The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-05-31

SOCIETY TO PREVENT FIRES
HELD MEETING HERE.

Greenwood was visited Tuesday by
the Mississippi Society for the Preven-
ton of Fires, the session of this newly
organized association being of such a
business-ike and dignifed nature that
the special program prepared for them
by the local underwriters was eliminat-
ed. The officers of the Society are A.
j. Haltiwanger, of Jackson, Miss,
President; A. D. McBryde, of New Or
leans, La, Vice-P President; and |. B.
Beard, of Jackson, Miss, Secretary and
Treasurer.
The entire day was consumed with
joint sessions with the Greenwood Light
& Water Commission and the Mayor
and Board of Aldermen, and personal
inspection of all of the business prop
erty in the city. Marked enthusiasm
was displayed not only by the energet-
ic members of the Society in attend
ance, but on the part of the city Off
cials and business men. The sugges-
tions offered to the Light and Water
Commission and to the City Council
were reduced to writing and co-opera-
ton was heartily assured of the adop-
ton of the new ordinances suggested
and full enforcement of the old as well
as the new ordinances tending to pre-
vent confagrations.
The Mississippi Society for the Pre-
vention of Fires was organized in the
Senate Chamber at Jackson on the 10Th
day of April 1912, at which time en-
thusiastic addresses teeming with en-
couragement and assurances of hearty
cooperation were delivered by Governor
Brewer, Speaker Hilrie M. Quinn, and
! Mayor A. C. Crowder, all of the Capt.
tol City. Ever since its inception the
enthusiasm there manifested has been
steadily enhanced, and the delegates to
Greenwood were agreeably sur
prised by the interest and enthusiasm
shown by the Greenwood people, The
next meeting of the Society will be
held at Laurel, Miss, on the 9th and
28th of June, where this splendid work
will be continued.
The object of the Society is praise
worthy one. the concentrated efforts
being aimed to effect an appreciable
reduction of the fire waste of the coun-
try as whole. Our fire waste at pre-
sent is ten times greater and more dis
astrous to life and property than that
of any other country, which naturally
and depressingly affects the material
welfare and prosperity Of the country,
and operates as drain upon the nation
through the high rates that are per
force charged to make it possible for
the strong fire insurance companies to
adjust and pay their losses. The pur-
pose of this society is not to make
rates, for it does not concern itself
with rates; but it is clear that an enor-
nous reduction in the rates will auto
matically follow reduction of the fire
waste. Congress is interesting herself
with the subject of fire waste, as have
State Legislatures. Sane Fourth of
July Days are being more properly OBJ
served. civic clubs and credit mems as
sociations are interesting themselves
with the reduction of fire waste, and
such organizations as the Mississippi
Society for the Prevention of Fires
have laudable ambitions and are rightly
receiving encouragement and coopera-
tion as was manifested here.
Tuesday night at nine O'Clock the fin
al session was held at the court house,
when the address of welcome was de-
livered by Mayor G. L. Ray, which was
followed by pertinent remarks from
President Haltiwanger. The main
speaker of the occasion was Hon. P. L.
Davis, of Vicksburg, who throughout
his logical address gave startling sta
tistics that were eloquent in describing
the impelling necessity for the preven-
ton of fires. Then came the report of
Chairman J. A. Parrish, of the Law
and Ordinance Committee, and Chair
man Carey P. Carr, of the Water
Works and Fire Department Commit
tee, both reports being compiled upon
statistics CLEANED from the personal
canvass and inspection made that morn
ing.
The Society feels sure that they can
depend upon the people of Greenwood
for their cooperation in the reduction
of fires, and appreciated the kind CO.
operation evidenced at their initial
session here.