The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-19
.SCHOEN WRITES OF
 FIRE HAZARD HERE Comments Bennett For Re
 cent Suggestion DANGER OF SHINGLES
Chief Engineer of Underwriters Says Number of Fires in Birmingham Is Abnormal-Shingle Are
 Largely to Blame

Chief A. V Bennett of the fire de- partment is in receipt of letter from A. M. Schoen, chief engineer of the Southeastern Underwriters association. commenting him in his efforts to secure the abolition of shingle roofs in the city of Birmingham.
 MT. Sehoen Is directly in touch with fire conditions in every city in the south east and probably knows more about fire prevention and causes than any other | man in the south.
 Chief Bennett was much encouraged by the letter from Mir. Sheen.
 "lf we could get the shingle roof abol- ished it would be the biggest step for ward in the development of the city that has been made in some time," said Chief Bennett last night in speaking of his effort to remove the shingle roof. There is more danger from fire to a roof of shingles than any other cause and a fire on a shingle roof is harder to fight. There is more danger to the house from other fires because of sparks falling on the roofs are likely to set the house on fire. It is then necessary to draw a force of men away from the main blaze and put them to work on the communicated fires.
 Tn nearly all of the big fires that have occurred in Birmingham I have been handicapped by this fact. l have had to put men to work preventing the fire from spreading to adjoining buildings with shingle roofs.
 "The other cities of the south are adopting measures calling for the aboli- ton of the shingle roof and Birmingham should not be the last to do so, It will come sooner or later and let's make it sooner"
 The letter of MT. schoen to Chief Bennett is as follows: MT. A. V. Bennett, Chief Birmingham | Fire Department, Birmingham, Ala: Dear Sir-I beg to acknowledge re- ceipt of your favor of the 10th instant, concerning shingle roof hazard in Bir- mingham, and am pleased to note that this matter is being given attention "It has been my experience that this is one of the most prolific sources of sfire hazard we have in our southern field and plays the greatest part in the spr cad of fires
 As you know, there is no item playing a greater part in the losses than the ex- posture hazard. If losses were confined to fires in the building in which they oc- cur our loss ratio could be reduced more than 50 per cent, and it behooves our cities to reduce this exposure hazard as far as possible if they desire to reduce the fire waste in their respective limits.
 Most of the municipalities have pro- hibited these roofs being used inside the fire llmits but have not extended the prohibition to outlying sections of the city.
 "If as in the case of Birmingham, the fire department houses are largelys con- centrated in and around the congested dis trict 1t Is especially important that every precaution should be taken to prevent the rapid spread of fires in the outlying dis tricts, because there must be an apprecl- able time between the alarm being re- ceived and the department reaching The scene of the fire at distance from tbe department house, and Under these cir cumstances the shingle roof offers every opportunity for rapid combustion of the premises in which the fire occurred and its extension to adjoining buildings.
 ''The number of fires your department has had to respond to in the past IS months has been abnormal for city of your population, and I believe you shoald give careful consideration to fire preven- ton methods at this time.
 Your protective features are unques- tionably good. but when an abnormal number of fires occur the indications are that the prevention methods have not been brought to the point of efficiency that reasonable care and attention would demand.
 "I trust you will use your best infiu- ence in the direction of bringing about tho improvement that has been referred to in your letter, and can assure you of my pleasure in cooperating with you in any way in my power.
 T believe that this movement On the part of Birmingham would merely fore stall similar action on the part of practi- cally all of our large cities within the very near future. as there has. alreday been talk in other cities along these same lines. Yours very truly,
 "A M. SCHOEN."