Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-09
TO PREVENT FIRES
Representative National Board Uu.
derwriters Advises Employment
of Electrical Inspector.
SPURIOUS APPLIANCES GET IN
Town Suffers From Dishonest Manu-
facturer and Inscriptions
Contractor.

| William >. BOYD, representing the
electrical bureau of the National
Board of Fire Underwriters, was pres
ent at the meeting of the Rock Island
/ city council last evening, and pointed
out to the aldermen the advantage of
maintaining a municipal electrical in
spector. Mr.. Boyd is a practical man
and it is his business to go over the
country calling on councils and trying
| to- induce them to adopt ordinances
creating the office of electrical inspec-
tor The insurance companies feel
safer in doing business with communi-
! ties where there is one of these inspeC-
tors.
! Mr.. Boyd stated that in many of the
larger centers there were manufacture
ers of spurious electrical appliances,
and that it was an easy matter TO dis
pose of their wares in places where
there was not some person on guard
whose particular function was TO pass
on every article of electrical installa-
ton and say whether it was up to the
standard required by the provisions of
1.-THE city ordinances.
! Electricity virtually was in its in
fancy. Mr.. Boyd said. To the man who
was building a new home the poorest
| job of electrical installation would,
| nine times in ten, appear as perfect TO
him as the very best. The absence of
an inspector let down the bars not
alone for the dishonest manufacturer.
! but for the INSCRIPTIONS contractor.
Entitled to Protection Here.
| In a city the size of Rock Island, Mr..
| Boyd said the tax payers were entitled
! to this protection, the cost of which
was insignificant compared to the re-
suits attained. One fire traceabIe to
defective wiring might cause more
damage in five minutes than it would
! require TO pay the salary of inspector
| three years. He urged. however, should
the council create such an office, to be
careful in the selection of the man to
| fill the position. He should be every
inch practical, and honest, and fear
less
Mr. Boyd said that the frequency of
small fires tracCable to defective wir-
ing or inferior appliances had created
a panic among the insurance compan-
les of the country; and in not a few
cities where the manufacturers of
cheap goods had gotten in their work
the companies had been forced to
withdraw, and refuse to accept the
risks. 1t was a business proposition
all around. Mr.. Boyd said. and he
hoped the council of Rock Island
would lose no time in seeing the adj
vantage contained in the suggestions
| that he had offered.
Contract for North Bridge Let.
The Clinton Bridge d Iron company
was awarded the contract for bulldog
the proposed dOublcspan bridge across
the north branch of Rock river. having
had the lowest bid of the seven re
ccived. $1f.7G5. and 1915 per cubic
yard for extra concreting in strength
Cning the piers. The council adjourn
ed TO , o'clock tomorrow afternoon
when it will visit the south bridge
that has just been completed by the
Clinton company and vote its approval
OF the same. if il is satisfactory 10 the
aldermen. The north bridge will he
built without delay. and will be finish
cd this fall in plenty time. it is prom
Used, TO allow the Tri-City Railway
company to have its electric cars in
operation to Milan before the snow
flies.
Miller tn Move Barn.