, 1874-07-16
VIEWS OF INSURANCE MEN,


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VIEWS OF INSURANCE MEN,
THE HOARD or r1nE 1NBunANoE uHuEnwn1rEns
l,e1a a moet;n1 va.tnrd.v morni,o uhio,, o.3,o3
f,xth r,u o' ~".4e" 'l
ioitn +" A"'4 a'seno'1'co' !ea spee'al OBJECT was
70 cons'oor tue felatlon OF THO tiro Department
to tho recent fire, and to take Bone general
action for tho CON pnt,ios rcDregentcd In repnrd
In thu fntorc Aftor Mi d,arrcolo, =, ~
- No' W.. .o. ~. o'es''se.ou " 'ne
.AAs'0i' ~ ""a unanimously conc'auea tnat ro-
1oFm must bo instituted, aud that tho Dopart-
ncnt must arriyo at higher stage Of efficiency
or ogo their compauios would bo obliged to with
draw ,1tooothor trono +,,,a c,tv Ir H. c,,;n, -
A.. n.ee'.. .1eAl s.1' 49, 'Ao en4o1 ~
@no Det"'ta'ent must 10 eetocteo oecoueo he IA
III Irshmar, aud il, for poli.ioal reasons. their
independence and responsibility must bo thwart-
~ os noa1u VI commissioner VINO nave no
pu'p'he u eol'o safo 'o 6euora'ly Hauoale mat
tors and draw their pay, thon 1t is high Tins
fos tho companies to say that they
| will not submit to such state of aifairs, The
| Fire Department should be
A SEPARATE INSTITUTION,
| with Its responsible heatlH, whose business it
shall bo to study the work Of putting out fires,
| and not in any way 10 come iuto coutact with or
be influenced by tho corporation ring.
| After an animated discussion, the Board CON
| oluded
| TO ACT AZ FoILows:
Inaamnch as many of tic loadlne merchants
who bud lost By the fire had voluntarily ouored
to rclinqnis, all claims for consequential dam
ages nriBing from the removal Of goods, The
Board would pay such class Of da,naees to none,
| except with tie coucurronco OF ayory mon,hcr of
the Doar<. Tho Board also appointed Com
| mttoo, with power to request the National Board
| to seud to thus city committee to
FULLY 1NyEsrIoATE
the causes Of tho late iro. aud the action Of tile
Fire Department, with view to pointing out the
xny in which radical reform OF The :Dopart-
me1,t can be effected. Tho Board feel that it ip
necessary 10 OBJECT change in the mnna1emont
of the Fire Department il posviblo.
reporter afterwards lad talk With
oEs. puoAT
on this subject, and his ylowB aro given below:
neporter-Geueral, I understand tint Won
charge tue Fire Department WITH iuef]Iciency.
Will you please toll me what you COMPLAIN OF In
palticular7
Gen. Ducat--I complain OF this, that tlley do
case III Chicago.
n.-Huw will YOU remedy this miBfortuue7
Con. d. belloyo IN ono-man power. and
aa long rs we havo half dozen controlling
tho thing no will haye no responsibility, and
consequently no efficiency Wo want 4 single
man to head the Department; q man OF inteli-
gonco, individuality, and ability; a mau who
will grasp tho authority md maintain a rigid
discipline and respect III his corps Ut workers.
We have no such man III the Chicago Fire De.
partmpnt-
R.-Will tho National Doard como to Chicago?
Con. d. auppDAo tler will they came
hore after the great fire, and prcHentaa their
ylows to tho Council but no action looking to
their Bafoty WIS takep. They will now demand
this, 'n ali probability, and, falling to secure it.
will DO justified III Withdrawing their companies
from a place whore aros are managed by q ring
OF politicians.
: CONTRARY OPINION.
The reporter hnppe1.ei to he in tbo Office of
mir. r. s. Critchel subsequent to tile foregoing
information, and ho volunteered tho inforu,a-
ton chat in tho nlain he disagreed with tue gem
oral opinion.
Reporter-In what respect, air7
Mr.. Critchel-I will tell YOU, In conyersa-
tion that Ind With Chief Banner Homs time ago.
IN aa a
ouehIy carried out ut bis % plau. -"3'' D ~ D' '1oA
N.-What was lis plan
1lr, Lritcl1oll-lIe said thak II wou1d be lin
aim to attack tno tlanka of tho flro and drive Il
in Tic direction Of tbs lake. ieenine It within as
narrow bounds az uossible. but haylnp tbja IA ;ts
ultimate exlont,
H,-And YOU believe ho did thfs7
around @ tie , nules aa op Tfhs fe
engines III position 10 tight accoriua to thie
plan, Tl,oro way no confusion. and tbey ha1l tn
their placcY until absoluto)y drIyon away whom
they roformoa to the Same purpose There wns
no wi,hBtnnt,ine tle tiamoa That IN the trn,,h1o.
Tho Departments is not largo enough. We
management of tic fira Wan wall nnnurh
Mn. JAMES AYaRs, JR.,
local agent Of the phuni1, Of Hartford. and tho
TepreSenta1Vs oi tne insurance ,t interest IN tho
n'or1'oa - ,'n,,Mn ~ roe, " e1at a%nre .o-
dlspositlon among tho underwriters to infstruyt
tho present management Of tho Fire Depart-
ment ON account of tho political Influence which
Mnsr " ua ~, hu ai VI @ ~
a,,nan1 atfontion ~ tbis ,n"ttar' nd ~ ~ an,n
nI,ttoo tint was eppojutod to investigate tic
cause and progress 81 The nro was particularly
iusttuotcd to examine the mode Of making ap.
p9ntlnonta plI,Na On tno DS,partmens, anu fopoft
w. ~ ro},,, incon,n"3nt "a% osu, "s
mon. From tho mnnnor In which III.