Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1908-02-07
ECHO OF Big FIRE
Merchant Hsmpson Says Build.
iDgs Might Have Been Saved.

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!, Editor Democrat:
Won't you kindly publish the en-
: closed letter taken from the Morning
Republican? 1t is very serious
matter that cannot be sidestepped and
ought to be taken up by the mayor
and board of public safety without de-
lay. To further show the value of
standpipes, when our store was on
Grand street on the night Of the fire,
we could have saved the building we
were in and also the Rice block on
Grand street which was between the
Franklin house and our old store, had
we had standpipe to fight the fire
with. The wind was blowing the
fire in the opposite direction from
our store and it simply crept along
the back wooden verandas without
opposition. A small garden hose
would have been enough almost The
building which we occupied on Grand
street has only just been completed,
making a loss to the city of five years
taxes on that kind of property alone.
| feel like Taxpayer" does. What
are the advantages of taxation on
standpipes and sprinklers over COM
pulsory use of them by changing the
ordinances and no tax on them?
R. VIM. HAMPSON.
To the Editor of The Republican:
Sir:-There is a whole lot of PEG.
pie in Waterbury who do not know
that every standpipe and every auto
matte sprinkler is taxed by the city SO
much year. When their attention
is called to it they Immediately say
''how unjust and what a mistake on
the city's part" There must be
some good reason for this tax or it
would not be there, but, is not the
money the city gets offset by the fact
that these good auxiliaries to the fire
department are used only in a limited
way instead of in general way il
the tax was removed?
There is considerable being said
about the building ordinances not
being stringent enough to prevent
large wooden interiors of brick build
ings being constructed without fire
walls and so forth as protection
against big conflagration.
These precautions are, If not over
done, good thing without doubt.
But, il the ordinances are to be
changed for the general safety why
impose them only on the new build
ings?
Would it not be good idea to see
to it that the buildings already con-
structed are being protected?
There ought to be an ordinance COM
polling every structure over three stor-
les high to be equipped with stand
pipe easily to be gotten at and to
operate. For why? Because Mt the least
calculation there are in Waterbury be-
tween four and five millions of dol.
lars worth of property in buildings
over three stories high without even
bucket of water TO use against a
fire. How much wisdom did we gain
in the big fire of. 1902 and how are
we applying IL? Are we any better off
to-day to fight one than we were then
Not bit of ii. Ii took from one year
upwards to get the buildings replaced
the last one on Grand street having
just been erected after six years of
waiting. Some less of taxes right
there. Put up the fire walls IL you
want them, but take the tax OF
sprinklers and standpipes and have
them put into general Use and the fire
chances will he reduced 10 a minimum.
that saved the plant of the Waterbury
American at the big fire of l902-how
II kept putting out the fire every time
IL got start and finally won ont
where no other help was obtainable.
Nor can we forget the standpipe in
the Apothecaries Hall building during
the same fire. how they used IL and
helped to prevent the Welton build
ing and the Apothecaries Hall build
ing from catching fire. And il those
had gone where could the fire have
been stopped?
1t sounds so queer to those on the
outside that the city should tax any
one for going TO the expense Of putting
in apparatus that could only bc used
for fire and which makes less work
and wear aud tear on the city's fire
department
Waterbury Is absolutely dependent
on its mills and factories for its ex-
istence. If the factories should de.
eide TO rely on the city entirely for
fire protection. the cost to the city
would easily he doubled and without
ms good a fire fighting arrangement as
IL is to-day. And If big factory was
to burn down there are a mighty LOT
Of other places on the map that would
offer freight and water Inducements
that are not to he had in the Nauga-
tuck valley. Lose the taxes on one
factory and the homes Of the employees
and where would the money made br
taxing sprinklers and standpipes come
in!
VIII not someone who knows the de-
Of the tax on sprinklsrs and
standpipes inform those who don't
know why II would not be goni idea
TO have IL removed: I must say I have
never been able to figure IL out 10 my
TtNnkvrn