The age-herald., 1901-02-14
PROPOSITION AT
 LAST SUBMITTED 'i'iIers Necessary to Cheap CT Fire Insurance
IS UP TO CITY OFFICIALS
cpecisI ,5sns Tanner of Southeastern T riff Association Makea Report. Wants Better Presection-The
 Bsaeu sf Trade at Work.

The Southeastern Tariff Association through Special Agent H. M Tanner who was sent berc to confer with tn, Board Of Trade regarding fire insurance Fno<s, s-s submitted a proposition of tn, conditions on which the association vii rate risks in Birmingham on first-clas. basis.
 The proposition, which Is not as op pressive as was anticipated. was submit ted at an adjourned meeting of the Boart of Control Of tho Board of Trade, helt yesterday afternoon in the office of Johi W. Tonalinson, attorney for the board Among the members present were: Johi w. O'Ncill, president; J. D. Collins, Col man Blach, s. Klotz, J. H. Roll, G Rotholz and Samuel L. Earle. Other present were Special Agent H. M. Tan ner, representing tho Southeastern Tariff Association R. H. Kerr, chairman of th Finance Committee of the City Council and J. T. Muliin, chief of the fire de partment.
 immediately after calling the meeting to order and stating its object, Presiden ONeill asked MT. Tanner if he was read. to submit proposition in writing in be- half of the tariff assiciation.
 q have the proposition" said MT Tan. ner. Please read it." said President O'Neill The Proposition.
 The full text of the communication fol
 rirY,oi,ohap, Feh 12 1Q01 John w O'Neill Esq. President Bir- mingham Board of Trade, Birmingham Ala.
 : Dear Sir-In further reply to your favor of the 4th, asking what additional equip ment would be neseccary to put your city on strictly first class basis from a fire insurance stand point, I beg to sub- init the following:
 Apparatus.
 1. Installation of new horse wagon, equipped with 2000 feet of standard hose and other necessary apparatus, four men and two horses, at former engine house on Twenty-fourth street., between Second and Third avenues.
 2. Purchase of one first class steamer to be located at headquarters. Same tc have four men and two horses.
 3. Purchase of a light service truck anc equip same with six men and two horses Its location to be decided by the chief. !. Purchase of double sixty-gallor chemical engine; equip same with fou men aad two horses. To be located a headquarters.
 If 1t lis desired to secure the same rate for the North Highlands as was grante' the South Highlands, 1t will be necessar. to give them the same protection
 As the city has a small steamer nov on hand. it would only necessitate th' purchase of an additional hose wagoi with hose, etc, to equip 1t.
 It would of course be very desirable, ant add largely to the efflciciency of the de partment, if 1t were possible to install hose company In the west end and put the aerial truck back into commission. It should be borne in mind that Bir- mingham has grown great deal in the past ten years, yet her department, both as to number of men and apparatus, is less than 1t was then. Fire engines are subject to deterioration like other ma chincry, and the only effective machine now owned by the city, that could bf used at a large fire is the second class engine, located on the south side. All tht machines have at different times, beer used in pumping out cellars when gri and sand was forced through machine: iege~ intended for such purposes.
 Building Law.
 The present building laws are defec- tive in great many particulars. A new set of ordinances should be passed that would carry with them the appointment of a competent building inspector, whose duties 1t should be to pass on all plans and gee thgt the ordinances are carried out. The present ordinances as to outside walls, division walls. psrape'a 2 nhm- nevs and flues is dcfecti... the ordinance allows them to D tel thar txperience has shown init of safety.
 Augusta recently passed a bui 9iNs law that meets nearly all requirefr 7' NC wall in a building. designed 'er whole or in part for business . poses should have eitfar outside CT ivlsiol walls or paraputs of less than S-rtee1 inches.
 At present the enforcement of the building laws falls on the chief Of the fire department, who also has charge oi the electrical work In addition to his other duties. and 1t is a physical impos- sihity for any one man to perform al these duties.
 Fire Alarm Boxes.
 At present there are fifty-two alarm boxes. divided into four circuits. In the South Highland district referred to above there Is but one alarm box. Owing to th' large areas in some parts of the city il which there is lack of such boxes, al least fifteen new boxes should be in stalled.
 Hydrants.
 At present there are 252 hydrants t' cover the entire territory. in grea many instances these hydrants are wide ly separated necessitating the laying down c5 long lines of hose. Laying sucl long lines takes up very valuable tim' and greatly reduces the pressure.
 lust how many additional hydrant womb be necessary to fully cover tn district is a difficult question to answe without going iuto too lengthy detail. fir: in the report of the chief of the fir ds.,a:tmcn in 1899, a recommendatio tha; the numbers be increased to 600
 Possibly a careful investigation woul materially reduce this estimate. Nearl nll hydrants have <our-inch connection with main. These should be changed : r!l inches as soon as possible.
 Water Supply.
 As at present inssalled, the suppl seems to bs ceiffiatsnt for the needs of tn c3ty. Owing tc xie construction of tn sySBm no esNs-t pressure can be exertet Tho highea pressure. therefore, availabl b the kzaytty s,nssure from the reseI veiss sn Shades Mountain.
 Thls pgsasure is sufficient for ordinar ns~Au in the flat part of the city, but O tho Iusfla1ds h Is so reduced as to b entirely Ap1<sctivs unless supplemente '~ A-r
 RecaPitulation. II L Che new hose wagon, men, horse |