St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1909-05-22
~ G a. tlgattu farmer
Saturday, May 22, 1909.
FIRE PROTECTION.

sGlllpany - ~ ~@-O~NO-A A.
onna, aeel assured that the presence of the Fir
81 y, ny matter how limited in it's paraphanalis
so peIsonnel will render good to our interests Of
see ~, sloH or another, and we wish that we cou
seTt;c Wy ciear toward making recognition of sucl
$500: II mas been the uniform custom of insurance
+Lpales, however, to recognize such protection il
80 nake-up OF the rates. and for that reason thu
secona nass Deen graduated into four classes first
II LII tn1fd ana fourth class towns and therefore
~ only be necessary for your citizens to SO i'm
Vee me protection as to quality to third SECOND
ductio i; lass, as your ability will permit The
uo f ~ insurance rates will materially compensate
s sgn loI Gne necessary expenditures and we would
uo mat you try to institute movement with
5our IeloW taxpayers looking towards the installa
tlon OF Waterworks system or the procuring Of
pSLnaps less expensive medium of protection that
i 1a give you at least third-class rating. While
y True tnat the insurance companies are benefited
ehe presence of fire company as we have stated
aDoVe tney make recognition in the rates that thew
d harge, ana uniformly they have refused to make
urecC contribution other than through the medium
- rates. because it is more incumbent upon us to
stnIppo[e tne FIRE Department than it would be any
oGnsr branch of municipal service
we are sure that after considering this question
lurGhef, you Will appreciate the necessity for the
companies limiting concessions for improvements to
Lsauctlon IN rates in lieu of making direct contr-
puslon Tor the expenses involved.
-FOUR town is growing to such proportions that it
must sooner or later, install water works SYSTEM
noI only Tor the benefits secured from the protection
aansI IRE, but tor hygienic reasons, and also for
me domestic comforts enjoyed. A good waterworks
system Will greatly assist in promoting the health of
S y9ar Town. and as Waterworks bonds foated
WIN comparatively little difficulty, we suggest that
you Try and agtate the introduction of water works
system on the points suggested herein.
Yours Truly,
w. P. MAUs, Asst. secy.
The above letter is in response to one
written by the Nilson-Sears Insurance Com
pany OF Covington to the London and Liver
pool and Globe Insurance Company. Let
ters from other companies give practically
the same reason why insurance companies
cannot contribute to fire departments.
Covlngton must work out it's own saliva
ton in the way of fire protection. The vol
unteer corps Of our Fire Department is much
superior to anything we have had before.
The details of procedure the discipline and
the work accomplished in fighting fire give
evidence OF Improvement. While our equip
ment does not come up to our standard of |
desire, it is still capable of rendering great
service IN the protection of life and property. |
We are travelling the same road that other
towns have travelled in their progress to-
ward better conditions. We cannot have it
at jump. But withalwe should ever bear
in mind that it is our desire to have first
class protected town and work to that end.
With additions to our present waterworks
system we can make long stride toward
the desired goal; but there are many things
to be considered besides WaterWorks There
are laws to be observed in the construction
of buildings and in the condition of streets
In making these Improvements we are con-
forming to requirements quite as compulsory
as WaterWorks in securing rating Let us
bear this in mind Go ahead and improve
the streets, see that firetrap buildings are
not erected, and place ourselves in position .
TO take UP the question of improved water
works without the burden of an expenditure
that will be prohibitive. The finest system :
If Waterworks without the other require
nents would not entitle us to the benfts we
ire seeking.
The Times Democrat, in speaking of the q
report of the Fire Prevention =
Committee Of the National Board of Under :
writer's in regard to New Orleans, makes =
he following comments on what can be &C. n
by proper effort:
In similar emergencies those cities that
lave been reported on favorably and de-
Jared not to be protected against fires as e
veil as they could be protected have sought A
o correct the defects pointed out, to better c
ssure themselves against confagation, and s.
o get the benefit of these improvements in =
over premiums An instance of this close y
t hand occurred few years ago at Shreve- II
,ort which had previously been severely O.
riticised and graded low. Under the slim S;
lus of this criticism the North Louisiana r
own set to work to improve it's water sup ,,
ly and it's fire department, and it succeeded =
o well that it was raised to the first class, n
nth the smallest fire risk and the lowest d
remium Of
It will require much expense and take h
me for us to become first class protected
own, but we should never lose sight of the
act that we are working to that end, and ct
nat street improvement is a necessary pre- d;
squisite to it's accomplishment. OF
The Fire Prevention Bureau takes note of al
lch things as lack of discipline, insufficient m
,ills, etc. The Covington Fire Department in
much better disciplined than it has ever B
sen before, is much larger and taking more pl
terest in its work. 1t would find frequent m
ills of benefit, both in keeping up interest ST
id as an aid to efficiency. it
The appointment of a Fire Board whose tn
-Ioo,,IJ n, Gao +ho+ tho To1uc oh