The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-18
FIRE DEPARTMENT
DOES GOOD WORK
CHIEF BENNETT SUBMITS RE-
PORT AND RECOMMENDS CARE
IN INSTALLATION OF STEAM
HEAT.

Chief Bennett of the city fire depart
ment submitted his report yesterday for
the month of November The total value
of property at risk where fires occurred
was $3.50, 7O5, carrying an insurance of
s241 ,675; total losses by fire during the
month, $7929 .95.
The report in full is as follows:
Office of the Chief of Fire Department,
City of Birmingham,
December 16, 1906
To the Honorable Mayor and Board Of
Aldermen.
Gentlemen-I herewith submit my re-
port for the month ending November go
1906.
During this month there occurred two
fires that deserve special notice The
first originated in the basement of the
residence of Mr.. W. 7. G.. Harding
located at Glen Iris Park. and had OBJ
tanned considerable Roadway before be-
ing discovered and alarm sent in. Whea
the department arrived we found the fire
burning furiously, yet experienced little
difficulty in combining it to the basement,
and Mr. Hardings loss is comparatively
small, due entirely to precautions taken
against at a nominal cost" in construct
ing his home, consisting of simply plac-
ing a layer of cindered concrete between
the floors and between the studding in
the walls, thereby preventing the fire
from readily communicating from one
floor to another.
The second fire that I desire to call
you rattention to originated on the
ground floor of the Woodward building,
located on First avenue and Twentieth
street. While the damage from this fire
was slight, its origin was unquestion-
ably due to the wooden floor being laid
too close to the steam heat pipe, thereby
causing it to ignite. Though there are
many cases on record of fires having orr
ginated in this manner, this is the first
instance of the kind in our city, and l
trust that we may profit by the expert
ence to the extent that all future in
stallations of steam heat pipes etc, will
be done in strict accordance with the law
governing such work.
The department responded to Sc alarms,
ran 1865 blocks laid out 1900 feet of
horse. used 4S6 gallons Of chemicals and
raised 731 feet of ladders The Bristol
recording water pressure guage indicates
a daily variation of 2-3 pounds and an
average pressure of 80 1-3 pounds to the
square inch
Alarms. How Observation-Disclosures, AZ;
box, 8; still, 4. Total, S.
Style of Buildings Where Fires Oc-
curred-F'rame, SO; brick, 10; steel frame,
2; other than buildings, s. Total, 56.
Cause of Alarms-Spark, ID; careless
ness, s; adjoining buildings, Z; ineendiary.
.; lamp explosion, 2; cigar stump, 1; SCOT
in flue, /; furance smoking, /; defective
flue, 6; gasoline explosion, / gasoline
stove, l; electric wires, A; rats i'm matches,
!; steam heat pipe, l; false, 2; unknown,
A. Total, S.
Value of buildings where fires
occurred 1916 1850. 90
Value OF contents where fires oc-
CURED ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 203, AS. 90
Total value at risk ............. $3.50, 705. 90
Insurance on buildings where
fires occurred ....................S 81, 4J0. 90
Insurance on contents where
fires occurred .................... 146, 225 90
Total insurance ..................$ sal, 675. 90
Insurance loss on buildings
where fire occurred ............S $3.50 80
Insurance loss on contents
where fires occurred ........... 4.116 20
Total insurance loss ...........s 1896. 80
Loss on buildings not insured. IS 500
Loss on contents not insured. 52S 90
Total loss not insured ,...s $50, 90
Total loss both insured and not
insured .....,...-. ...............S 1929. IS
Respectfully submitted.
A. V. BENNETT,
Chief Fire Department