The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1916-05-25
FARMERS URGED TO
/ sd BUILD CHIMNEYS
Stove Pipes Mean Higher Insur'
ance Rates and Greater DAN
F. - ,s@I ger of Fire

State Insurance Commissioner II
o. Fishback has issued the following
open letter to country home owners:
The attention of this department
has been called to the matter of extra
hazards and extra charges in fire in
surance rates, more particularly or
account of stove pipes and terra Gotta
fiues in farm buildings. ..a. ~
The rates now in use by most of the
fire insurance companies operating in
this state provide an additional charge
of 75c per $4,000 of insured value
where metal stove pipe is used, and
an additional charge of 15c per 500
of insured value where terra Gotta
flue is used in place of a properly con-
structed chimney. On a three-year
policy of insurance the amount of this
charge is doubled.
| Few people seem to realize that
additional premium charged because
of these deficiencies in chimney con-
ditions would amount in very short
time to more than the entire cost of
a properly constructed brick chimney.
The building of such chimney is a
matter of strict economy, and elimi-
mates, to large extent, the dangers of
fire which might result in heavy finan-
cial loss and also in the loss of lives
of those near and dear.
Some of our citizens have an idea
that this extra charge means an extra
profit to the insurance companies, but
that is a mistake. Exerience has
taught the companies that stove pipe
risks are exceedingly undesirable, even
at the advanced rates, and some of the
best companies heretofore making a
speciality of farm risks are declining
absolutely to accept any more risks
of this character.
All chimneys should be built from
the ground up, as an additional charge
of 1Oc on each $4,000 of insured value
is made where the chimney rests on a
bracket, and for the further reason
that it eliminates to a large extent the
questions of settling and cracking and
thereby causing fires, and the dangers
from falling when the bracket has
been damaged or destroyed.
Stove pipes should always enter
at proper distances from
ceilings or walls and at as near right
angles as possible; this should be done
for the reason that where stove pipes
enter chimneys at other than right
angle, there is great danger of fire
on roofs, originating from sparks. Be
sure to keep your roof free from moss.
These matters should have your at
tention as too much care cannot be ex-
ercised in fire prevention methods.
It is one of the great problems of the
day and we urge you to begin with
one of the most apparent evils, and
at the same time one which will re-
suit in financial gain, by providing
your homes with good, brick chimneys
Such chimneys should be constructed
with the best of material and by COM
oetent workmen; well plastered on the
inside or lined with terra Gotta and
arge enough to insure good draft.
Nothing so annoys the good housewife
IS poor draft in the stove.
This is intended as personal ap-
peal to all home owners and if the re-
concentrations are followed, the re-
suit will be shown in fewer fires, the |
'paring of human lives, reduced finan-
.ial losses, saving valuable properties
which have taken years to accumulate
md reduction in the cost of pro-
curing insurance.