The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-08-03

ransement Of the lighting Of prem
iSes; and the quantity and storage of
combustibles-in fact, everything and
anything that. by its presence or by
its absence. contributes to the fire
hazard OF that particular risk. We
meet with remarkable conditions
Men, property owners and tenants,
promise with no intention of doing
what we ask The only idea of the
average citizen is TO argue the ques-
ton OF rates. which does not enter
into our inspections in any sense
whatever. What we need in these
our recommendations. 1t Is unrea-
sonable to expect improvements to be
made in the one day which we can
give TO such inspections, and we need
a method Of re-inspection, whereby
report can be made OF corrections
which have been done in accordance
with the recommendations made in
the previous inspection. Our towns
adopt building codes and sanitary
laws and police regulations, and then
Immediately forget to enforce any of
them. The fact that such ordinances
are made law does not prevent the
careless smoker from starting a fire
which may burn up the savings of
years Of some deserving citizen, and
the destruction Of tax-paying proper
ty.
Did Ii ever strike you that every
person in every community is vitally
interested in all of the property in
that community? No ownership can
exist that does not form a part Of
the community interest. When fire
destroys property. 1t destroys taxable
values and the fact that it is partly
or entirely covered by insurance does
not fill the gap made by that fire.
Money to rebuild must come from
some source. and the time necessary
to rebuild is loss to some person.
When you think it over. you will
realize that you have vital personal
interest in the construction. occu-
pancy, care and order OF every piece
OF property in your town and in your
State.
/ could show you by statistics the
heavy loss ratio on almost every class
OF property which you might name,
and l can furnish you with figures on
the cotton mill business and you would
not believe the truth as evidenced by
these figures. The average cotton
mill pays IL 1-2c. for 500 for one
year. And this is profitable business
for the insurance companies because
of the absence and prevention Of fires.
The greatest precautions must go
with commodity like cotton-in-
, fiammable. easy to damage; and yet
the result proves what systematic
work and ready assistance on the part
of owners may accomplish. / have
heard it stated by a very competent
mill man that no established mill can
afford TO burn. Full insurance does
not restore trade which has been in
terrupted by fire. He went on to
cay that at one time cotton mill rates
were about $50 per cent, and that
, experts had taught them how to pre-
vent fires and voluntarily reduced rates
to commensurate basis. In his opin-
ion. any we'll established mill could
better AFFORD to pay $50 per cent for
prevention than to pay IL lie for in
demnity. And he was right: no bust
ness can afford a fire and no commu-
nifty can afford a fire. The fire de-
partments in each town should make
regular Inspections; they should be
backed by the police; no politics
should be allowed to interfere and ev-
cry property owner should he forced
to make reasonable correction Of de-
fects, or the town should make these
corrections and the sheriff collect the
costs. This plan violates our idea OF
freedom and personal liberty, but. to
my mind. there is higher obligation.
which is. the liberty Of a community
to protect itself from the careless
ness or Indifference OF any individual
citizen. q We him the option OF MAX
ing impro, ements. and il he does not
avail himself Of the opportunity that
Is afforded. the municipality should
protect other citizens from the dam
age TO be expected from his lack Of
interest and failure tO protect his
property from fire.
Every fire department I'm South
Carolina should join with us in secur-