The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-06
TO PREVENT FIRES.
Insurance Commissioner Young Ex-
plains the Law.


To the Messenger:
Will you not be good enough 20 pub
lish the enclosed card from Insurance
Commissioners Young. Il calls aaen-
ton to a fault which is very prevalent
in Wilmington
The fire last night in the building
owned by B. H. J. Ahrens, corner
OF Market and seventh streets. was
plainly due TO ~depositins ashes IN Z
wooden box. During the past week
we have known OF several very mario"
same cause.
There Is now q city ordinance POO
hibiring This practice and there Is q
penalty for its violation. Ii u was
rigidly enforced there would
edly be a considerable decrease In the
, number of small fires.
Respectfully,
NJ. 8. WILLARD.
Secretary Carolina Insurance Co.
Many good laws upon the statute
books fail TO be OF real benefit to the
community because they are not
brought TO the knowledge Of the people
or properly enforced. Some very valu-
| able laws regulating the Insurance bus
mess in the state were passed By the
AACk - 8tA@
the duty OF the insurance COMMISSION
er OF the state TO look after their prop
er enforcement. ! desire TO Cali the
attention OF the public TO the act for
| the investigation OF fires" Chapter
5S, laws Of 1899.
n this law every fire in the state
is required to be Investigated. and its
| cause, origin and circumstances hook
| ed into by the officers of the cities and
| towns. mayors, chief of fire department.
or fire committee OF board OF alder
men.
a heavy penal is fixed for a failure
TO make this investigation and a re
port to the insurance commissioner OF
| all circumstances surrounding the hre-
If the facts warrant IL the COMMISSION
er is required to take up the inveSuga-
ton, and mak IL thorough. Even an
imperfect knowledge and carrying out
of this law during the past year has re
suited in much good and a saving to
the people of the state of over Sleo.OeO
in annual premiums in fire risks
One part Of this act can also be made
of much real benefit. I refer to the
part giving the authority TO officers 10
remove anything dangerous and likely
to cause fires. I refer to the follow
ing:
Sec. 4 The insurance commissioners.
or the chief of the fire department. or
fire committee of the board OF alder
men, shall have the right at all reas-
enable hours, for the purpose of exam
nation, to enter into and upon all
buildings and premises within their
Jurisdiction. Whenever any OF said
officers shall find in any building or
upon In premises mbuSt mater
rial or infiammable conditions danger
Gus to the safety Of such building or
premises they shall order the same 10
be removed, or remedied. and such or
der shall be forthwith complied with
by the owner or OF said build
ing or premises: Provided, however.
that If the said owner oil occupant shall
deem himeslf aggrieved by such order
he may, within twenty-four hours. ap-
peal to the insurance commissioner
and the cause of the complaint shall
be at once investigated by the direction
of the latter, and unless by his au-
thority the order OF the fire chief or
fire committee Is evok such order
shall remain in force and be forthwith
complied with by sal owner or occu-
pant. The insurance commissioner,
fire chief or fire committee as afore-
said shall make an immediate inyestl-
cation as to the presence of infiamma-
BILE conditions in any building or upon
any premises under their jurisdiction
upon complaint Of any person having
an interest in said building or premises
or adjacent thereto. Any owner or oc-
cupant of buildings or premises failing
to comply with h rders of the au-
thorities above specified shall be pun
ished by a fine of not less than ten
dollars nor more than fifty dollars
for each days neglect.
There is no doubt but that a large
number of fires in our cities and towns
could be prevented IL more car were
taken in requiring all buildings TO be
properly erected and all premises reg
u1arly inspected. 1t is strange. but a
fact, that eve our best citizens will
neglect the proper precautions in build
ing and caring for their house against
fires.
It is a duty of every city and town
government l. / state to see that this
law is 49, ely enforced, and to pass
suitable ordinances to this end, as has
been done in Wilmington. Greensboro.
Winston and other cities.
The recent fires and alarms in the
city of Raleigh should impress upon the
board of aldermen of the city. as well
as the property owners. whom the
represent, n great Importance OF
using every means for the prevention
OF fires, especially such as are provid-
ed by laws already on the statute
books When fires are starting in eel
lars. closets. garrets and such places.
fr is well to look u for defective hues.
trash, waste and such breeders Of fires.
What applies to our capital city. and
may well serve as a warning TO them.
Heeu "eif Apply WITH equal force. and
In many cases with more, to every city
and town In the state.
Ii n authorities of the cities and
towns OF the state will look into this
matter, enforce tine law, and make
proper ordinances along his line gov
erning the erection of buildings and
the proper inspection % all premises.
they VIII o notice a wonderful de
crease in the number and frequency
OF nres, n in time get an additional
decrease OF rates by insurance compa-
niss.
j. r. YOUNG.
Insurance ran-.u.1-u-