The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-10-11
CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
Regular Monthly Session of Munich
pal COMMISSIONERS OF
Fire Waste Discussed and Neces-
sary Legislation to be Enacted
Official Minutes.
Donaldsonyille, La, Oct. 6, 191

SfiiStdt tuIhAtCSs
Donaldsonyille La, Oct. 6, 1918.
A regular meeting of the commits
sion council was held this day at
1880 p. M, with all the commission
ers present.
The reading of the minutes of the
last preceding meeting was dispensed
with.
Mr.. Lemann stated that Alonzo
Church, of the Louisiana Society for
the Prevention of Fire Waste, had
called upon him recently with the
view of urging the cooperation of
the council in preventing fire waste
in Donaldsonville by adopting the unis
form code of ordinances advocated
by the Society for the prevention of
fire waste in cities and towns, and
that he had invited Mr. Church to be
present at this session of the council
to lay the matter before the com
missioners and interested citizens
who would be urged to participate.
Mr.. Church, being present, was in
troduced by Mr.. Lemann, and in a
lengthy and eloquent address ex-
planned the object and purpose of the
society and the laudable work it has
undertaken to accomplish, not only
in Louisiana, but throughout the en-
tire country through the efforts of
the national body, Of which the state
society is only a branch. He said
that while the society is composed
largely of insurance men and pro-
cures much of its data and statistics
through the insurance companies of
the country, it is in no way connect
ed with or controlled by them. He
laid especial stress upon the fact that
while so much care, effort and money
is being annually expended on the
development of fire protection equip
ment and methods, little or no atten-
ton is devoted to fire prevention by
safeguarding property and life from
fire hazards Statistics authoritative
ly compiled were cited to show that
over fifty per cent of waste by fire
in America is due to shingle roofs
and defective flue construction, and
gross carelessness in permitting COM
bustible material and rubbish to ac-
cumulate about premises and in
buildings. The Society for the Pre-
yention of Fire Waste, through the
personal efforts Of its membership
and its representatives, and by means
of carefully prepared literature, has
undertaken the stupendous task of
educating the American people to
the need and Importance of materi-
ally lessening, If not entirely elim1.
mating, fire waste by proper methods
of building construction and the ex-
ercise of the necessary precaution
which every citizen owes to himself
as we'll as to his neighhors, to pro-
mote order and cleanliness about
his premises. It is a singular fact
| that in the older countries, where the
system Of fire protection equipment
and methods has not reached the
stage of development that it has in
| America, the percentage of fire waste
| is nevertheless infinitesimal as com
pared with this country. The reason
| is to be found in the superior meth
| DDS of building and fIue construction
and the elimination Of fire hazard as
nearly as precanfio lIssry measures car
make it possible.
A code Of fire prevention ordi.
nances was presented by Mr.. Church,
/ which will have the earnest consid.
Grafton of the council, and will III,
| timately be adopted with such
changes as local conditions may re
quire.
/ j, The hour having grown late, the
council adjourned 70 tomorrow night.
DonaldsonyiIle, La !. Oct. Z, 1918. +
The council reconvened in regular
session at 7:3O o'clock D.. NJ, with
all commissioners present.
/ Mr.. Milano called attention to the
practice by certain property owners
/ in various parts of the city of cutting
open drains across the sidewalks
which, beside being very unsightly
may prove a source Of injury to life
and subject the city to claims fol
damages. He urged that the police
department be instructed to war;
property owners against this prac
ltice. and that an ordinance prohibit
ing it be adopted il necessary.
The following petition was read b.
the clerk, and on motion, duly sec
onded and carried, was ordered re
ceived and filed:
| Donaldsonville, La, Sept. 19, 1918.
To the Honorable Commission Coun
Gil, Donaldsonville, La.
! The petition of the undersigned
residents, property owners and tax
payers of that portion OF the city o
Donaldsonvil1e known as the Lemanl
Addition, respectfully represents.
/ That we respectfully protest t
your honorable body against tn
granting by you of q permit to open
construct or operate any blacksmith
! shop, foundry or stable within tia
portion of the city of DonaldsonviIl
known as the Lemann Addition.
D AS your honorable body We
) knows, the Lemann Addition is es
sentia1ly a resident district, and an
II shops of any kind of the nature abov
referred to will not only lessen tn
desirability of the properties ther
: situated, but will affect their value
increase insurance rates, and gel
! orally mar the beauty of what viii
in the future, be the garden di
trict' of the city Of DonaIdsonville.
We, therefore, protest against tn
granting of said permit, and turtle
!, petition your body to enact an ord
, nance prohibiting the construction
Operation of blacksmith shops, fou
drys and stables within said limits.
. n &4eI