Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-04-30
FIRE BUGS"
The State Fire Marshal
Makes a Report
IeIIins of His Dealings With Incendiaries---D
ficuIt to Convict In Akron Cases---AdWce
to Insurance Companies.

state will make an examination of the
records of this Office. This we believe
will result in a substantial reduction
in the enormous fire waste of the
state, thereby eventually reducing the
loss ratio and decreasing premium
rates. In connection with this record
is suggested the Importance of fire
marshals in other states, who would
be of great value to each other in fol-
lowing up the professional fire bug"
who, driven from one state, goes to
another to follow the same business.
Section ) of the law (See page %
provides that combustible materials
aud intiammable conditions, dangerous
to the safety of n building or to adjoin-
ing. property, may be removed or re-
mcdied by the order of this office In
number of cases where dynamite,
other explosives, ignitible oils and
paints have been carelessly stored,
or where dilapidated and unoccupied
buildings, open to mischievous boys
and tramps, have been found, steps
have been taken TO have the same
removed, threby releasing adjoining
property from immediate danger and
protecting life. The physical hazard
has thus in many cases been greatly
reduced. In connection with this it
is gratifying for us to announce that
notification of the parties interested
has been sufficient and it has not been
necessary to resort to the punitive
clause of the law TO compel obedience
in such cases.
Many difficulties have been en-
countered. In arson cases the state is
not only compelled to rely upon cir
cumstantial evidence, but even this
evidence is destroyed by the criminal
act itself The knife, the club, the
empty revolver, the stains of blood,
the autopsy of the corpse itself, all
lend assistance 10 the detection of the
criminal in murder cases; but in cases
of arson the burnt brand, the match,
the machine, the exploded bomb, the
coal oil, the gasoline are all destroyed.
The tracks of the criminal are covered
by his own crime, and the unwary
public renders the verdict that the fire
was accidental, caused by "A tramp or
by rats and matches or spontaneous
combustion. The criminal escapes 10
continue his cowardly calling. In
many cases witnesses are unwilling
TO testify against the party suspected,
whose i'll will they fear to incur. Per-
haps the suspect is a man of influence,
who might injure their business, per
baps he is n desperate, of whom the
whole community stands in fear.
In many cases we find that public
sentiment is against the state in pro-
scouting incendiaries for gain.
This we believe is in some
measures due To the care
lessness and loose methods adopted
10y insurance agents. We find that in
some cases the property burned was
over-insured, thereby creating moral
hazard, which would not otherwise
exist, and endangering adjacent prop
crty. The risk was taken by an irres-
ponsible agent. whose desire TO secure
large commission was more potent
than his desire to protect the COM
panics ne represented and their patrons
and policy holders. In few cases of
Oyer-insurancc we find upon inves-
tigatlon that the agent took a risk
upon property, which he had never
seen or inspected, while the insured
was a man of doubtful standing in
the community. We have called the
attention OF several companies to
agents who have been doing business
in this manner. To protect the public
against such agents we would suggest
the advisabIliry of law authorizing
the commissioner OF insurance TO re-
woke the license Of agents, who are
found 70 he doing business in a loose
aud careless manner.