The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-02-11

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The speaker stated that the people
should be assured in some manner o.
. reduction in the fire insurance rates
in event the purchase should be made
and cited the instance wherein it had
been given out on a former occasion
that the rates would be reduced in
event certain equipment should be
bought, that the equipment had been
bought and the rates. the same old
rates. had continued.
Councilman Hayes said Manager
Ingalls, of the Oklahoma rating bureau
had stated that while he would not in
sure the reduction of a 5 cent piece in
the matter of insurance rates for
Chickasha, yet he had made the asser-
ton that the reduction for chicka-
sha would approximate $4,000 PEI
year.
A representative for an auto fire
engine company. the same company
which had installed the engine at E.
Reno. securing the floor stated his
company, in instances where the city
council or the city commissioners, as
the case might be desired to secure
one Of their machines Immediately,
would let the engines out on a rental,
or lease basis, rentals paid to apply
on the purchase price at later per
iod. When asked by a citizen in the
audience what the rental on the ma
chine similar to the one under dis
cussion would be, the representative
of the company stated that It would
be $3.50 per month.
Councilman Caneman said that plan
was simply a means of whipping the
devil about the stump and avoiding
the laws of the state in a. manner
similar to that adopted by certain
banks in discounting papers yet
charging no more, apparently, interest
than was sanctioned by statute.
Chief Gattis, being called upon,
took the floor and stated that Chick.
asha had grown to such an extent
that the present fire-fighting equip
ment was both out OF date and made
quate He said he believed the laws
provisions should be conformed to in
the matter of making the purchase
Of the needed equipment but some
time when the destructive flames
might be sweeping tue business sec.
ton of Chickasha, we would ell real
ize that the laws delay was a mighty
poor fire fighting machine. The chief
spoke Of the city hall fire on the 18th
day Of September, 1915, the fire when,
when with the gale prevailing IRON
the south and driving the flames deep
er and deeper into the ribs of the city
halls roof. every one thought the
building doomed The chief told how.
at this fire, the firemen, on account 0.
lack Of proper apparatus had beer
called upon and forced to use the noz
zles of their lines OF hose in breaking
windows in order to throw streams
on the flames. Chief stated this made
6 poor method of fire-fighting: that the
pressure should always be strong
enough tc crash through lighter OBJ
structions. such as galss and pour the
water on the fire. He stated that he
was compelled TO put his men in dan
gerous places, places wherein their
lives were in imminent Danger, on ac-
count of lack of fire fighting facili-
ties. Concluding Chief Gattis urged
that some steps be taken at the
earliest possible hour to equip the
Chickasha fire department with the
machinery needed in a city of the size
this city is now.
Mayor Coffman called upon John
Owsley, of the Owsley Fire Insurance
company, as a man who knows fire
conditions and insurance conditions.
Mr.. Owsley stated that he would no.
attempt to cross swords with Judge
Melbourne in the matter of arguing
legal points and technicalities: that
he was not a disciple o: Blackstone
and knew none of the rulings Of that
profession; neither was be a black
smith and not being one he knew 0oth.
ing of how to shoe a horse. But the
speaker averred, he was an insurance
man. he said he knew all the Quirks
and turns of the insurance game; that
he talked insurance by day and
insurance by night; that he
could talk insurance to a white man
until his listener turned black in the
face: that nc proposed to tell the
truth about the insurance business!
that the reduction of insurance rates
in Chickasha meant a reduction OF his
that he was talking now
IS a citizen of Chickasha and not as
IN insurance agent; that no matter
low the equipment should Re bought.