The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1915-02-09
IMPROVED STREETS PLAY AN
IMPORTANT PART IN MAX.
ING RATES
INQUIRIES MADE
Chief Engineer of Southeastern
Underwriters Association
Writer of Matter.

mat paved streets play very itu-
portant part in the making OF fire in
surance rates for city, Is the state
nlent that comes from the Southeas-
tern Underwriters Association. AT
the request OF Mayor Godfrey. a let
ter was addressed to the association
by Mr.. W. ID. Mclean. secretary and
treasurer Of the Realty Trust Com
pany. OF this city, asking what effect
paved streets had in the fixing of in
surance rates for a city. Yesterday
MIR. Mclean gave out the correspond
ence between himself and the South
eastern Underwriters Association
with reference to the matter.
The letter, in part. OF MIR. Mclean
to the chief engineer of the South
eastern Underwriters Association and
the engineers reply. are as follows:
Mr. McLenn's Letter.
A. NJ. Schoen, Chief Engineer, tAtlan-
Dear sir:.According to'yonr book of
RATES, Rules and Forms" the condi-
tions of city's streets Is one OF the
large factors in determining what fire
insurance rates shall apply to that
city. According to the Southeastern
Underwriters Association classifica-
tion Of cities from fire insurance
rate standpoint. the city OF Anderson
ss rated as second class. According
to tho schedule by which this classifi-
cation is determined, my understand
Ing is that one Of the conditions up-
der which you grant q city as good
rating ns second-c1ass Is that its
streets must be well paved in a hard
and durable manner, and kept In
good condition and especially Ia this
to apply In the business. manufacture
Ing and other districts containing
large values. l take this to mean
that although city may own an
adequate supply OF modern fire fight
Ing equipment and although the aize
OF its mains and pressure afforded, be
OF very high standard. still a city
Ia not entitled to the classification
that these fire fighting facilities war
rant. unless the conditions of It's
streets measure zip to the standard. as
abo1s stated.
Chief Engineer Schoen's Letter.
Mr.. w. D. Mclean. Secretary and
Treasurer. Realty Trust Co.. Ander-
son, S. C.
Dear. Sir: Replying to your inquiry
of the 4th inst. beg to say that we con :.
slider. the condition OF the streets, es-
pecially in the congested value and
large manufacturing districts of cit
les under first or second classtfica-
tion, feature Of most vital import,
ance. As You know the clasSifica-
tio4 or. basis rate OF a city Is ar
rived at after careful investiga-
tton' OF these features, which affect
not alone the Individual risk, mt
the city as a whole. and for which
the entire city and not the individual
citizen Is Responsible
TIE main items involved when clas.
sificatfon Is being determined are wa
ter supply. pumping and distributing
system. equipment Of fire department.,
fire alarm system. condition Of.
streets. and laws and ordinances. Fer
first and second clasb cities, the
streets in the important sections of
the city. where considerable values
are involved. are required to be paved,
as the value OF well equipped fire
department is greatly reduced II the
apparatus can not on any and all oc-
casfons reach the scene of the fire
promptly. Consequently. the condi,
ton Of the. street plays an important
part In the dete ermination Of classifi-
cation when our engineers make their
recommendations.
.,... Yours very truly. ~ ~
'",4.. -,.,,.! A. NJ. SCHOEN, :,
.-If. = Chief Engineer, :,