The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-01
CAPT. M'CART THY PRESENT
Asks Many Questions Of Various
Speakers.
THE STORING OF EXPLOSIVES
This Subject Debated a, Length. a. Wers
Also tho Matters Of the constructlon Of
BuiIdiug.The Condition Of
streets-sir. W. II. Nc
cartby . and Mr.
Traylor Heard.

Traylor Heard.
The first steps toward the thorough Inc
.estigation OF the conditions OF the Fire
ard Water Departments of Richmond,
with the relative losses by fire as a re-
suit of possible weakness on the part OF
cne or both of the departments referred
to, were taken last night at the meeting
of the Fire Losses Committee of the City
Council.
The committee had invited representa-
tives OF the various insurance companies
to appear before them with suggestions
as to improvements In the departments.
with the view of decreasing the hazard
GEd the danger to life and property.
The representation was not large, but
1t was diversified, and the suggestions
thrown out were interesting and valua-
bic, and the interest taken by the conl-
nIittee was manifested in the many ques-
tions that were asked. Some of the
speakers were closely questioned by
Chairman Gordon, Major Allen and Alr.
Miner.
Mr.. Lecky was most comprehensive In
his remarks. He was armed with photo
graphs, publications and pamphlets deal
ing with the subject under discussion.
ard so thoroughly was the case presented
from the standpoint of an insurance man
ard a man with the interests of the city
az heart besides, that very little Was
left for the other gentlemen to say. He
pointed out the difference in the manner
in handling fires as between Richmond
and other, cities, and showed that the
Richmond Fire Department stood re-
E.arkably high in it's treatment OF f1ress
and bore a record second to none in hold
ing them down to the starting point
CLASSIFIED SUBJECTS
Mr., .Iecky discussed his subjects under.
| classified heads, embracing the condition
OF streets. the construction OF buildings.
the storing of explosives, the proximity
OF neighboring cities from which assist
arce may be secured in cases of confia-
grafton, electric wires, and needs Of tho
departments.
Following Mr.. Lecky short speeches
were made by Mr.. r. Lee TraYlor, Mr..
w. II. Mccarthy, Mr.. LII Warren. and
Mr.. w. A. Crenshaw.
Captain Carlton Mccarthy was present.
and In questioning the speakers. brought
out the fact that the most complete fire
departments in the country carried a
corps OF experts who could handle eN-
Elosices, not to be used In putting out.
the fire, but i'll destroying material upon
which the flames fed. He also brought
out the point that there was not in the
ei.tire Fire Department in Richmond a
single man who knows how to handle tna
higher explosives
Mr.. Lecky said that the insurance COM
panies and the people should reason to-;
gether, and in the result give the policy
hc!der the benefit.
EXPERIENCE THE SAME.
."Thc fires thar we have haG in the
United States recently. said Mr.sLecky,
hoE
nies with the fact that OUR experiences
has not been different from that OF other
cities in the country, but the fires seen,
to be pretty general and pretty we'll
spread, certainly In the East. The fire
losses in this country, as shown by The
Jacksonville fire, Waterbury and Pater-s
son recently and Chicago and Boston be-
fore. have demonstrated that the Amer
lean cities are face to face with con-
fagration panic. SsS
.It is known to us that when q. fire gets
beyond the building In which 1t Originate
ed and when 1t gets, to certain degres
of intensity. it is beyond human control
, That is brought about by many considera-
tions. which were realized In the old
countries many years ago. and. there
fore, great confasrations in European
countries and Asiatic countries have
stopped. the most noticeable Of those in
recent years being the great London fire
and the burning of Moscow and the con-
, fagrations In some Chinese cities, wher.
it is quite likely that the buildings were
| of old material. Among more permanent
buildings in the old countries, especially
where the insurance companies hava been
in business long enough to fnterject theIr
own ideas. they have not occurred. such
| for instance. as the settlement known an
Victoria, in Hong Kong. the British sst-
tIement Chicago and Boston and all OF
those cities enumerated except WATERBURY
have natural element to contend with.
which is not the case In Richmond we
call it in our business the prevailing winds.
The winds from the lake at Chicago and
from the ocean In other places except
Waterbury may carry away tha fire be-.
yond control. Waterbury and Eistnrond
| are something alike in their. freedom from
! that natural element but as an Offset to
the prevailing wind the city Of Rfchmon-.
has an undulatinr surface. Bv the va
atoms In the heights OF the buildings en-
the hills and these situated lower dowr
the action is like that OF the wind In sea
port towns: fire always ascends. and the
buildings above are more likely to be al
tackled.
MUNICIPAL ELEMENTS
Municipal elements ara ese-
troll. The first OF these. is the
condition Of the streets. AS to the condI-
ton of the streets.aI viii cite tho very
recent example OF the burning OF the
Armory in New York city. where the FRO
department. although the horses nao
spiked shoes and there were four horses
to an engine. were impedea many nin-
utes in getting to the fire. In Chicago. bJ.
the use Of wood paving blocks. the pave
Ixx,.,., ,,,e. so hot fnaf $IS f3ay,a ~ r,
could not work close to the fire. There
fore one of the first things that the in-
surance companies look at in city IL
the condition of the highways, whether
they furnish q rapid and ready access