The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-07-28
C. WEDNESDAY, july %, 1909
DANGER FROM FIRE
CAN BE REDUCED By RIGID N
sPECTIOS OF HOUSES.
Commissioner McMaster Thinks That
Something Should Be Done by All
Municipalities to Save Property.


Something Should Be Done by All
Municipalities to Save Property.
Insurance Commissioner NcMaster
Is determined To enforce the bu:!o!lS 6
inspection law which gives and re-
Quires OF every fireman or other city
Official the right 70 inspect building.
in orde. that risks might be reduced.
Recently he called attention 10 tae
careiessness many officials had shown
in the examination OF property and
as a result just that much wealth OF
the world had been wiped cut by
the flames.
He has prepared circular letter,
setting forth the requirements Of the
law, which has been mailed 70 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 OF the &C: OF
1904. which gives the chief Of the
ere department, or chief OF police. or
intendaat where there Is no chief OF
the FIRE department. the right to
make examinations OF all buildings
and premises within their severa!
Jurisdictions. at reasonable hours.
and whenever any OF said officers
shall find IN any building or upon
any premises com moustible material
or !nnammable conditions dangerous
to the safety Of su:hs building o.
premises. they shall order the same
to be removed or -emedied. a like
power is conferred upon the insur-
ance commissioner. as the successor
Of the comptroller general or ais
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
It's power in such matter. II order
that the assistance which this depart
ment is able to give may not be over
estimated. It is proper to say that the
only fund at the disposal Of the de-
pa,tment for this purpose amounts
to about s1,5eo a year derived from
= tax OF FIRE insurance companies.
This fund must be used primarily for
the investigation OF incendiary Sres.
The deputy Of the department may
aid in the inspection OF buildings.
only when he is not employed IL
investigating supposed incendiary
f.es.
Hence the appeal is made to the
municipal authorities TO have made
periodic examinations OF all buildings
and premises within their jurisdic-
ton 70 discover combust!bie material
or !naammable conditions and 20
have theee evils corrected. The suS-
gestion is made that house 70 house
examination be made at least once
each Quar>sr.
This matter is OF such great i'm
portaace that should be glad TO give
sll aid within my power. 20 furnish
information concerning fire p-eren-
ton means or building codes. All
requests for information or CORES
pordence will be gladly answered.
II believe the following t. be
a1ioms:
"G) The destruction OF property
by are Is a loss OF wealth TO the
world. and especially to the conmun-
!ty In which it happens.
(2) Property destroyed by fire. II
insured and replaced by insurance
money. is paid for by the other IN
sured members Of the commun!t:
through the;. insurance premiums.
Insurance companies merely act as
the clearing houses for the co!iec-
ton and distribution OF FIRE loses,
and so far as they are able they at
tempt to make each community pay
/ for Il. own fire Losses through the
rates charged for fire insurance. In
cases of great conaasra,ions. as Bal
tinore. San Francisco and Chelsea
the whole country is laid under con-
tr;but!on. But as general rule
each community has its FIRE insurance
rates fixed by It's fire loses.
"(3) Careful property owner:
should not be subjec; either by dtsec
destruction OF their property. or b
being laid unde. contribution to re
pair the losses OF ti.ei7 careless q
criminal neighbors.
Therefore the great need for th'
municipal authorities to take steps
10 prevent Gre loss. 1t preserve
wealth ard money in the pockets 0
those who take care OF their o~'
property.
AN ounce Of prevention is wortl
a pound OF cure. The removal o
conbustibIe material or correction
!raanmable conditions. may say
thoasands OF dollars. or may pre-