The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-03-13
Fire Rates

That holocaust which swept away the MIS-
souri, Athletic Club and destroyed thirty or more
of it's inmates, was another object lesson toI
startle the nation awake to its inexcusable care
lessness with fire. This building was absolutely
untitled for club purposes but the promoters ig
nored that fact 1t had been condemned by the
St. Louis fire chief, but that warning was disre
garded The adventure was designed to pay
dividends and no danger to human life per-
mitted to have any weight as against that sacred
consideration.
The United States is more negligent with re-
gard to fire than any other great nation. It's an
nual loss is three times that of England. 1t is
many times that of Germany. 1t is unwarranta-
bly, high. Where the English pay SO cents per
capita each year. Germany pays but 20 cents.
We pay $2.68.
In 1913 London suffered but 81 fires for ev
cry 100000 population. In the period New
York numbered over 800 in the same ratio. Dur
ing that year we had in the various states, a
dozen fires of more than an average million loss
and of these, two were of more than two million.
There is, of course, an irreducible minimum
of fire hazard due, lawyer would say, to the
"acts of God" And for this we cannot be held
responsible Lightning is a prolific source of
danger. It is because of this largely that July is
our fieriest month. But aside from this, almost
every cause OF fire is preVentable.
Children playing with matches are RESPONSE
BILE for about half. Accumulated rubbish heaps,
as much disgrace as danger, cause large pro-
portion while the carelessness of smokers, defec-
tive flues and shingles dry finder, make pos
>lble a large percentage.
A majority of our buildings are of wood and
this accounts to some extent that our loss is
greater than that of old countries whose build
ipr If briol, md Ct Puto
danger from that cause is altogether out of pro-
portion and is largely due to our indifference to
building laws.
In large Cities land values have forced struc-
lures to an nordinate height, thus rsking life as
well as property; and the plentiful sprinkling of
immigrants, fresh from their peasanthood and
green to ways, set many buildings afre
through ignorance To this must be added the
disgracefully high percentage of desolation
caused by ncendiarists In New York City alone
it is estimated that about twenty-five per cent of
the total loss, aggregating some $4,000 900, is
due to the arsonites, than whom no human being
could possibly be more inhumanly fiendish.
But after allowances are made for these caus-
es, it still remains that the chief source of fires
is our carelessness. And this carelessness
may be very largely attributed to over-nsurance
We have confused fire protection with fire pre-
vention and think because we are insured, we are
justified in being careless.
A man who has invested in an accident policy
doesn't sleep on the railway tracks and he who
carries health policy doesn't expose himself to
smallpox. But we suppose, in childlike way
that possible insurance returns from a
fire warrants US in leaving the gates open to
the flames.
This is to forget that fire losses enter into
living costs and add themselves to every mans
rent and grocery bill. The Pennsylvania Railway
last year lost $271 600. This is included in main
tenance costs and made good from your pocket
when you pay your freight buy your ticket
SO also with the 1929 ,OOO 900 loss by the entire
country last year. That, too, finds it's way into
the freight rate and every other rate and comes
from the ultimate bill-payer in the end.
But the local community which takes especial
precautions against fire hazards has right tc
expect exemption from at least portion of this
general tax.
This is position in Richmond Fires cost
us last year but 81, sos, per capita loss of only
ten cents as against the general per capita loss
of $685.
When demand made two years ago for
decreased rates, the Indiana Fire Insurance Blu
reau stipulated nine conditions which, when COM
piled with would entitle us to decrease in rates
All these have been met satisfactorily except one
and that is under way. Therefore, it now re.
mains for us to hang on the horns of the altar
until this pledge is redeemed. We are entitled &c
the reduction and we can get it by going after it
THE Citzen'