Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-22
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 STATE FIRE MARSHAL.
Bill Before the Legislature Providing, For Appointmentsok Such Official.


 For Appoi1tmentSo Such Official. The hearing before the insurance
 committee, Tuesday afternoon, was in
 reference to the bill authorizing the appointment of a state fire marshal and a deputy fire marshal.
 The duties of the official under the act will be to investigate the causes of; fires that may occur in the state, as- certaining whether the fire was the result of carelessness or design. Such investigations are to begin within two days of the occurrence of the fire, not including the Lords day. The fire marshal and the deputy marshal are given the powers of a trial justice for
 the purpose of compelling the attend
 ance of witnesses. All investigations held by or under the direction of the fire marshal may, in his discretion, be
 private. The annual salary of the fire ! marshal is made $2,5OO by the bill and the deputy's salary S1,5OO. The fire l marshal will not be allowed to engage in any other business and the deputy
 will be required to be in the office of the marshal regularly, ready for such duties as may be required of him. The annual report of the marshal is to be made not later than January 15 in each year, going to the insurance cOmmis- sioner who is to embOdy the material portion in his annual statement to the governor
 The bill has the appreciation of the Connecticut Insurance commissioner,
 the Hon E. l.. Scofield. The state of Massachusetts has fire marshal law, which has worked successfully for d number of years. The national state associations of Local Fire Insurance
 agents throughout the country favor legislation of the kind. The fire in Surance companies of this city have designated their assent to the measure. F. w. Beardsley Clarence 1. Boards ley, Charles E. Parker of the insurance firm of kimbali x Parker, John E. Knox, Jr, secretary of the Hartford board of fire underwriters, President John c. North of the State Association of Local Fire Insurance agents, and Insurance Commissioner Scofield were assigned to be heard in support of the bill MT Parker informed the commit tee that the fire marshal of Massachu
 setts was expected to be present and describe the operation of the law in
 that state. But MT. WhitcOmb had
 not been heard from in answer to the request and it was presumed that he was out of the state. Mr Parker said the bill would tend to
 reduce the rates of fire Insurance. He said the bill was modelled after the M
 the subject. He said that there should be some one in the state having power to make Investigations of the causes of fires.
 Commissioner Scofield said there are notifications needed in the bill. He
 understood that it was phrased in ac-
 cordance with the Ohio law.
 Mr North of New Haven said the
 fire marshal law is one of great i'm i ,.t, Tho 11
 quires that every fire shall be investi-
 gated. At the present time only Sus-
 DiciOus fires are required to be investi- gated. In a suspicious fire that Oc-
 cured at New Haven not long ago
 the fire marshal of the city was not
 able to secure testimony, not being
 able to compel the attendance of wit
 neSses. There is great difficulty in
 getting rates on farm property. The
 losses on farm property are so great
 at present that the companies can
 not take the risks. The country risks
 are largely subjected to hazard. and
 the companies will not take them.
 The fire marshal law in Massachu-
 setts was due to the efforts of Mir
 Whitcomb. said Commissioner Scofeld.
 He secured the enactment of the law
 in Maine. The commissioner said the
 bill in it's spirit and purpose is of in
 terest to every man who has property to be insured. It is due to the state that a bill should be passed authoriZ- ing an investigation of every fire With the idea of ascertaining whether the fire was due to carelesSneSS or design. The law has been of incalculable val ue in Massachusetts. The bill can not
 be urged on the ground alone that it helps the fire companies. It will help every man who has property to be
 
 ance rates. The bill was favored by MT Halzer of Bridgeport, engaged in 1 the fire insurance business.