The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-02-23
NEEDLESS FIRE RISK.
Deputy insurance Commissioner
Wharton Inspects sSumter-What
He Had To Say.

Deputy Insurance Commissioner B.
"A. Wharton was in Sumter Friday
on tour Of inspection OF buildings
He was right after the merchants and
others who insist upon leaving boxes
of paper, or other inflammable ma
terlal back OF their stores in violation
of State law quoted below. Mr..
Wharton after a conference with the
chief of police, chief Of the fire de-
partment, and the health officer said
that conditions in Sumter in regard
to inflammable material, defective
fues, building constructions etc,
were far ahead Of many other cities
and towns, but that the custom pf
merchants and others leaving in
hammable material back of their
stores must be stopped or the vio-
ators of the law will be prosecuted
by the State authorities
He gave some valuable information
which every owner of buildings is
financially interested in, owing to the
great increase in insurance rates by
the South Eastern Tariff Association
because of unnecessary fire risks in
communities brought about by in,
flammable material in buildings and
on premises, defective or poorly con-
structed fire f1ues and chimneys. He
said every time an inspector for the
South Eastern Tariff Association finds
any inflammable material around
the buildings he rates up the fire
risk as greater and the rates on that
building is run up from $3.50 a thou,
sand to $1,000 AS an illustration of
how insurance companies levy extra
ordinary rates he cites a case in Dar-
lington which he had ferreted out.
A business man there has been carry
ing $30,000.00 insurance on a valu-
able block Of buildings for fifteen
years. About fifteen years ago the
owner had built or permitted to be
built a cheap one brick thick CHM
ney flue which cost the owner one
dollar. Because the ,fue was not
properly constructed the insurance
inspector ran up the insurance rates
$3.50 per thousand on the buildings
and the owner has in consequence
paid $500 a year for fifteen years
extra and unnecessary insurance on
account of one dollar flue. The
owner being unfamiliar with insur-
ance rating and rules until Mr.. Whar-
ton called his attention to the reason
for the extraordinary rate was out so
much money because Of his indiffer-
ence. .s-s- -
1t often occurs also that untidy ap-
pearances of premises wherein in
fiammable material, not detrimental
to health or in any wise a nuisance
constitutes an extra hazardous risk
for which the owners and tenants pay
thousands of dollars unnecessary in
surance. The owners of all buildings
would save honey by insisting that
their tenants observe the law and so
would tenants save hundreds Of dol
lars. When an insurance inspector
inspects premise that rate which he
imposes stands for ten years.
The object Of the State Insurance
Department inspections is for the
sole purpose Of reducing the insur-
ance rates by those who pay the In
surance, cooperating with the COM
missioners of insurance. The city
council, chiefs Of police and fire de-
partments and the health officer, each
and every one repeatedly published
warnings "A number of business men
are careless and Indifferent about
such matters. Now the State Insur-
ance Commissioner proposes to give
some body trouble in each communi-
ty as a kind Of gentle reminder Of
what is good for those who pay in
surance, and to protect other build
ings nearby where inflammable ma
terial is permitted to remain or de-
fective flues are allowed He has in
sisted that the chief of police and
chief Of the fire department, and the
sheriff, enforce the law. 1t is a
question Of public safety, wise finan-
cial requiremtnt, and a sure reducer
of fires, fire risk, and fire insurance
rates.
The following is a copy Of the law
referred to:
Section 4. The Comptroller Gem
eral or his Deputy, or the Chief of
Fire Department or Chi ,f Of Police or
lntendant (where there Is no Chief of
fn. Vl.