The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-25

81 Insurance rates and building are so
intimately related that property owner
cannot be considered prying because he
shows deep interest in the character Of
q structure which his neighbor is put
ting up. Insurance rate adjusters base
rates on the external exposure as we'll
as on the internal conditions and char
acter of the construction of the building
itself. Allowances are made to prop
erty-owner for improvements which min
simize fire danger from within. But
good external fire hazard is help to low
rates also. A fre-proof building has
been defined as fire.proof building
standing in the midst Of fre-proof build
ings. Therefore every property owner
has a right to be interested in the char
acter Of any construction in the city,
however remote from his own, as tend
Ing to create or prevent fire danger.
Knowledge Of fre-proofng and proper
city building is broadening rapidly.
Even CONGREGATIONS, in their investiga-
ton, are great sources OF lntormatlon
against the future.
j.. The Baltimore Fire's Lessons.
In an analysis of the adjusted fire
losses on the fre-prOof buildings at Bal
timore, Nd, the Engineering News has
several comments on the fire and its dis
closures which should head as lessons
to a rapidly building city like Minneapo-
lis.
The experience gained from this con-
t1agration, as shown by the loss figures
and otherwise, says. the News, justifes
the conclusion that when city is Wis
tied by a general conhagration, the
large, high, so-called fre-proof buildings,
without protection at the exterior win
aows, and exposed by ordinary build
.ings, are but little better, from an in
Mt thon Ofhar ola nf
property. -,
None of the steel frames of the
largest buildings collapsed or twisted to
any great extent. There were enough
instances where the steel frames were
distorted sufficiently to show that the
possibility Of a serious collapse must be
reckoned with during such a cOnfagra-
ton, especially in buildings containing
more combustible material than these Of
flee buildings in Baltimore.
- Some Pertinent Points.
But coming to the condensed report
of the insurance committee, some of the
points emphasized are important to local
builders:
-. First-Well- burned brick and plain terra
GOTTA are the only materials that stoot
the heat with any degree of success
Granite. marble and ornamental terra
Gotta and all kinds Of building stone prov,
a failure when exposed to a fierce heat.
acknowledgements charges on this clas
of buildings should be materially in
creased.
z I, Third-A material extra charge SHOULD
be made on all buildings built Of or face
with granite, marble or any building stone
The percentage of loss on these material
has been exceptionally heavy, and will
be so from an exposure fire, even in case
where the loss on a brick building woul
be nominal. -
Fourth-The question Of fire. proof1ng i
a serious one. This fire developed
great deal of shoddy work, some Of tn
so-called re-prooflng being PRACTICAL,
useless. indicating that we have been to
lenient in passing inferior materials an
poor workmanship.
4. Fifth-The' claims made, coupled wit
difficulties encountered in trying to reac
q fair adjustment, and heavy expense
incdent thereto, would seem to make
imperative that these elements should b
considered in future in naming rates. Thl
experience is not confined to Baltimore
having been encountered before, but ha
been strongly emphasized by events here
Constructing a Good Building.
o The general appraiser says in his re
port:
In order to construct a good building
iany things are necessary: First tn
Tner must be willing to furnish tn