The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-10-14
GOOD CONDITION
BRINGS PRAISES
FOR C|TY'S CLUB
Unusual Showing is Due,
Speakers Say to Efforts of
Commercial Body for
Lower Insurance.
INSPECT 273 ROOMS
George Seidel Urges Citizens
to Remedy Defects and
Make Richmond Fire Proof
CITY.

OlIy.
About fifty percent of the 273 busi-
ness houses of the city. inspected by
the Indiana Fire Prevention bureau.
are without defects. This was the re-
port of John W. Noble, secretary of
the association. at the meeting in the
of prevention held under the auspices
of the Commercial club and visiting
experts last evening in the auditorium
of the high school building.
Criticisms and suggestions given by
the association would be used to for
ward the Commercial clubs efforts
for lower insurance rates, putting
Richmond in Class 2, said George Sci
del. president.
Progress in Richmond, due to the
efforts of the Commercial club, was
praised by l.. H. Stubs of St. Joseph.
Mo-. and c. D. Lasher. president Of the
prevention association. Ralph E. Rich
man secretary to Fire Marshal Long
ley, outlined the states program to cut
down the enormous waste due to fire
losses.
Find Conditions Good.
while we were much pleased with
conditions we found in Richmond.
there are many criticisms we have to
OFFER" said John W. Noble. I'm all we
inspected 273 buildings" he continued.
I'VE found 142 of these to be without
defects from the standpoint of fire
prevention. Faulty methods In the re-
naming 131 buildings were mainly up
keeping or housekeeping defects.
There were 46 cases of rubbish that
1t would cost nothing to remove, a.
open sidewalk gratings, where a cigar
or lighted match might cause a costly
fire. % rubber tube gas connections.
"a defective in heating apparatus. 3S
wiring defects. swinging gas brack-
cts. five dangerous gasoline storage
plants, and three instances of ashes in
wooden boxes"
Wants FireIess City.
"The Commercial club has been
fighting for over five years to get con-
ditions in Richmond that would make
it possible to be rated as a Glass 2
city. which would reduce our insurance
rates Is per cent" said President Sci
del. I'VE have met all the require
ments but two. and with the assist
ance of the present city administration
We hope to get an aerial fire truck.
and have an ordinance passed compel
ing all overhead wiring to be removed
from the business district. Then Rich
mond will rank with Indianapolis and
Terre Haute. the only cities in Indiana
that rate as Class at present
with the help of the city admins
tration we hope to be able to accom-
plish this, and to this end we ask the
cooperation of every citizen to make
Richmond the "fireproof city" as we'll
as the "panic-proof city"
Stubbs Makes Hit.
The talk of l.. H. Stubbs, formerly Of
West Elkton, O., now of ST. Joseph,
Mo-, proved to be the hit of the even
ing. Mr.. Stubs is representative of
the bureau of publicity and education
of the National Fire Prevention Bu-
reau.
Richmond. Ind. was once the great
est town in all the world to me-" said
Mr.. Stubbs. Never will i forget my
joy years ago, when my father told me
he was going to take me to Richmond
one day. Richmond, Ind. the town
where they made steam engines, roller
skates. candy and butter crackers. 1t
seemed like Heaven to me then. and it
is mighty good to be back here to-
day
Mr. Stubbs lauded Richmond for the
progress she has made and praised the
streets, factories, the Commercial club
and the schools.
when you get down to a No. fire
protection class, Richmond will be the
best and safest place to live in Indi-
ana" he said. Build your homes and
stores SO that they will be fire tight
from the inside and fireproof from the
outside. This will save lives, property
and dollars and cents"
Robbins Gives Welcome.
Mayor Robbins welcomed the dele
gates to the city. and said, I'VE know
the results of your investigations will
be a benefit to Richmond"
c. D. Lasher, president of the bu-
reau. said, THE results in Richmond
will depend on individual effort. You
can forestall fire by not allowing
places for it to catch. The work OF
your Commercial club is most COM
mendable, and the city is certainly un-
der obligation to it."
THE United States Of Destruction"
is a title we have earned. said Ralph
E. Richman. He outlined the duties
of the state fire marshal as follows:
The prevention of fires. the enforce
ment of laws pertaining to the storage
sale and use of combustibles and ex.
nance of automatic or other fire alarm
systems and fire extinguishing equip
ment, suppression of arson and the in
vestigation of the causes. origin and
of fires.
A short musical program was given
by Miss Marjorie Beck, Dale Owens
and Philip Gates.
Upon returning to Indianapolis MEM
bers of the bureau will report In writ