The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-27
INSURANCE MEN
PRAISE BYWATER
Cleans Up Back Yards and the
Alleys.
METHOD OF FIGHTING FIRES
CHIEF FAvoRs MORE WATER
AND MAINS.

Fire Chief W. II. Bywater Is being
highly complinsnted by the insurance
people for tins. manner in, which he has
been cleaning up the rubbish IN the
city, and for his system in handlIne
hres. Some time ago Karl A.. Scheid.
me local surveyor for the Board of Fire
Underwriters OF the Pacific. wrote TO
aired SULLIVAN. the secretary Of the ex-
ecutIve committee of the institution i'm
san Francisco, in which he says:
At the time CT Chief Rywater's an
pointment to the charge of the fire
department you will remember I wrote
you of the vigor and enthusiasm with
which he entered upon his duties.
II 1t be true that fire prevention is
the best fire protection, insurance COM
Pdnles doing business in salt Lake have
cause Tor congratulation that Chief BY
water IS looking after the city's clean
hness- Within the past few weeks he
tells me he has made over 400 inspec-
Tons, and last week secured three con-
Nicuons of careless property owners
which viii doubtless have a good infu-
ence upon other like offenders"
Speaking of the condit.on OF the back
yards and alleys OF the city In connec-
ton with danger from fire. the letter
says: j can safely say that they are
% per cent cleaner than they have
been at any time during the past I'VE
years.
simply mention this that you may
be fully informed. and because after SO
many years protest against Salt Lakes
back yards IL is gratifying to report
Improvement along these lines that bid
fair to be permanent
How BE Fights Fires.
Local insurance men unite IN prais-
ing Chief Bywater for his method i'm
hghtinG fires. They say that he de-
stroys less property and cOnquers the
IRE quicker than has been the case
heretofore. This is accomplished by
getting al the seat Of the fire when this
can be done before the flames have got
under fuli Roadway. and by the use of
the chemicals instead o. water wher-
ever possible.
Chief Bywater said, in discussing this
matter:
i 90 on the principle that will ne,--
er ask my men to go where | am UNI
willing to go myself. | also aim to get
into the building If possible. At the
Newman fire 1 had one line Of hose
brought to the front door and another
10 the back door. Then myself and two
DullQlllR
knees and located the fire. The smoke
was fierce, but the fire WAS small up
10 that time because il had not got air.
IL took but little water to smother ii.
ana IN that way the goods were saved
from damage by water"
Speaking of his work OF cleaning up
the back yards and alleys. the chief
said.
Il simply notify the people to clean
NJ; that's all. / have printed notices
with stubs. When we find a place dam
gerous because of boxes and ether in
fiammable matter piled up in the rear
n notice is served. On the stub is told
the story. giving the name of the Of
fender, the name of the officer serving
the notice, the reason fer serving the
notice and the number of hours given
Tor cleaning up. Attention is called to
the ordinances bearing On the subject.
The ordinances are printed on the back
or the notice. If the place is not
cleaned no in the time specified steps
are taken to enforce the law This is
the first time these notices have been
used in Salt Lake and 1 find they work
we'll"
In Favor OF More Water.
Speaking of better fire protection for
the city. Chief Bywater said:
II TINS new water scheme Is adopted
by the people of the city and pushed
through on the plans suggested. ! will
guarantee in black and white that the
saving In insurance in the CITY will
more than pay the interest on the ST.
100000 worth Of bonds. ] would be will
ing, personally, IL / We're able financial
~, 10 make this guarantee. A conduit
lifty-four inches in diameter and seven
miles long, built practically in the side
Of the mountain the whole distance.
and fed by such a stream as the Big
cottonwood, would MAKE pretty good
reservoir in my estimation. especially
when supplemented by two such
streams as City creek and Parley's
OF course. the saving in the item of
Insurance would be greatly increased
by better equipment for the fire depart
ment. One demand of the insurance
people could be easily met This is the
placing OF water mains through the
Centers of the blocks i'm the business
district. with hydrants in the rear OF
the large buildings. Most fires start
I'm the rear, where the rubbish is, and in
almost all cases it is easier TO reach the
fires from the rear than from the front
The new water plan provides for the
expenditure of 100000 for the improve
ment of the water mains of the city.
would heartily recommend that part of
this sum be expended i'm putting mains
through the center of all blocks where
needed in the business district"