St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1909-04-03
slat,lailg fat,aer.
4 ufalay, April 3, 1909,
Must COME SOME TIME.


panles lost money in Louisiana the past year.
BE this as it may, with loss of 81. % of its
premiums, it is evident that the margin is
too small to admit Of profitable business, and
this IN spite Of the fact that risks are rated
according to schedules made by the Louisi-
ana Fire Prevention Bureau, schedules that
have been formulated upon the experience
OF years as the percentage of danger under
given conditions. When an insurance agent
gives you rates in Board company it is not
matter for parley or discussion. There
can be no bargaining or cutting down. The
only way to reduce the rate is to reduce the
risk.
This fact places Covington in position
where the insurance of property from fire is
not only very burdensome but is impossible
except as to rs per cent of it's value. In
other words, if all the property in Coving-
ton was insured to the highest possible ex-
tent, there would still remain Is per cent of
1T unprotected. 1t is only question of time
When the loss of this Is per cent of unpro-
tected property will equal the cost of the
necessary equipment for placing Covington
IN the rank of fully protected towns. Insur-
ance men to-day say we are the worst pro-
tected town of like population in the State
We do not say this in disparagement of
Covington, but simply to give a clearer I'M
Outstanding of the necessity for improve
ment in this direction. We are proud of the
material advancement that has lately been
made in the growth of our town and of the
great Improvement in our fire department.
and we are aware that it is improbable the
people will be willing or able to Immediately
take up the proposition of an improved wa
ter works system, but the Importance of the
need is a sufficient excuse for it's discussion.
The construction of streets by which rapid
movement of fre-fghting apparatus is facili-
tated has been great step in the right direc-
ton. We are gradually assuming a position
where modern Structural features will make
it imperative to have adequate fire protec-
ton. 1t is not to be expected that capital
will be invested in costly residential or bust
ness buildings where the risk is so great and
the insurance so high. In fact the income
from residence property to-day, after paying
taxes and insurance, will not net per cent
on the investment If we expect to keep
pace with modern advancement we must be
prepared to struggle with the problems pre-
sented. 1t must not be said that Covington
is the most unprotected town in the State in
her class
If we look back to the last disastrous con-
hagration and recall the denunciation Of the
policy that allowed fire to sweep unchecked
through the town the horror and anguish in
hefaces of the people as they surged through
the streets in helpless masses and bemoaned
their inpotency-it seems impossible that
such length of time should have elapsed
without the construction of waterworks
system. There was one body of tireless
workers that did not forget-the Women's
Progressive Union It could not successfully
carry out the project unaided, however, but
the result of it's battle was liberal contri-
button toward the purchase of our chemical
engine. Equal enthusiasm, equal determine
ton and equal effort on the part Of all the
citizens of Covington would by this time at
-least have perfected plans for placing such
plant in operation.
1IASIS are many improvements neoQed IN
Covington, but the most pressing need is
a WaterWorks system a system that will
provide gravity force sufficient to supply the
necessary power to the required number of
fire plugs, which could also be used in flush
ing cutters and sewer pipes and the filling
Of sprinkling carts. Until this is accom-
plished no costly new burden should be taken
up by our people.
We publish on the first page the require
ments of the Louisiana Fire Prevention Bu-
reau for protected town, kindly furnished
us by Mr.. George E. Sears, of the Nilsson
Sears Insurance Company. If for no other
reason, it is worth reading in illustration of
the risk we are now running in the estima-
ton of experts whose familiarity with the
subject is the outgrowth of long years of
practical experience Such system would
entitle us to full value insurance and de-
crease in rates from Is to Is per cent, ac-
according to risk.