New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-02-06
A WARNING TO NEW BRITAIN

Exactly six months ago the Com
mittee on Fire Prevention of the
National Board of Fire Underwriters
made a survey of the City of Hart
ford and among other things plainly
warned the city authorities against
the great conffagration hazard of the
block bounded by Main, TaIcott, Mar
ket and Temple streets where the Fox
and Woolworth. stores were located,
and suggested remedies.
The day after the Fox-Woolworth
fire the secretary of the Underwriters
Board wrote to the Hartford news
papers and pointed out that the fire
must be classed as "preventable' and
that it could not have occurred had
proper action been taken on the
Boards recommendations.
Hartford has had its fire and it's
lesson and the authorities there will
now undoubtedly, as is usual under
such circumstances, take steps to put
in force the Underwriters suggestions.
New Britain is at this advantage
ever Hartford. 1t has not had its
serious fire; but it is ike Hartford in
that it has had it's warning from the
Underwriters.
We print verbatim extracts from the
Underwriters report of September
1916, issued at the same time as the
oh oIIy3r1 1f11n No rita
improvements recommended:
1.-THE comprehensive plan for
reinforcing the distribution sys-
tenn, as adopted several years
ago, has not been carried out; the
installation of the duplicate sup
ply main from the Park gate
house, reinforcing the southern
and eastern sections of the city,
would remedy the weakest fea-
| ture in connection with gen.
| orally adequate system Of water
supply.
"Until such time as all the de-
| partment can be placed on an
| adequate full paid basis, the in
| PRODUCTION Of the auxiliary squad
feature by adding five men to
! each Of the two most central
companies, and having one of
these respond to every alarm, is
| highly advisable.
| 1.-THE high value districts are
| seriously exposed when the one
| ladder truck in regular service
| responds to outside fires, and jus
tifies the Immediate purchase of
an automobile embarrassing
| aerial truck to ensure reasonably
| safe protection. The Introduction
| and use of 3-inch hose and turret
nozzles would add greatly to the
| fre-fghting efficiency.
with the exception of eight
| additional street boxes, providing
| an autom obile for the superinten-
dent, increasing the length of un-
| derground conductors by about
| three miles and reconstructing at
least eight miles Of overhead dis
| tribution, no important improve
ments have been made in the hre
clown, svstem Lead sheathed cable
for underground distribution,
soma rate gong circuits with MOD
ern registering devices In con-
nection with the fire stations, ad-
ditional boxes, end capable
| Eneran as an assistant to the SUI
nerirtendent, are improvements
of first importance In order to en-
sure satisfactory and reliable SER
vice.
with reference to the building
, laws the fire district was extend
ed in May. 1914. to more than
double the area previously COW
cred. non-combustible roof cover
1 ings are now required on all re-
Daired as we'll as new roofs, IN
that district, and the erection OF
3-story. 6-family frame tene-
/ ments is no longer permitted. I'M
! nortant revisions, such as the Inn
p itation of areas, provisions for
the protection of openings In d.
vision and party walls, standp1pe,
sprinll1ers and other forms Of pri-
/ vate protection. window protec-
= ton, the prohibition of combus-
tible roof coverings throughout
the city limits, and the appoint
u ment of building inspector de-
4 voting his entire time to the su-
r pervision and enforcement of the
J ordinances, have not been taken
care off,
Il Summing up the report says: ''T]
4 following recomm endations are en-
phasized as being especially urgen