig
ures of Chief Redell. In 1895 the compa-
nies paid back $S0,060. The total fire loss
during the last year was $S2,913, less even
than in 1895. when the losses aggregated
$lO6724 In 1885, the fire loss was Si25, 1893.
OF last years loss $34 i46 was on buildings
and $iS,567 on contents. The total value OF
the jeopardized buildings was $2.017. .460 and
of the contents in jeopardy 81 O6O 4S5 a to-
tai of $3,OS0,945. The insurance carried on
the endangered property was 81 1896 $50 The
insurance over the loss was 81 ,25i 172, so
that the damage over insurance was $1O,925,
The total fire losses also include those on
account OF several fires outside the fire lin
its. where the department had no means of
eXtinguishing them The value of the prop
erty endangered in these fires was So, $50 and
the loss SO $40. The total insurance was S3,-
200, the insurance over less S2i0 and the
loss over insurance $3.50. The most costly
fires occurred in February. when the Ne
braska Dry Goods company's stock and
building on Douglas street was partially de-
stroyed, and the Cady Planning mill went up.
During that month the total loss was $i3,-
1872. The lowest less was in September, sTl5
The losses by months are as follows: Janu-
ary, $6,SS9; February, $i3,192; March, So
AS; April, A,73O; May, $5,O35; June $23l5;
July, $3i99; August, S5, 1853: September, S715;
October, $3.50; November 81 500; December.
S2ISO. The number of fire alarms was 2i6
The force Is composed at present of 1O7
men, three less than at the same time last
year. The apparatus is the same. The
number of hydrants in service Is 14i1
against 1856 last year. OF the number
forty-one are private, but are available for
use in case OF fire
The number of casualties at fires was
eight. These were of a serious or painful
nature. Mrs. Maria Dorr died as result
Of burns she received during the conilagra-
ton OF her residence at 1907 North Twenty
eighth street
The causes of the fires were many. The
most frequent were as follows, together |
with the NUMBER OF times they were as |
signed: Ignition Of gasoline, 81 sparks |
from chimney, 10; defective chimney, l3;
stovepipe through roof o. children and
matches, s; careless disposition of hot
ashes, Z; explosion of lamps G: careless |
use Of matches, 5. Eight OF the fires were
plainly incendiary and eight more were sup
posed to be incendiary. Two were caused
by matches and mice or rats. Twenty |
eight were of unknown origin.
BUILDING OPERATIONS.
The report of Building Inspector Harte for
1896 has been completed. 1t shows that the |
total improvements in the city during the |
past twelve months amounted to little lees !
than 100000. The most expensive building |
constructed during the year was the Creigh- !
ton Medical college the estimated cost OF |
which was 100000 The Davidge block op- |
posite the city hall cost $4,000 and the |
church built by the Franciscan Fathers at |
Seventeenth and Center streets and the new |
residence of G. W. Wattles were next in or |
der in point of capital invested.
The following table shows the number OF |
permits issued each month. with the cost OF !
the improvements contemplated OF the |
grand total for the year $l9SSS9 was in |
vested in new buildings and $92, ,2Gi in re. |
pairs.