The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-04
FIRE MARSHAL HAS 1. SERIOUS COMPLAINT
Charges Lack of Cooperation
 Among Officials
DR. PERRY IS APPOINTED
Judge Brown Dissolves the Injunction Against Paving of Street By City. Jasper Depot Case Argued
 in the City Court

Montgomery November S.-(Special.)- Alleging that there is a material lack of cooperation on the part of many munich palities in aiding the state department of insurance in the work of the fire mar shal, Lorrie Rice, as fire marshal of the state, has submitted a report to Commits sioner Cyrus B. Brown, scathingly rebuk- ing the cities for their inertia Especial attention is called by MT Rice to the con- dition which he declares exists in Dothan, where, he says, there have been numerous fires recently, many of them being of in- cendiary origin.
 Ut has been reported to me- says Mr Rice in his report, that there has been but very little effort on the part of the city of Dothan to stop the numerous fires occurring there, and I am also informed that the fire insurance companies permit many risks to be written on property the policy value being In excess of the prop erty valuation"
 In another part Of his report Fire Mar shal Rice declares that he has repeatedly gone to Dothan to convict the guilty par ties, and that each time he has found himself blocked by lack of cooperation or the part of the municipal authorities and assistance of the local insurance agents.
 The fire marshal calls attention to the fact that the law specifically requires that there must be hearty cooperation on the part of municipalities with an end in view of minimizing the number of fires in Alabama He also calls attention to the fact that he has no trouble in those communities where the cooperation is given.
 The full report of the fire marshall in which is contained an estimate of the fires in October, is as followsa
 Montgomery, Ala. November 3, 1910. Hon. Cyrus B. Brown, Insurance Com missioner, Montgomery, Ala:
 Dear Sir: I submit you herewith re- port of business in my department during the month ending October 31, 19lO
 During the month I had requests to investigate the origin of three fires viz. On October r at Dothan, Ala October 24, at North Birmingham, Ala, and October 2s, at Evergreen, Ala, report of each being filed with you as required
 'I regret to advise that the state through me acting as state fire marshal for Alabama, has not in some sections re- ceived the proper cooperation. The law requires and makes 1t the duty of every officer, in their respective localities, to assist the fire marshal and aid in the en- forcement of said act. some of whom have done this and materially assisted in the enforcement of the law, while others have not.
 Referring to the above mentioned in- vestigation at Dothan, Ala, I have been unable to gain any results whatever in that city, which outnumbers any other section of the state for fires, many of which are incendiarys It has been inti- mated to me that some of the fire insur- ance companies doing business in Ala bama by their general special agents feel that they have not received the proper amount of protection by the state, especially in the city above referred to. In answer to this I wish to advise you that I have repeatedly gone to Dothan and used my every effort to convict the guilty parties, and each time I found my self blocked by the lack of cooperation of the municipal authorities and assist ance of the local insurance agents. It has been reported to me that there is but very little effort on the part of the city of Dothan to stop the numerous fires oc- curing there, and 1 am also informed that the fire insurance companies permit many risks to be written on property the policy value being in excess of the prop erty valuation. Recently I was in Do- than, and my attention was called to fire occurring there where the owner had offered his property (house and lot inclu- sive), at certain price. Failing to find buyer, the house in question was in- sured with his local agent at an amount exceeding the price of entire property. My information was that only a short time after the insurance was written this house burned, origin of fire being un- known. It is absolutely impossible for the state under the fire marshal act, or, by it's solicitor, to better protect the inter- est of the insurance companies, so long as these conditions exist, while with the assistance of the fire insurance companies and the officers as required I have no trouble in protecting the innocent parties and convcting the guilty ones.
 ''The estimated loss on insured property as reported to this department during the month of October is 23 per cent based on the following valuations as reported:
 Number of fires reported, 9S.
 Value of buildings S264, ,O34 Damage to buildings ................ 27,SB Value of contents, .................... lb9,l7b Dainape to contents 16,