St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-04-06
Concerning Fire Insurance.

Oh vital Importance to every st. Johns
bury man having property to insure, is
the question Of fire protection. The hire
insurance rates on property here IN many
cases seems unjust and exorbitant; but
they were made with the utmost care by
competent men, with the recoi DIS OF past
business before them, and intending to
make a small profit for the insurance
companies. Hence the way to reduce
these rates is to improve property and
protection.
The New England Insurance Exchange,
which body makes the rates here, has
lust sent out the following recommen'
dations:
FIRE DEPARTMENT i. A central tre
station should be erected, situated at
vicinity of Eastern avenue and Main
street, TO suitably house the apparatus
and Tor the accommodation OF the hre-
men.
"a first.class chemical fire engine or
combination chemical fire extinguisher
and hose wagon should be obla and
located at the central station. with
permanently employed driver and two
horses; this apparatus would obviate the
loss of property by preventing the present
excessive use OF water at fires.
Sire limits should be established,
and the erection oil frame buildings pro-
hibted on Main, Railroad and other
principal streets in the mercantile o's-
trict.
The first two of these recommendations
are those which were decided upon ad-
versely last TALL at the village meetings;
but the people OF St. Johnsbury are too
Intelligent 10 lose sight of SO important
a matter-one which is more in our own
interests than in those of the insurance
companies.
An honest man cannot profit by fire,
and we, as honest men, should seriously
reconsider this question.
1t has been demonstrated by COM
mittee appointed to look INTO the matter,
that the expense will little, if any, exceed
what it now costs to MAINTAIN our hre
department. If such is the case, there
can he no doubt about the course to pur-
sue. II for about the same money wenow
expend on our department, we can maui
tain a central station with chemical en-
gines and men constantly on hand, what
possible opposition can there be! IL
would greatly reduce the danger to iiie
and property, and would undoubtedly
reduce insurance rates.
In regard to the second recommends
ton, permit me to call your attention to
the enormous water damage incurred
under our present fre.fghting system II
exiting uishlng even a small fire. This /:
not the slightest reflection upon our fire
department, which is certainly to b'
highly commended Tor its good work al
eyery fret is the iaut of the system.
A great many of our fires could have
been much more quickly extinguished b,
means of chemical engines, and a very
large amount of water damage prevented
Under our present system small hre II
an upper story OF business building
might be extinguished with little fir
damage, while the water damage m'gh
far exceed the cost OF maintaining GU
department an entire year.
The last recommendation, as to mr.
limits and erection OF buildings, thoug'
perhaps not so important, should re
ceive our careful consideration. 81
Johnsbury, as a solid, growing Vernon
town, should keep no with the times ant
In building should take thought OF tn
future, when perhaps the frame building
with frame partitions will permit conta
grations far worse than any we have mac
Let me urge you to consider tines
questions.
JOHN kIcKABY.