The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-04-01
SAYS ARCHITECTS
need INFORMATION
FIRE PREVENTION MAGAZINE
HAS ARTICLE ON CoNsTRUc-
TON OF BUILDINGS WHICH
MAY BE OF INTEREST TO
BUILDERS IN NORTH DAKOTA.

Fire Protection, a magazine whose
name is self explanatory, has an arti-
Gle in a recent issue that may be of
interest to Fargoans and other North
Dakotans in view of the great amount
Of building that is planned for his
city n state this year. 1t is as fol-
lows:
When it is considered that the men
who have most to do with the ann
in which buildings of all kinds, from
tiny residences to great office build
ings, are constructed, are the archi-
tects and the architect-builders, it
takes no great wisdom to note the de-
STABILITY of sort of getting together
on the part of these men and the in
speCtion bureaus, who subsequently
have to inspect the buildings design
ed by the architects n rate them ac-
cording to their fire hazards. For ar
chitects have much to learn about the
things which make insurance rates,
and hardly a beginning has been made
at remedying this condition.
when a man goeS to his architect
and orders a fireproof building" said
one Of the inspectors of an underwrit-
ers' rating board not long ago, he
trusts to that architect to give him
what he wants, and naturally goes no
further into details on that branch of
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son, that the architect knows what he
Is doing and will turn out a good job.
Hit BY High Rate.
His building is completed, and, out
of an excess of caution, he goes to, an
agent and applies casually for a fire
policy, with an air of not because I
need it, you understand, but just as a
matter Of business. Well, we inspect
the building, and report back a rate
that makes the owner gnash his teeth,
and call the underwriters horrid
names. And he never thinks Of blam-
ing the architect-at least, not often.
mo, I'm not referring to all arch1-
tects-there are lots Of them who
know this branch OF their business
(and it is their b~usiness), as well as
they know how to read a blueprint
and plan a stairway; but the general
lot have a good deal to learn about
the things that the fire companies like
and don't like, and we would tell them.
too, with the best will in the world,
if they'd only come and ask"
Not Likely to Ask. ,- -
Right there, of course, lies the diff
Guilty; in The ordinary case the archi-
tect is not going to come and ask how
to do a thing which he thinks he al
ready knows all about. In the words
of the ancient saying, she knows not,
and, knows not hat he knows not"
The thing to do is to find some way
of informing him, without treading too
heavily on the toes Of his dignity.
The individual inspector or fire in
surance mar would probably get him
self into exceeding hot water IL he
strolled into the Office Of h average
architect, engaged, say, in the design
ing of a new. Office building, and stat
ed that he had called out of pure
kindness to show that architect a few
things about how that building should
be designed in order to make it as
nearly fireproof as possible. He might
even get thrown out of the office; and
it is certain that he would not get far
with his volunteered information.
Bureau Evolves a Way.
The possibility of getting this
highly desirable information some
where in a shape to be of service,
however, has been cleverly illustrated
by an inspection bureau in a certain
progressive southern city. The bureau
knew, as do most Insurance men, the
lack of knowledge among perfectly
| able theoretical designers. on the u b
1ect Of fire prevention, and 1t also
knew the difficulty of getting a chance
to administer doses of information to
remedy this lack. Being composed of
/ live DuSlnSSB NELL uOWSr6Is TIC lI5N
thought which occurs to the truly
modern business man when he wants
| anything and doesn't know where To
get it bobbed up; and the board decid-
| ed to advertise.
The advertisement was inserted In
| the local press, and since the success
| that followed it's first appearance it
| has been used at intervals, with very
| beneficial results. The general tenor
| of the advertisement is calculated To
appeal to the man who is having the
| building constructed in a very tender
| duarter-his bank account; in fact
the advertisement was headed some
| thing like this: I'VE can save you
| money on, your insurance"-if you are
| constructing a building, and so forth,
Makes Property Owner Think
Now, as stated by the inspector
quoted above the average man Is
! quite satisfied to leave such matters
to his architects, just as he would the
| conduct Of law suit to his lawyer, OF
his treatment in case of illness to his
| doctor; but when 1t was thus affirma-
| lively called to the attention of the
public that the insurance people them
selves were anxious to help cut down
insurance rates 1t made people look