Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1916-03-27
City Will Appeal
TOState Commission

The city Of Ashland will appeal
to the State Utilities Commission in
an endeavor to have the fire insur-
ance companies grant more equitable
rates in some sections of the city.
Technicalities have a lot to do with
the establishment of fire insurance
rates, and as the result of one of the
rules of the fire underwriters, the
city would have to install new pipe
and fire hydrants costing several hun
dred dollars in order that the prop
erty owners in certain sections of the
city might get a 40 to so per cent
lower insurance rate Fire protec-
tion along a certain section of the
Scenic Drive is furnished at present
by two-inch main Two representa-.
tives of the Fire Underwriters Bu-
reau were in the city last week and
informed the city that the rules for
bid the issuance of the lower rate
when the water was carried in two
inch main for such a distance. Tho
city officials offered to test the pres
sure and are positive that the pres
sure is more than sufficient, as the
pipe comes down from high on the
hills, but the insurance men stated
that rules were rules" and while
they did not doubt that the pressure
was high enough, demanded the larg-
er pipe.
Several hundred feet of four-inch
main would have to be put in and
several hydrants. This would cover
but one section Of the city. There
are several other sections where tho
pressure is far above the required
poundage, but some technical re-
qurement forbids the lower rate.
The city council was at first in
clined to make the changes asked,
and in fact passed a motion ordering
the work done at last Tuesdays ses-
sion, but when the water committee
came to order the pipe it was found
that the cost of pipe has taken a sud-
den jump Of over 100 per cent and
the changes would cost the taxpayers
in the affected district far more than
the difference in insurance cost.
At Thursdays council meet the
matter was. discussed at some length
and several instances throughout the
city given where an unfair discrim-
inatlon in insurance rates is alleged
because Of technical ruling. For
instance, at Councilman CorneIius's
place on lower Oak street the pres
sure is 143 pounds, and yet he pays
the highest insurance rate. The fire
in Chester Stevenson residence at
the top of Winner street was men,
toned. This fire, II will be remem-
Dered, started in a basement full Of
papers, wood shaving and other COM
bustibles. The fire department ar
rived in a couple of minutes and the
fire was eXtinguished before 1t had
burned through the floor. This was
held to be an exceptional argument
in favor of lower rates as it effectu-
ally demonstrated the fire-fighting
of the Ashland system.
Finally the council rescinded their
action Of the former meeting and de-
cided to take up the matter with the
state Utility Commission in an en- :
deavor to have the situation here in
vestigated and the fire underwriters
forced to grant equitable rates. City
Attorney Moore was instructed to
take up the mattT with the state
commission, which is the court of an
)eals in cases of this kind.
One of the councilmen remarked
hat if they could get some of the
ire underwriters in front of the fire
nose at some Of the "insufficlently
protected places, they would soon
'ealize the effectuality Of Ashland's
ire-protection system.