The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-06-19
"Reminiscences OF Charleston.
BY j. N. CARDOZO.

THE INSURANCE OFFICES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT OF
CHARLESTON.
CHLnLRsroN Juno 13, 1s66.-It was as nearly as
recolleot, about the year 49, that gentleman en-
tered the Office Of the Southern Patriot which paper
was then proprietor and editor stating that wished
to consult with in relation to matter of some i'm.
portance hat gentleman WAS Mr. WILLIAM WASHING
TON, recently elected member Of the South Carolina
Legislature, son of General WILLIAM WASHINGTON the
celebrated phrtsan chief He stated that he had been
informed OF the design OF several apply to
the Legislature for charter to organize company for
insurance purposesthat he inclined to resist the
application-that citizens had for several years Of
fected the insurance Of their property the London
Phnnix Insurance Company, and that all losses alad
been promptly paid, without trouble litigation.
stated that the effect Of giving charter Charleston
Company would be to confer monopoly coupled with
the privilege Of insurance less favorable rates than
the assured could obtain abroad-that the attempt
successful would be attended by the withdrawal from
South Carolina OF all the insurance capital from beyond
its limits with the certainty Of the rates of
being advanced and the great probability OF the loss
finally, of the whole insurance capital OF
The whole Of these results Il Is needless to say were
realized.
The opposition OF Mr.. WARRINGTON was unayolino
The Union Insurance Company, under the Presidency
OF Mr. DAVID ALBxAHDER, went into operation shortly
After The Fire and Marine Insurance Company under
Offices sustained ut times heavy losses but these were
n paid the capitals remaining intact, until the nreat
confagrson Of 1885, when their capitals were again
absorbed by their losses. Both these companies wero
rechartered shortly after. The South Carolina was
chartered In 1sA7 Another disastrous confs9rs.
ton occurred In December 1851 The whole OF the In.
surance capital Of Charleston again swallowed up
by the Losses OF that re The incurred by
massive confngra.ions almost beyond computation
or belief.
From the period OF first arrival in Charleston,
which was in 1885, there scarcely an interval OF
from three to five years In which large hre did not
occur 1t was Of that FIRE took place
below the line Of Broad.street the SOUTH and Mar
kestreet on the north, and Archdae. street. on the
west; and what less remarkable, they embraced
the business portions Of the city in which there were
deposited largo quantities Of portable property partcu.
lary merchandise leading to the supposion that they
were the work OF incendiarieB
The Fire Department Of Charleston thoroughly 70.
organized after the great fire Of 1885, When that re-
organization took place. and the Legislature forbid the
erection OF any but brick houses within the city limits
except on low water lots thought impossible that
re sodestruotive that Of 1888 could again occur,
yet the fire Of 1881 still destructive than that
Of 1888. The department thought to be In q high
state Of efficiency; subject of pride to all
Charestonians The came disorganize its ranks
and disarrange Its material It embraced before the
commencement Of hostlities In 1881. six hundred and
forty mon roll in that composed Of
young men, many Of them Of the best families of the