Daily Kennebec journal., 1919-09-24

Fecommsndsd 10 b built and let ms n,
right here that the Kennebsc w..
District has performed It's part .ns
reservoir perfectly satisfactory 10 =.
sineer Caldwell has been built n.
city also was to promulgate q build,as
code and city ordinances rsxulst,.s
building. and especially In the so-e.,,.s
nre or business district Of the e,tv. !.
was % provide for the storage Of ~.
oline and all infammable r.,..:"1'
Particular stress was laid on the c,.."
Hness OF easements and yards ad;.sA.
to the mercantile district. N'
The building code ana ora,,.
were drafted. passed by the city rov.r.
ment and approved by q justic. =, 80
supreme court. 1t ended there n.,s.. 1.
cally. az no effort was made to enso-s.
them.
Some months ago word v,. ..,. .
the Exchange that the city h,S cs,s
piled with the recommendation. NJ M.
viousiy made and was ready "a, =.
inspection that the change tn ch,sscs
ton might be made.
Engineer Caldwell ana hin ..,,.....
came here and after making n tbor,r..
inspection refused to change tia c,.s:-
ifcation on the ground thar H. .,+-.
had not enforced the building eods ana
cr1inances.
"one Of the city oflicials took ma \.
task about this matter. saying that m.
Exchange never did intend To mai.
good the promise. told him that N !,
did not 1t was the first time I knew ~
the Exchange refusing to carry out a
promise made by one Of Its officials. A,
this talk was prevalent about the civ T
decided to go to Boston to get NV in. !,
formation first hand. There toM Mr. /
Caldwell what was being said here. and
az ! remember his words they were:
Mr.. Friel. want to relate n vou
what found in Waterville on nv IN.
spection: Reservoir. first class; all
tubes Of the steamer cracked limos.
sibie for use; q Easements in dirty con.
dition Cn one place there were ava
cans Of gasoline, two with the caps Of
In close proximity Of stove); roofs
had been shingled in the fre distrc.:
the building code and ordinances were
all right. but the fact that they were
not being enforced rendered them nil
as far a. reclassincation was concern.
ed :,
HE added that he had put IN
much work In behalf Of Watervfle
and was more than anxious to see II
in a class with Portland and Ban.
gor. the only reason It was not, be.
ing the non enforcement Of the code
and ordinances. He told me when
returned ia see the mayor and ten
him that as soon as the city was put
in order he would make another in.
spection and then II Il were found
o. K. he would recommend it for re-,
classification.
IT did take up the matter on my
return with the mayor. Chief Ber.
ry and Engineer Crawford. Mayor
War6well said he would do his part
I understand that fire engine has
been put in order, that Chief Berry
has made, or has caused to be made
inspection Of Easements. I VIII leave
tfat for Mr. Berry to report. The
matter was taken up with the Cham
ber Of Commerce and a; committee
consisting Of F. w. Alden, DR.. +. c.
Thayer. Fred A. McAlary, C. ".
Matthews. J. B. Friel, appointed to
cooperate with the officials In bring.
ing about this re-classification, hal
had several interviews with the city
officials and has exerted every effort
to assist in this work.
There remains absolutely nothine
more than your committee can do In
this matter. 1t is up to the mayor
fire chief. building inspector, city en-.
gineer and the business men them.
selves. You know what your building
code and ordinances call for. See
they are lived up to and your problem
Is solved.
1T seems almost increditable that
any business man would want to be
a party to stop the re-classiflcation
of our city, and I do not think there
is one that would allow the condi.
ton Of his premises to cause the hold
up IL he fully realized the situation.
my opinion Is that much harm
has been done by circulating the re-.
port that it was all bluff on the part
of the Exchange and no matter what
the city did. excuses would be
found to prevent the change in
rates. If that were true why would
Portland and Bangor be given what
is refused to waterville? can as
sure you that II waterville does its
part the New England Insurance Ex.
change will carry out its promise"
After the reading Of the FIRE insur.
ance report by John Friei the sub.
ject was opened to discussion by the
members, a number voicink their
sentiment that steps be taken to OBJ
tain and keep rating b from the I'm
derwriters Insurance Association.
This can be accomplished only BY
the most rigid inspection and en-.
cheney OF the fire department. It was
brought out in the discussion that
Chief Berry was causing frequent
inspection to be made and that the
fire engine, while perhaps not Of the
best. was in commission and could
be used, in case Of a confiagrationT
1t was voted that a committee Of IS
be appointed from the Chamber With
power to act in conjunction with the
city authorities and it was urged
that prosecution be made in all cases
OF those who did not strictly comply
with the ordinance relating to fire
hazards.