El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-02-06

TN PROPORTION to population, tax
able wealth and amount of insur-
\ ance carried, FL Paso's losses by
fire. for several years past, has been
the smallest OF any city in the state.
One Of the tangible results Of this eff
ciency on the part Of the fire depart
ment, men as wen as apparatus, has
been the granting to this city of a fire
insurance key rate of is cents, which
viii be reduced to II cents and which
is by far the lowest key rate enjoyed
by any Texas city.
Low Loss Per Alarm.
During the year the El PasO fire
department responded to SO alarms
The value of buildings found to be
threatened by fire was S2,869, 987.67,
and the contents of those buildings
were valued at S2,483,943.67, q total Of
$5,353.93L3f. The buildings threat
ened carried insurance amounting TO
S1,691S2A77, and the contents We're
insured for S147S,O5A3S, a total insur-
ance Of S5,l6y,St9.l3.
Thanks to the efficiency of the fire
department, the total loss was held
down to S35,699.56 on buildings, and
$2S,33S-27 on contents, total of S62,-
03IS3, or $500 per alarm.
A loss of $500 per alarm is consid-
cred by underwriters associations the
country over as remarkably low and
gives cities maintaining that low level
exceptional insurance advantages as a
rule.
Low Percentage OF Loss.
The total loss as given above, was
one and 16-1O0 percent Of the total
valuation OF property threatened. OF
the s3,169. S79.15 insurance actually
carried on buildings and contents
threatened by fire, the total loss OF
62.O37.83 was one and 95-100 percent.
Whether the loss was fully covered
by the premiums paid by the insured
is a question only underwriters IN
tcrested I'm can answer. The fact re
MAINS however that when compared
with the total value OF all lnsuraDIc
property ia El Paso the loss by fire
during the year 1914 was almost neg
Due to Efficiency.
AS stated above, the small ratio OF
loss to the total value Of property IN
volved is due to the very efficient IRE
fighting organization maintained by the
city. which includes number of gaso-
line-propellc6 engines; to the prompt
ness with which response is made 10
every alarm by the fire fighting corps.
and 20 the long stretches OF Wen pdNeH
streets which enabled them TO reach
the scene of a fire in the shortest pos
sible time.
Add to that an abundance of water,
with a pressure that enables the best
possible results to be obtained once
the water is turned into the hose and
FL Paso's small fire loss is explained.
Brains Are Used.
Another reason for q small loss as
signed by insurance men who make a
study of fire insurance problems IS
the tendency on the part of the men
of the FL Paso department under the
chieftainship Of w. W. Armstrong, to
mix brains with the water used for
fire cNtmguishing purposes and the use
of as little Of the latter as is abso-
lutely necessary.
Little Drowning Done Here.
In many cities the losses by flood
ing are oftentimes many fold the losses
by fire THAT is not the case in FL
Paso." said Horace b. Stevens the dean
OF fire underwriters I'm FL PasO, when
discussing the question of El PasO's
fire losses a few days ago The FL
Paso department. by responding so
promptly as it does, usually arrives
upon the scene when the fire is in its
iucipiency and the men are enabled to
extinguish the blaze by means of their
chemical apparatus without use of any
water at all This has a tendency to
keep down the losses by drowning. I
should say that the promptness with
which Ell Paso firemen respond to every