Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-11


of tho Merchants and Manufacturers
association at their session yesterday
Endorsed unanimously the establishment
of a fire protective department as ad
vocated by The Herald. other civit
organizations, it is expected, will dc
their part in giving to Los Angeles al
Improvement which in the opinion Of
prominent business men has beer
needed for years.
The Merchants and Manufacturers
association heartily approves of the de-
termination on the part of the fire com.
missioners who are to conduct an in
YES tigation Of the system in Other
cities, and who on Friday plan to send
communication to the Fire Under
writer's association asking It either tc
provide and maintain the department
or else cooperate with the city.
r. ]. Zeehandelaar, secretary of the
organization, was instructed to COM
municate with the fire board, notify
ing that body that in the opinion ol
the members of the association a pro-
tective department. is an absolute me-
cessity.
viii Try Second Time
1t is the belief of the association that
the expense should be assumed by the
fire insurance companies and the fire
board will be notified to this effect. II
is felt by the committee that had Los
Angeles had a fire patrol during the
past eight months similar to that which
San Francisco has had for many years
at the expense of the fire underwriters,
much of the damage from water in the
recent large fires could have been
avoided.
The Merchants and Manufacturers
association three years ago attempted
to procure this corps from the insur-
ance companies. but the attempt met
with failure Now it is believed that
with unanimous desire on the part
of property owners and citizens for a
salvage corps, whether the expenses be
borne in whole or in part by the in
surance companies, the establishment
of a protective department will result.
Owners of property in the retail and
wholesale districts as well as in the
better residence portions of the city,
of one accord, commend The Herald
and are convinced that Los Angeles,
from its size and importance, demands
the organization of a salvage corps,
They point to eastern cities with less
than half the population of Los An
geles and which have fire protective
departments.
In many Of these cities the protective
surance companies and 1t is held that
the Fire Underwriters association
should do as much for Los Angeles.
Commends Herad's Stand
While not discussing what the fire
insurance companies will do, Alexander
| Field, district manager of the Fire I'm
derwriters' association, commends The
Herald's demand for the establishment
of a salvage corps as an aid to the
fire department. He asserts that it
would be a welcome improvement and
of great benefit to the property owners,
The communication which the fire
board will send to Mr.. Field, as the
manager of the association, asking
what the organization is prepared to
do in giving LOS Angeles a protective
department, he says. will be given his
prompt attention.
Mr.. Field is the manager of district
c of the association, which includes
within its membership the fire insur-
ance companies doing business in
Southern California.
Expense Is Factor
ANY way in which the board of fire
| commissioners may desire to take up
| this question will be agreeable to me"
he said yesterday. ANY recommen-
dation that the board may desire to
| make will be sent to the executive COM
mittee of the board, which holds its
sessions in San Francisco. This board
will in turn refer the question to the
members of the association.
"A protective organization created
and maintained by the city would be
welcomed by the fire insurance COM
panies. have no doubt of that. 1t would
| be of great benefit to property owners
also. If the maintenance of such a de-
partment should be provided for in an
other way in which the insurance COM
panles would be required to draw on
their resources, it would depend upon
how much this expense would be to