The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-24
FIRE EXPERT5* *ARE MAKING COMPLETE
 SURVEY 0F CITY
On Their Reports Will Depend Whether Insurance Rates
 Are Decreased
R. A. BROWN

Birmingham is being surveyed by number of representatives of the National Fire Underwriters associ- ation, the object being to reduce the rates on fire insurance.
 Chairman b. F.. McLendon of the board of city commissioners was well pleased with information reaching him Monday morning in regard to the influence the big 12-inch nam being placed in North Birmingham will have on the probable reduction of rates there.
 North Birmingham is being served with an eight-inch main now" Mir. McLendon said. and when the 12-inch service is added it will be as well equipped with ade- quate water as any other suburban part of Greater Birmingham.
 This is particularly important just now when there is such an ac- ce1eration of new business in the northern section of the city. It not only means better fire protection and lower rates. but the new 12-inch main will be of great aid in landing new industries for that part of the city,
 From the present supply main in that part of town the new 12-inch main Is being laid along Twenty seventh street to Twenty seventh
 
 cost of s15,000.
 Looking over 0 Wafer q q Mains.
 Harvey T. Mum, engineering ex- pert for the National Underwriters. has observed the laying of the new main. MT. Mum also is making d careful survey of all the water mains of the city, and on the find ings of this engineer will depend much of what the city will realize in lower fire protection rates.
 Birmingham is credIted first class in fire protection only in that sec tion between Ninth avenue on the north, Avenue G on the south, Twen- ty-sixth street on the east, and Fourteenth street on the west Ter ritory immediately adjoining is rated as second class, and suburban property as fourth class, save where the property at risk is within 300 feet of a hydrant, when it gets a rating of third class.
 G. A. Knight is the engineer who is examining the municipality's fire alarm system and will spend several weeks in this work. On his report, too. depends much that the city may hope for in lower ratings.
 Inspecting City Property.
 Other members of the National Fire Underwriters are going over the city inspecting property. not only the nature of the buildings, but the possible. effect on them of adja- cent property. the percentage of shingle roofs, the present epidemic" of the application of non-inflamma be roofs. Hundreds of houses throughout Greater Birmingham are having the safer roofs put on.
 Mir McLendpn announced Monday morning at the city hall that it had been definitely decided to place a fire station at Lakeview. Work will begin later in the summer as soon taken in preparation for giving our the contract. It will be of the bun galow type, like the new station in North Birmingham, and will cost ap- proximately $10.000. Certainly a chemical truck will be placed in it. and very probably bumper, be- cause the Lakeview neighborhood IS growing with rapidity and no few of the new houses are built of wood.
 The survey being made of Bif- mingham by the engineers and eX- perts of the National Board of Fire Underwriters is expected to consume several months and not until their report has been received will any thing definite be known about new ratings and lower costs. The engi- neers are here as result of an in- yitation sent by Commissioner. Me- Lendon, concurred in by other mem bers of the commission. The matter was first taken up with the south eastern division of the underwriters association.