The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-07-24
DANGER FROM FIRE
CAN BE REDUCED BY RIGID IN
SPECTION OF HOUSES.

Commissioner McAIaster Thinks That
Something Should Be Done ly III
Municipalities to Save Property.
Insurance Commissioner McMaster
is determined to enforce the building
inspection law which gives and re-
! Quires of every fireman or other city
official the right to inspect buildings
in order that risks might be reduced.
Recently he called attention to the
carelessness many officials had shown
in the examination of property and
as result just that much wealth of
the world had been wiped out by
the flames.
He has prepared a>circular letter,
setting forth the requirements of the
law, which has been mailed to every
mayor or intendant, the chief of po-
lice and chief of the fire department
of every city and town in the State.
The letter is as follows:
''In the hope of reducing the fire
waste in this State. call to your
attention section 4 of the act of
1904, which gives the chief of the
fire department, or chief of police, or
intendant where there is no chief of
the fire department, the right to
make examinations of all buildings
and premises within their several
Jurisdictions, at reasonable hours,
and whenever any of said officers
shall find in any building or upon
any premises combustible material
or infammable conditions dangerous
to the safety Of such building or
premises, they shall order the same
to be removed or remedied. A like
power is conferred upon the insur-
ance commissioner, as the successor
of the comptroller general or his
deputy, to act in like manner.
1T is the desire of this department
to act in cooperation with the NUM-
cipal authorities of the State, and to
render such assistance as is within
its power in such matter. In order
that the assistance which this depart
ment Is able to give may not be over
estimated, 1t is proper to say that the
only fund at the disposal of the de-
partment for this purpose amounts
to about $500 year derived from
a tax of fire insurance companies.
This fund must be used primarily for
the investigation of incendiary fires.
The deputy of the department may
aid in the inspection of buildings,
only when he is not employed in
investigating supposed incendiary
| fires.
Hence the appeal IS made to the
municipal authorities to have made
| periodic examinations of all buildings
and premises within their jurisdic-
| ton to discover combustible material
or inflammable conditions and to
have these evils corrected. The sug-
gestion is made that house to house
examination be made at least once
each quarter.
This matter is of such great i'm
portance that I should be glad to give
all aid within my power, to furnish
information concerning fire preven-
ton means or building codes All
requests for information or CORES
pondence will be gladly answered.
II believe the following to be
aXioms:
"(D The destruction of property
| by fire is a loss of wealth to the
world, and especially to the commun-
ity in which it happens.
(2) Property destroyed by fire, If
insured and replaced by insurance
money, is paid for by the other in
sured. members of the community
through their insurance premiums
Insurance companies merely act as
| the clearing houses for the collec-
ton and distribution of fire loses,
and so far as they are able they at
tempt to make each community pay
for it's own fire losses through the
rates charged for fire insurance. In
cases of great conflagrations. as Bal
timore, San Francisco and Chelsea,
the whole country is laid under con-
tribution But as general rule
each community has it's fire insurance
rates fixed by it's fire loses.
"(3) Careful property owners
should not be subject either by direct
destruction Of their property, or by
being laid under contribution to re-
pair the losses Of their careless or
criminal neighbors.
Therefore the great need for the
municipal authorities to take steps
TO prevent fire loss. 1t preserves
wealth and money in the pockets of
those who take care Of their own
property.
"An ounce of prevention is worth
pound of cure. The removal OF
combustihle material or correction of
| I ,,.E