The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-23
SIEBLEs' ALARM NOT ECHOED
SAVANNAH INSURANCE MEsS TBTSHE
=. A. l.. TERMINALS sAFE.

AttI-. ~ Any, COMMEND Among Ls-
cal Insurance Men caused by Mr.
siebIeS' Reported Fear Of "a Ffrc
Originating Ia the sptvits shed &C
the Terminals Becouiina General.
Mr. ". ". MackaII said Uunoss
care Was Taken 90 secure Most
Approved TermiBaS--Fire wall "a
Measure for safety-1r. q. n.
rrcnderHnst Thinks Tcrmtnasm
Are 81 the Hest.
The Atlanta insurance men. who were
reported In The Morning NewF dlspss ehea
as having ieft Tor Savannah 90 investi-
gate the DANCER o. a fro originating In
tho spirits sheds 81 tho senboard Air
Line terminals spreading and becoming
general counarratiou. have not ariv-
~ Inquiries Among enc local Insurance
men yesterday afternoon failed TO dis
cover their presence "a tho city.
Nj p sichics 81 columbia was report
81 as dissatisfied with the cousa rucfion
% the easivrnmoat ~ tho piers. that on
which the turpcutlno and rosin brought
stored 20 await shipment Something
about rho hro wall on the pier dispioaaed
Air slcblcs. who g. an insurance man
and who made an Inspection ~ che term
iuais while hero a day or two ago
Tho report had 70 that Mr sieblea
thought There would b. imminent danger
% q fire originating asnid the rlrpentins
communicated by means ~ turpcutins
burning and noatiu- ON tho water 20 the
wharvcs aud shipping ncross TIE river.
ana thence o. the buildings aong River
street thus resulting in % gcncrai con-
naErltiou.
CHIEF among Mr. sichlea fears seemed
to h. that OF burning turpentinc flowing
underneath the tire val which is not
touched by water when the tide o. low
reaching the river and floating out upon
mission Of general destruction 'rnis
was the fear accredited 10 him b. thu
report. ard the fre wall thai no says has
iis bas. above low water mark seems 20
alarm him no little
Mr W ". Mackall 81 counsel for tha
soaboard AIR Line was seen about the re-
port and his expressions upon the matter
lef. little room for feeling OF alarm. Tho
terminals. he declared. were built upon
the latest and most Improved plans. and
4 D. absurd 60 think that any prccaution
against FIRE should havo been omitted.
The IRE wall mentioned BY Mr. Siehlea
separates tho spirits shed into two parts
measure Of safety. II - designed
40 prevent the spread Of flames from one
side ~ the shed 60 tho other and runs
back from the slip. not parallel with A.
No necessity for a nre wall existed. and II
was constructed simply 20 prevent the de-
structIOn % an the spirAs should IRE
break out
Mr. Charles y prendorRast one % tho
leading IRE insurance men. said. when
seen By a representative Of the Morning
Nrws. that he had never made a critical
examination o. tho terminals. but that he
entertained no particular fear as 20 their
threatening danger TO property, Enough
care and money we're expended uopn their
construction 90 make them o. the most
approved style. minimizing all danger
from combustion.
For years. Mr. Prsnderras, said. there
has been a fear haunting insurance mon
that flre might start in the spirits sheds
Of one of tho railway fcrminoiH and -
communicated 10 the wharves and ship
ping in the harbor. Nothing Of the kind
has occurred bar stories Of burning oM
floating upon water and consuming every
thing with which 10 casno lu contact havs
h't HNiffN 70 amy hAe itttte OF we M
sufnure men.
About "a year aRo the local Insurance
men united IN a petition TO the Plant sys-
tom aud The Central Railroad. 20 10 ar
range their spirits ahesn and yards IS
10 cause any burning material 90 flow
away from and not toward the river. IL
was desired that the companies grade
their yards IN such a manner aa to pre-
vent the spirits finding their way 20 tho
water Ia case OF IRE.
This desired grade was a part Of che
scheme OF construction OF the eeahoard
Air Line terminals Sir. Mackan nala.
and burning spirits could not flow to-
ward the river. on the contrary, they
would fiow away from g.
savannah Insurance men have not
echoed the alarm OF Mr sleblee. afr.
Prcndergast said thas he had not heard
a one 81 those whom he had met during
the day refer 10 the report % the danger.
All Of them are aIert and upon their
guard against anything that might be
against the interests Of their companies,
but not "a one had ever had any objection
10 offer against the Seaboard terminals.
upon which many Of them have issued
policies.