Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1922-02-25

~ the JOINT meeting OIL the NORWICH NJ
tary CLUB and the local Chamber OF
Wauregan hotel.
T. Alfred Fleming, Is a recognized au-
thority on fire prevention and his abil-
ity Is thoroughly appreciated by the Ma
tional board, so much so that they have
dispatched him on a tour Of the country
in the interests of an educational cam
paign on Fire Prevention" James L.
Case, president of the National Fire In
surance association, was the means Of
getting Mr.. Fleming to Norwich and In
troduced Mr., Fleming to the local bus
mess men that had assembled to hear
a discourse on subject that is Of VI
tai Importance to the merchant, the
manufacturer, the property owner and
the head OF the family.
Compliments Two Norwich Men.
In opening remarks Mr. Fleming spoke
Of the esteem in which James L. Case Is
held by members of the National Board
of Fire Underwriters and the amount Of
work that Mr.. Case has contributed to
the board. Mr.. Fleming also paid great
compliment to Chief Howard L. STAN
ton when he said that wherever you
went whether New York, Chicago or
San Francisco, or in fact any large city
city you always heard Chief Stanton
spoken of as one Of the most efficient
fire chiefs in the United States and
Norwich should be proud to have such a
man at the head of it's fire fighting fore
es.
Four Glasses of People.
Continuing his remarks Mr. Fleming
said that in every community you found
| four classes of people. The "wishbone
| clss''-those that wish for things but
never turn a hand to work for them
The 'iawbone class"-those that talk a
| lot and tell what ought to be done and
what ought not to be done, but like
the other class never get out and do
| things. Then there is the funny bone
class'-those that ride on the other fell
lows ticket and only show up wher
| there eats on the programme. This
! class has sunk SO low that they have
| to reach upward to touch bottom. The
real class IS the backbone class
those that work for the welfare of the
| community and although they wish and
talk they put their shoulders to the vince
and push and then push some more
| These are the kind of men I Ike to talk
10 and the men who will do things
! Such are the members of the Chambers
of Commerce and the Rotary clubs.
Address BY Mr.. Fleming.
Mr.. Fleming then launched into thu
theme Of his talk and said in part:
The successful operation of business
| activity depends largely upon thorough
| knowledge of our ray product supply
cost Of manufacture. marketing facili
| ties and the prevention ow waste. Oul
| industrial programme has laid partic
ular STREET upon production, but very lit
tie attention Is pair to the Leakage which
is found in all our great commercials
system
The commerce Of the nation, foreign
| and domestic, IS carried on, 81 per cent
on cridit and only n rer cent cash
Satisfactory credit, therefore, is the back
bone Of national prosperity. The build
ing of great railroads requires su
perior product In rolling stock. exctp
| tional quality of rails, sound ties. rocl
bound grade and stable ballast. Ever!
part Of the work must be done with con
sideration for the efficiency of the 9th
err. The value Of the road depends no
so much upon the quality Of It's roll
ing stock. as upon the weight and tn
quality of its rails and their satisfac
tory foundation. The commerce Of TIL
nation Is the moving train. 1t rolls Of
rails of credit, and the stability Of tina
credit system depends upon its founda
tIon and It's ballast, and the ties whic
bind them together Many items ente
into the building Of this foundation. Fer
sonality Is always of first consideration
This study always includes experienc
and past success Of operation. The
comes the background Of credit. whic
Is satisfactory insurance contract. A
large lines are protected by valid insur
| u ante q
and many other features make Il
the roadbed On this roadbed are plac
ed IT'S ties which hold the rails in pc
sitlon These ties, IN business, are til
elements Of cooperation between ind
viduals and associations which Join t.
gether to precent loss. The ballast {
the road IS the daily scrutiny again!
waste otherwise known as fire pre-
| lection and prevention.
Over $500, o0o, 900 Fire Loss.
The loss by fire was over $500, 900, OF
or nearly twice that Of the average
former years. Daring 1921 the loss p'
day, reached the enormous total Of nea
ly one million and a half dollars. Tn
amount far exceeded the cost Of the e1
tire educational system Of the Unite
: States TO- twelve months, or would r
> build the Panama Canal one and on
: half times. This stupendous sum re-
I resents The amount paid by the citIze1
: of the United States for our habits
u carelessness and neglect Of educate
: along safety lines. It Is a conservati
Il estimate, to state that 80 per cent.
this loss IS prevetable.
e 1t Is common to find in a newspap
g report Of a great fire the statemen
e Loss one million dollars, covered ]
e insurance" The public breathes
: sigh Of relief, and for their considerable
a the incident Is closed. The tact renal
8 however, that the cost Of Insurance
s high or low In proportion to the e
g tent Of the losses incurred Insuran
lie companies must collect premiums 8,
e hcient to cover these Items first t
h fire losses, second the cost Of doing bJ
lie mess and third, fair return on mon
h invested. The manufacturer pays
n the cost OF protection on all his prodr
/ and adds it to all other overhead char
es. This with all other charges is c.
rs ried with all other expenses from t
ID producer Of the raw prduct, through
At couryes Of manufacture and finally I
,s comes part of the purchase price
~ sumed by the ultimate consumer It
t easy to see that in all articles Pr
chased, whether for home or busine
consumption, we pay as a part of c
purchase price, our proportion Of I
great fire loss. It costs the Average {
oI lien nineteen times the estimated ]
nc capita tax last recorded from all
at countries of Europe.
r.
Losses Increase In 40 Years.
as In making an analysis Of fire losses
ul Is interesting to note the appalling
crease during the last forty years.
1881 losses by fire were less than SIC
- 900. 600; in 1921, over $500, 1000, 900.
W this ratio Of increase were to contil