South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-01-22

Safety Board Brih. 5 Electrical
Engineer From University to
Examine Apple It's for City
lob Saturday.

Examinations as to Itness of appli-
cants for the position of city electri-
clan will be held at the city hall at
1890 Saturday morning, Prof. c. T..
Harding of the department of elect
rical engineering. Purdue university.
acting as examiner.
Following the recent meeting of the
board of safety at which the matter
was discussed with contractors, elect
rical supply houses, the fire insurance
underwriters, and the Indiana Inspec-
ton bureau, of turning the city elect
rical department over the latter instl-
tuition. Mayor Keller wrote Purdue TO
ascertain if an expert examiner could
be had in case the city should want
one. and, assured that one could be
furnished Saturday, he was at once
directed to come.
Ten applications for the Office of
city electrician have been filed with
the board, and all of these, with such
others as may wish to apply between
now and the time for the eXamlna-
tions. will be turned over to Prof.
Harding upon his arrival. He is to
decide upon the comparative fitness
of the several applicants, his decision
later to be used by the board in max
ing the appointment in question.
Turn Down Bureau.
Which means that the board has de-
cided not to turn the electrical in
spection work over to the Indiana
bureau. but will continue to employ
a city electrician for the work, though
with this additional preparation for
efficient service. The bureau is man
aged here by +, L. Powell, in the in
terests of the fire insurance COM
panies It's plan has been to charge,
say, 81 per inspection, of the owners
whose premises are inspected, and re-
"a of hn E00 that If
costs to maintain the department.
Contractors and electrical supply
houses argued that the number or IN
spectionS made last year, done by the
bureau at 81 each, would run much
over the $4,000 to the bureau, and
with the number of inspections II
might add. might run it's income from
the work up to much over that sum.
OF course, it would not come out OF
the tax fund but the purpose of the
electrical inspections is fire protection,
which accrues TO the whole city, and
the municipal way is still insisted up
on "a the most economical.
Saving On Insurance.
The fire underwriters contend that
under the protection of the Indiana
Inspection bureau, risks TO the COM
panies would be minimized, and the
insurance rate would decrease. When
asked how much the rates would be
decreased however, the answer elicit
ed a reduction so small-only few
cents,-as to be quite inconsiderable
1t is taken into account by the
board that while South Bend is forg-
ing ahead year after year, increasing
the equipment of the fire department,
and minimizing hazards in every way
possible, those who have enjoyed a
cut in their insurance rates are no
tably scarce.
Contractors and supply houses also
point out that while the inspection
bureau might not, and probably would
not make its activities burdenSOme, its
appointment as city inspector on a
fee basis would clothe it with a power
to do so should it desire. 1t is claim
ed that in other cities where this sys-
tenn has been adopted, approval of
only some particular line of appli-
ances, has put some supply houses
virtually out of business.
The matter will probably come up
at the regular meeting of the board
Friday morning, and formal decision
made as To the course to be pursued.