The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1915-07-02
These Checks Are issued BY The
MAURY NATIONAL BANK

installation of the engine the rates
were raised instead of lowered, the
bureau finding some excuse for their
action.
had an experience similar to that
of the city and l presume that | am
not alone in this. | was assured by
the Tennessee Inspection Bureau that
if | would carry out some suggestions
made by their inspector, my rate on
the Bethel House would be very ma
terially reduced. | made the changes
at an expenditure of over 5000, the
rate was reduced for three years, and
then another inspection was ordered
and my rate practically dubbed.
wish to call attention here to an
other case in rate making. Before
the garage was built on Camden
street in the rear of the Masonic
building, the rate on that block on
both building and contents was $1.92.
After the erection of the garage, the
new rate was $1.96 on the building
and 2:37 on the contents. The mer-
chants in the block protested and
were in formed that the raise was due
to the garage. In October, 1914 after
the garage was burned, new rates
were promulgated, and the rates in
the block raised to $2.51 on buildings
and $3.50 on contents.
Our rates in Columbia are entirely
too high, and some concerted action
should be taken looking to relief
Mr.. Williams, president of the Fire
Prevention Association, remarked to
me at the meeting that the crowd was
disappointingly small. l replied that
if you had advertised that you were
going to hold a meeting for the pur-
pose of discussing the prevention of
fires and consequent reduction in
the fire rates, very many more would
have been interested. He answered
that is a matter we do not wish to
discuss The Tennessee Fire Pre-.
vention Association which met here
was composed entirely of insurance
agents and adjusters, and they are
without doubt largely interested in
the lessening of the fire losses but
not so much in the reduction of rates.
AS a matter Of fact the tax payers of
our city are being taxed to protect
not only the property owners, but the
insurance companies as well. 1t is a
we'll known fact that in the larger
cities Of the country, the insurance
companies maintain fire companies at
their own expense, salvage corps they
call them. This is as 1t should be and
| can see no reason why they should
not do so in every city.
President Williams made two state
ments in which am sure he was in
error One was that the insurance
companies had lost money in Column
bia. l will grant that there are iso-
lated years which might be cited in
which the companies have lost money
but challenge Mr., Williams to pro-
duce the evidence to show that in any
ten year period the companies have
not In the aggregate made hand
some profit. 1t would indeed be inter
esting to see the figures. The other
statement was Columbia has more
fires than almost any town In the
state in proportion to its size. l have
taken the time to make some investi-
cation of the average number of fires
in Columbia for the past ten years
and this number will not exceed four
teen per year.
In conclusion, permit me to say
that | am heartily in favor of the or
ganization of fire prevention associ.
alton in Columbia, not for the purpose
of protecting the insurance compa-
MES but for the protection of self.
We owe it not only to ourselves, but
to our neighbors as well to see that
our premises are kept free from in
af1mable material of all kinds and to
comply with the building laws in the
erection of buildings of whatever
character. The city attorney has in
the course of preparation a number
of ordinances governing the erection
of buildings and providing for the in
spection of the electrical wiring,
flues, ETC., which, when passed and en-.
forced will materially lessen the fire
hazard Of the city.
J. NJ. DEDMAN, Mayor.