Article regarding fires in Danbury after the "fire bug" from the New York Herald
--------------------------------------------------------
HOW FIRES HAVE HELPED DANBURY.
--------------------------------
They Have Resulted in a Superior Class of Buildings in Prominent Sections.
--------------------------------
AIDED REAL ESTATE VALUE.
--------------------------------
Insurance Companies Changing in Their Opinion of Risks in That City.
--------------------------------
EFFICIENT FIRE DEPARTMENT.
--------------------------------
{BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.}
Danbury, Conn., March 7, 1896
Danbury has had another conflagration. According to insurance men there is no other city in the State which has had more disastrous fires during the last decade than Danbury. In fact, this city has been placed on the black list of several insurance companies.
Danbury does not quite deserve this treatment, however, and it is slowly but surely living it down.
The city first acquired this reputation during the "reign of the firebug," as it is called, nearly seven years ago. Hardly a night passed for two months without an alarm of fire being sounded, and thousand dollars' worth of property went up in smoke. The firebug was never captured, but stopped his work suddenly, and has never again taken up the torch.
Fires did not cease with his so-called "reign," however, for many of Danbury's big fires have occurred since then. The fires during "the reign" were confined mostly to factories and barns, and were scattered all over the city. The large fires since then have all been in the mercantile section, and not a year has passed without several business blocks being reduced to ashes. The nature of the buildings destroyed, however, has been such that tends to make the losses seem out of proportion to the vast amount of valuable property covered by the different fires.
IMPROVEMENTS FOLLOW.
With one exception the fires within the last five years have been in buildings. In every instance where a wooden building has been destroyed a substantial brick structure has risen in its place. In this way the hazardous localities have been gradually reduced, and as a consequence the general risk has been lessened.
More improvements in real estate in the business section of the city have been made as the result of fires than in any other way. The majority of the most substantial business blocks are now standing on the sites of burned buildings. Real estate values have also been greatly enhanced.
When viewed in this light it can be seen that the extensive fire which destroyed $100,000 worth of property recently will be as advantageous to the city in the long run. Nine frail wooden structures where entirely destroyed, and in their places nine substantial brick buildings will be erected. The fire took place in the most dangerous locality in the city, where buildings of light and inflammable construction were crowded together. In the rear of the nine buildings which fronted the street where old factory buildings, barns, tenements and sheds, all of wood. This entire section was thoroughly cleaned out, and not so much as one timber was left standing.
The most deplorable thing about the fire was that it swept across the street and made a wreck of a substantial brick structure. This building, however, will be entirely restored.
HAS CHANGED HIS MIND.
An insurance inspector who recently made an examination of the city said White street was the most risky mercantile section of any in this part of the State. He was here recently, and after looking over the ruins caused by the latest fire, said he had altered his opinion, as the fire had brought about ther very improvement which he and many other insurance men had been hoping for.
A noticeable thing in summing up the losses and insurance was that few of the tenants had any insurance on their effects. The reason they gave for this was that the rates were so hight that it was too expensive an investment. Those who owned the property in the rear were unable to get any company to take risks on their buildings.
The Consolidaated Railroad is soon to erect a large and handsome union station a short distance from where the fire occurred, and will abandon the old station in Main street. This change will be another great improvement to this street.
Danbury's fires have resulted beneficially in another way. They have been the means of developing one of the best and most efficient fire departments in the State. And Danbury's firemen never did better work than they did at Tuesday's fire, and the city is justly proud of them
[end article]
