South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-12-09
ELECTRIC COMP ANIES
HAVE men FOR JOBS
Sellers Plan Would Have All
Inspection Done BY Men in
Pay of Insurance Companies
Expense Falls on Home
Builders Says Williams.
BY JOHN HENRY zUvER.

Abandonment of the South Bend
electrical department. and the office
OF city electrician, by installing the
Sellers Inspection bureau In their
stead as urged upon Mayor-Elect Kel-
Ter by the South Bend s. MiShawaka
Underwriters association. is likely TO
meet with a stubborn resistance from
the citizenship Of the city when the
motive OF il is once understood: this
in the opinion OF City Electrician VIII
liam r Williams
The idea is not new according TO
Williams The time for going after
il is merely OppOrtune" ne says.
II appears that the Central Electric
Co. has a candidate for appointment
20 the office of city electrician in the
person of Fred Champagne.
The Electric Service CO. has a cal-
didate in the person Of Robert Elliott.
=. ID. Moran has a candidate in the
person of Calvin Beatty.
The contractors would like TO have
Frank Cline appointed 90 the office.
Real War for job.
There is "A real war on in denuncia-
tiOn of each others candidates. where
for il is rumored that they have all
virtually gotten together on the Sell
lers' inspection bureau, also satisfac-
tory TO the fire underwriters who
would like TO get control Of the de-
partment. according 10 those opposed
TO the change
According to Electrician williams
he has issued lao permits for cleo
trical wiring during the past year.
Each calls for at least two inspec-
tions The total costs the city less
than 1000 and the builder nothing.
Under the Sellers system II would
cost the builders $4,000 at least, and
the city nothing That is the main
difference.
Hints Al Understanding.
The underwriters would get what
they want. probably, and the electrical
supply houses and contractors what
they want, perhaps, but If an insurance
company not IN the union should
come along and make an inspection.
tits inspectors might find II as possible
to find fault with a Sellers inspection
as the Sellers inspectors do 10 ind
fault with the city electrician, as the
latter sees il.
The agitation 10 turn the depart
ment over TO this inspection bu-
reau. however is mainly among the
insurance men, busy these days bring
ing the matter 70 the attention OF the
propertv owners, the contention being
that under the system proposed elec-
trical inspection Of AL buildings VIII
be guaranteed correct and that a GER
tificate OF approval viii mean that
there IS nothing abOnt the wiring that
will increase insurance rates because
Of the building being left in haz-
ardous condition.
+. VI. Sellers Of Indianapolis. Is the
head. in fact, the owner of the inspec-
ton bureau. which proposes TO take
up the work. The bureau has offices
in Indianapolis Terre Haute. Fl.
Wayne. Evansville, Gary and South
Bend. the local office being under
the management Of Fred Q. Powell IN
the J. VI. :. bldg. TT. Wayne. Evans
vile and Gary are said 10 already have
adopted the system, and 10 have found
: IL a great saving both 10 the city and
I the property owners.
City Inspection Inefficient.
The South Bend & Mishawaka I'm
derwriters association, an organiza-
tion Of the insurance men In the two
cities, are particularly interested in
the undertaking. l. +. Greenan, sec
retary OF the association, asserts thai
under the present system OF inspec-
ton. frequently inadequate and unset
entific. a great many people are being
penal lized on their insurance rates
Defective or improper wiring, tending
I TO bazardize a building, is always
charged for in fixing the insurance
rate. occasionally amounting 10 q
considerable sum. The Sellers in
/ CONTINUED OK PAGE TWO