The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-01-18
Report offs Board Of Under
writer's Shows Water-Sup-
ply System Weak.
DEPARTMENT NEEDS
MUCH STRENGTHENING
Equipment Inadequate, Force
Too Small, Says State
ment Just Issued.

An inadequate water supply system
and an insufficiently manned and
poorly equipped fire department great
ly increase the fire hazard in Missoula,
according to q report Just published
by J. II. Branscomb Of Butte. secre-
tary OF the Board of Fire Underwriters
of the Pacific. ,,sss,,.., ~ .,.,, s-,,
The report also declares that the
fire hazard is increased by the city's
failure to inspect buildings under con-
,struction: that the present building
ordinance, of which mo real enforce
lnent can be said to exist" is in gen.
cral mot at all adapted to the needs
and requirements of the CITY," and
that the use Of inflammable and cx-
plosive materials is not properly re-
stricted.
Mr.. Branscomb's report is based on
the results of a survey made last
month by representatives of the board.
The survey was thorough. covering
every possible influence on fire risks,
but giving especial attention to the
water supply system and the city fire
department.
Extension Of Water Plant.
The report recommends wide ex-
tension and enlargement Of the water
supply system owned by the Missoula
Light & Water company. urges an in
crease in the fire department. the con-
struction of a south side station. the
purchase Of additional and modern
fire-fighting apparatus, and suggests
improvements in /. the administration
and context of existing building and
inspection ordinance.
The Defects.
A summary Of the boards recon-
mcndations accompanies this article
The defects. to remedy which the i'm.
provements are suggested, are as fol-
lows:
Supply and storage systems Of
water company inadeauate; distri-
button system poorly planned and
insufficient; water pressure not
strong enough: fire hydrants too
few and badly distributed; general
use of fire hydrants unwise; fire
department too small and insult
ficiently equipped: fire alarm sys-
tenn too restricted; city building
laws not strict enough; code gov
erning manufacture, storage and
handling of explosives and inflam-
mablc materials inadequate.
City Naturally Favored.
Missoula's topography. climate ant
location are favorable. the report says
The four square miles embraced b!
the city limits arc almost level show
ing variation of only 80 feet. 9TH
winters" says the report. '.are cold
hut there are no marked extremes o
temperature such as are found in th
northern and eastern portions Of tn
state. The snowfall Is usually heav!
and at times impcdes vehicular traffic
The prevailing winds are from tn
southwest and high winds are infrc
qucnt."
The streets, says the report, ar
generally in fair. condition.. owing t
the character of tho SOIL
Nevertheless. the report recitcs. tn
average fire loss per capita since 1911
(bascd on an average population o
$4,000 between the 1886 of 1910 an
the probable 1900 of 1870 has bee
1857, while the average annual los
per capita for the state has been $2.2!
Tho report then discusses the waite
supply system in detail. A reproduc
tion of this part of the document wi
be found elsewhere in The Muscular
The storage system. composed of scv
cral lakes with 700,O00,000 gallons ca
pacity. is found to assure an adequat
supply at all times. but the supply an
distribution systems are found defeC