The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-05-26
WOULD REDUCE
WASTE BY FIRE
Insurance Commissioner Barry In
Talk to Credit Men, Advocates
Law for Carelessness.

An earnest plea for legislation look
ing 10 the reduction OF dre losses by
penalizing carelessness ana negligence
In the safeguarding OF property was
made by Insurance Commissioner
James V. Barry in an address OH
Fire waste" at the May meeting or
the Detroit Credit Mems association.
In the Hotel Pontchartrain, Tuesday
evening. Mr.. Barry was rendered =
cordial reception and his paper made
an impression
Property destroyed BY fire may be
replaced. but it can never be re-
stored" said Mr. Barry. Every fire.
10 matter how small II may be. wipes
out part OF our natural resources.
Insurance may mitigate personal loss.
but IL cannot restore 90 the country
property that fire has wiped out OF
existence
The average yearly FIRE loss In the
United States for the past Ave years
was $269, 100000. Last year, with no
great confiagration such as the San
Francisco disaster, the loss was $217.-
100000 For the first three months of
the present year the loss was $50 ,000.-
600. And these figures do not include
losses incident TO the interruption OF
business, which cannot be estimated.
II is n national shame that we should
permit these enormous losses 10 con
tinue, year after year. the drain on
the country's natural resources is
something enormous"
Mr. Barry pointed out that In Eu-
rope the average yearly fire loss per
capital is 33 1-3 cents as against $3.O7
per capital In this country. The ex-
PLANTATION, he said, is simply that Eu-
ropean countries have more rigid
building laws and are more strict In
the matter OF fixing responsibility for
fires. He told of a small fire In Ber-
lin, Germany. originating from live
coal falling out of stove on an UNI
protected floor. The responsibility
was placed on the builder. who ras not
only required 10 reimburse the tenant
for the damage to his furniture, but
was also fined 500 marks for his neg
ligence I'm failing to provide proper
safeguards.
Mr. Barry condemned existing laws
which place a premium ON the destruc-
ton OF property and make 1t possible
for an owner to profit by fire. while
his uninsured neighbor, whose proper
ty is also destroyed in many instances.
has no redress whatever. The insur-
ed he declared. should be required to
carry a percentage Of the risk. and
the paramount obligation of the state
is to see to it that the public is pro-
vided with sound indemnity. though
1t should not force a reduction of rates
at the expense of the solvency OF the
companies.
Lieut.Gov. Kelley, who was expect
ed TO deliver an address. was un-
avoidabiy detained and sent his re-
grets. An unexpected guest OF the
association was President Patterson.
of the Cleveland Association OF Credit
Men, who gave the members an inter
esting account of the work being done
by the fraudulent failure committee
OF his association. The committee has
gone to great expense In tracking
down fraudulent debtors Its work
has attracted the attention OF credit
men all over the country and has won
the hearty endorsement OF the courts.
In thisw ork no one has been more
prominent than President Patterson
himself. though he was too modest TO
admit Il.
The association went nrecord as
being unanimously in favor OF ma
tional lien law, which will be taken
up by the National Association OF
Credit Men at the annual convention
IN Philadelphia next month Since
the last meeting S9 new members
have been added 10 the rolls
n. A. Hawkins read paper on
Financial statements OF firms seek
ing credit from the accountants stand
point" which proved of great interest
to the members.