The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-25
UP GO The RATES.
Insurance Risks in Topeka Ad-
vanced 20 Per Cent.
Excuse Is That Fire Protection
Is Inadequate.
PROMISE TO RECALL
XVHnv, W. Voknu-1,,I~e Tc O>roy-o1
When WaterWorks Is Repaired
May Be Lowered.
Local Merchants May Organize
Mutual Company.

Fire insurance rates on all risks in
the city of Topeka will be Immediately
advanced 20 per cent as a result of the
recent inability of the Topeka water
works to furnish sufficient pressure,
and the belief Of the insurance men
that the water system is inadequately
supplied with reserve capacity to meet
an emergency.
This radical action is to be taken by
insurance companies doing business in
Topeka as result of the following sup
plement to the inspection report, sent
out yesterday by the Eldridge fire in
surance inspection and rating bureau:
Fire Protection-Topeka, Kan, Wa
terworks System.
AN advance of 20 per cent is recon-
mended on all advisory rate estimates,
for Topeka. as found in inspection re-
port Vol. 115, 1st revision. of June 25,
1903, on account of inadequate and in
constant fire pressure.
Motel has been known, especially
since the destructive flood of June, 1903,
that the fire pressure furnished for pro-
lection of all classes of risks was in
sufficient, but the disastrous fire of the
morning of the 18th inst. has developed
a situation much worse than had been
supposed The continued assurance by
the water company that improved con-
ditions would be promptly at hand, has
deferred this tustifiable action as to
recommendation of advance in rate es-
Inmates. The city has an exceptionally
efficient fire department, as records
will demonstrate, yet any organization
of fire fighters is practically powerless
with inadequate water pressure, depen-
dent upon a: direct pressure system. AS
to details and deficiencies Of the water
system and recommendations for tenn
porary relief, reference Is made to
recent reports OF expert lnveslgatloh-
A disposition on the part of proper
officials is now apparent to obtain some
action for a temporary relief, at least;
possibly by causing the auxiliary pump
ing station at foot OF HARRISON street 10
be placed in commission, and first
class steamer in conjunction, to utilize
! the eight public cisterns now located
at the junction of the main streets.
''When some satisfactory results are
! obtained for maintenance OF STANDARD
! fire pressure and the possibility of ac-
Icident practically eliminating all pres
sure reduced to the minimum,
, prompt recall of these advices viii De
| given
/ Policies now in existence will not be
affected by this increase in rates, buf
all new policies will be charged ~ per
cent more than they have been charged
4 in the past. The increase VIII go into
effect as soon as the local agents re-
ceive instructions from their respective
headquarters to make the advance
There is no doubt that the recon-
mendatfons of the EIdridge bureau viii
be accepted by the insurance companies
doing business in Topeka 1t Is saia
| that a secret meeting of local insurance
| agents was held last night, at Which lne
| Droposed change was discussed, and II
was decided to make the advance as
soon as possible. One insurance agent
said today:
| saTonela ought to be thankful to get
off with an increase Of 20 per cent. Some
! of the companies would no doubt feel
! inclined to limit their lines Of insurance
| in Topeka so strictly that the large con-
Germs would be unable to get as mucn
fire protection as they need. The old
rates will be restored as soon as the
water service is deemed adequate"
ELDRIDGE'S EXPLANATION.
Charles E. Eldridge, head of the Eld-
ridge Rating bureau, said today:
1T should be remembered that the ca
pacity of this bureau Is purely ADVISORY
We merely report conditions as tney
exist in Topeka, and advise all the
I companies which patronize US what
course should be pursued. 1 do not
know what the various companies VIII
do with our recommendations. They
can accept them or reject them as they
see fit.
Topeka has been without adequate fire
protection It took a calamity like the
Parkhurst-Davis fire to make the city
realize its condition. The examination
of the waterworks system by the in
surance experts showed it to be In its
present condition wholly inadequate for
the needs of the city. 1t was built for
town Of twenty or thirty thousand
people and we have fifty thousand
/ With the proposed extension Of mains,
the pressure would fall still lower The
city needs more pumping capacity and
more delivering capacity. 1t should
make provision for the use OF fire
steamers, as is done in Wichita Leav-
enworth and Atchison.
1--WE want it understood that there is
no reflection on the fire deDartment Of
the city 1t has done excellent work.
| "As soon as the fire marshal. the
MAYOR and the council are able to as
sure US that the water service Of the
city is adequate for fire pressure. and
at the recent big fire, this supplement
to our inspection report will be re-
called"
Mr.. Eldridge was asked whether it
company can demonstrate that * is
able to furnish as good pressure as
was furnished before the Aood-
eve might have apparently good
pressure" said Mr.. Eldridge. ''and yet
as soon as two or three streams of
water are put on the fire, 1 am credit
! ably informed. the pressure immedi-
ately drops to about go pounds. That
shows that there is something wrong
with the pumps. 1t seems reasonable
to believe that the pumps could not
go through a flood and stand in water
/ for some time without getting fine sand
| into their mechanism and fn5urinR
their power. I don't say that such in
jury can not be repaired. But be-
| lieve that the water service was shown
to be inadequate by its experience at
the Parkhurst-Davis fire. 1t was un-
prepared for an emergency. suppose
that the big main leading to town
should burst during a fire. The city
/ would he again at the mercy of fha