The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-14
Insurance Companies Looking
 After Birmingham
A QUESTION OF FIRE RATES
Test of Fire Plugs and Mains Yester day-Rumor Concerning Rate of lnsurance-Talk of Increase
 In Department.

The water works and the fire depart ment of Birmingham were inspected yes- terday by two special insurance inspec- tors as a result of the recent heavy fire losses which the city has suffered. The inspectors were S. F. Lawton of the Southeastern Tariff association, and Fred E. MacKnight of the Southern Inspec- ton Bureau of Atlanta.
 The two men went carefully over the fire protection of the city examining specially into the water pressure and the supply to meet any heavy demand which might be made during large fire. Six lines of hose were connected with the plugs in the neighborhood of the city hall and the streams were all playing at the same time, but the pressure on the meter was not lessened more than 10 pounds.
 Testing Pressure.
 At first the pressure was tried with no water running through the hose and it was 90 pounds to the square inch With only one stream playing there was slight drop in the pressure and with a second stream of water the pressure dropped to 80 pounds Four more streams were put on other plugs from the same main, but there was no further drop in the pressure registered through the meter.
 A stream of water from one of the noz- zles was measured and amounted to 114 feet when held at an angle of about 45 degrees. When the other five streams were playing the distance was practically the same, and any of the streams would have reached to the top of the main DOT ton of the city hall, or to the fourth or fifth floor of the Hillman hotel.
 Insurance Rates.
 It has been rumored in Birmingham that the insurance rates are to be in- creased if the city was not given better fire protection and a larger fire depart ment. These rumors have not been veri- fled. The inspection of the water works and the fire department yesterday means that a report will be sent in to the in- surance companies through the South eastern Tariff association, and it was to get facts and figures impartially that the inspectors were sent to the city.
 The action of the Southeastern Tariff association and the Southern Inspection bureau may result in the fire department being increased materially. It is an un- disputed fact that the department here has more territory to cover proportion- ately than any department in the south and that 1t is smaller per capita than any other department. Chief Mullen has asked for additional equipment, and 1t looks as If the city will have to increase the department to prevent the increase in the insurance rates of the city.
 Defective FIues and Wiring.
 c. c. Fleming. secretary of the South eastern Tariff association, has been in the city, and he expressed the opinion that many of the fires are caused by de- fective f1ues and by poor electric wiring in the business portion of the city. At meeting of the Commercial club and the officers of the insurance companies it was suggested that an inspector should be appointed whose duty it would be to look into the wiring of the old buildings as well as the new, and to report all de- fectiye flues.