Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-03-25
LEFT HALF FINISHED JOB
When He Did 1t the Loss Was
Less Than $1,000, But When
Recalled Loss Was $4,000.
ON Feb : lie Drcnchcd Tenants Out of
hopp Property and Then Left
With Fire Still Burning.

In the development OF Information
which shows how expensive a luxury
TO The people OF Salt Lake. Is Fire Chief
Vail and how powerless is Mayor John
$. Bransford To reorganize the depart
ment in the face OF opposition from
the persuader ring which is the real
power that governs, It has so far APP
peared that the one conspicuous ex-
ample Of the fulitity of fighting fire
with politics was the destruction OF
the Redman storage warehouse.
This is an Unnecessary centering OF
the proposition. however. as other in
surance men than those who paid tho
bills resulting from the Rcdman fire,
are also in the business of figuring
losses now and then. and they, too
have encountered Chief Vail. measured
his achievements, and decided what to
do in estimating risks from an i'm
properly handled department.
Eli II. Peirce, fire insurance writer.
had nothing TO do with the Redmap
losses. He had all to do with So
600 loss in February of this year how
ever, and Mr.. pearce makes Il positive
and assuring declaration that tho
amount of competency shown in hand
ling the fire for which he had 20 settle
was much less than that shown in the
case OF the Redman fire.
DESERTED A FIRE.
The incredible blunder was made
at this IRE of leaving before 1t was
fully out, allowing the flames 10 re-
cover their lost advantage. and then
rushing back for a second trip only
to find what was originally a $500
loss, amount up TO a $4,000 loss to the
Insurance company. with all the
American" party boast of having
Americans" on guard, Vail deserted
a fire half out, leaving the fire raging
according to the declaration of Mr..
PIERCE in a partition wall. only 10
break out in rull force n half hour
after the department had gone and
TO cause IL 10 be resummoned again
when really serious fire had to be
fought down. II was such a blunder
as Il rank outsider would make hut
never an experienced tire nghter whose
experience spells capability. IN leav-
ilg the first time, not the slightest ef-
fort was made 10 leave a man on
guard over the still smoking debris Of
the fires first center, or TO notify the
owners OF the building that they might
watch il to see that the flames did
not start up afresh. The tenants of
the building bad been forced TO leave
or account of the drenching of water
ON the first visit OF the firemen.
SOMEBODY BLUNDERED.
Had the department really brought
the flames under control on its first
visit" declared Mr. Pierce today, "our
loss would have been considerably less
than $1,000, Because they left Are still
burning in a partition wall which was
not Inspected, and left no one to watch
II so that the lire coulG be qu!cHts
detected. it had gained such headw-y
when the department was resNmIlcn-
cd laJer in the night, that our loss
mounted up 10 $4,000 can sec no
explanation for this situation, except
what lies In the charge that the fire
department is incompetently organized
and this fact is now 30 Wen known
that # hardly needs the added evidence
Of this fire To point the truth. We shall
either put ON maximum rates When we
have 10 consider the danger from n
tire, or have our faith in
an efficient department returned, and
don't see how It can ever return with
Inc future promising the records OF tho
'ecent past
The fire was AT the kopp property.
ormerly known as the Reggel property.
II 223 west Fifth South street The first
alarm was turned in at II y. M Feb
I, and the building, which was a double
'csdence was So thoroughly drenched
n water that the tenants left After
he FIRE department had gone fire was
discovered to have broken out again,
md they were recalled TO fight a blaze
which had gained great hcadway, and
increased tho insurance loss 900 per
ent