New Britain herald., 1917-01-06
:. y - :. I0Wln. Iobics

., r
 Now that we'ss had that uttit'wel-
 the celebrati On. lets see g. littleT activ- sity. faAs isn't hecember; a1 snr San
 uary 1eS.-g It's January 6. Back, to
 ts j .+-s.. > That the past year was prosper
 gus one in NeY Br1e eain is certain from
 a perusa1 of HaAkihg staternents. The Savings bank Of New Britain in- creased it's deposits to s.$s, 900, ,ooo, s1,-
 25O, 00es new deposits having been
 made fff the year. The Burrftt Savings
 bank deposits increased. s30O,OOO and,
 the postal bank ..debosits have in
 creased. s4o,ooO. The total amount, of
 money in city banks is SIS, ,645, DOC.
 The increase in all the banks totals
 "A, 100000 for. the year New Britain
 is pretty good place. to call home. after all. .e,.~ .
 Alderman William Mccabe at the special council meeting saAd the. ..city
 should be assured of reduced insur-
 anoe rates If the fire department Is to
 be so effectually increased, 's The thought that fathered ,thes alderman's statement is uppermost in the minds of all property owners, yet beforee 1t can be reasonably expected. to, secure lower rates the fire risks must De les sened in several ways besides aug menting the, fire department. It is sii- 1y to spend money on a fire depart
 nent when the building code Is bad and carelessly made. An enlarged and better equipped fire department will do much to gain insurance favor,~ but before. rates can be reduced there is little doubt but what the building codes must be entirely revised. They are old and in many instances inap- plicable. Even though the fire de- partment Is increased materially, the fire risks will not decrease proportion ately If the city permits the construc- ton of thousands of dollars worth of new buildings under a set of codes that make them easy pray for flames. Among other things, the building codes should be thoroughly revised so that the matter of fire prevention in some buildings, such as the installa, ton of automatic sprinklers. will be compulsory. The code in reference to the thickness of brick, stone or con crete walls should be more thorough and present ordinances should be- brought out more clearly It Is said that the existing codes necessitate walls of tho same thickness for ten by ten brfrk garage as they would for a factory building with hundred foot base. A code making more stringent the fire proofing of stores and apartments and another one in reference to proper stairways would likewise be in line. Officials state that in the last twelve fires the flames have blazed the fierces+ around the stairways. The question of fees while not in line of fire prevention Is also an important one and they should be either graded or eliminated. At present permits for buildings up tn $50 cost nothing. Between $50 and $1, ,00o the fee is $1 From $1,000 to $2,0007it is $2 and up to s5,000 the fee is $1 per thousand Between s5,O00 and $t0.0oO the fee is s5 flat Amy building to cost $10.000 and more the fee Is SIG fiat Thus factory costing $100,0OO would bring the city no more than a. private residence cost ing $10,00O. Tn Hartford there is no fee charged for building permits. while in New Haven the fee is $1 per thousand and fractions thereof An other suggested code is to have the en- gineering department give the correct building lines to all contractors be-