Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-09-25
NEW YORK.
Withdrawal OF the Insurance Busi-
mes~ from ChicRg0-nhe Cessation of
Porto Rico 90 Germany.


Withdrawal OF the Insurance Rusi:
| ness from ChfcagO-rhe Cessation of
Porto Rico 40 Germany.
New York, September 26.-Thomas
H. Montgomery, general agent of the
National Board OF Fire Underwriters
says that the recent action of the Board
recommending withdrawal of the in
surance business from Chicago was
absolutely necessary as protective
measure, as the authorities Of Chicago
has in some instances utterly ignored
the requirements of the Board and in
others they had made spasmodic efforts
at reform, The FIRE department was
sadly lacking in discipline, and was con-
trolled by politicians. Il was true, the
authorities had appropriated 100000
for the construction and placing of
water mains and fire hydrants, but the
water engineer of the city Chesebrough,
asserts that $4,000, 900 can be expended
on that work alone.
Henry A. Oakley, President Of the
National Bank, speaking on the same sub
ject to a reporter, said, in reference to
the establishing of permanent limits CO.
extensive with the corporate limits of
the city, that the Common Council of
Chicago had passed an ordinance to that
effect but the Underwriters have very
little confidence that il will be car
ried out, because the execution is left
to the same persons who have refused to
cooperate in other improvements. No
business law has been passed, nothing
has been done with regard to changes in
the FIRE department, and it remains under
the same political influence; a few steam
ers have been added, but this is not re-
garded as great advantage while the dis
cipline of the departmentremains as it is.
The call for an increase in the number
and size of water mains is one which the
Board considers very important The
smallest sizes run through some of the
leading streets. Hydrants are numerous
enough, but are useless when the means
of supply are so inadequate. In regard
to the other requirements the establish
ment Of FIRE marshals' bureau aud the
removal of dangerous establishments,
nothing whatever has been done The
underwriters are not at all indisposed to
remain in Chicago, provided means of
defense against fire can be had, as all
of them have large and valuable bust
ness connections which they are now
compelled to sacrifice.
A. Eckermann, the German consul
in the district of Pance, Porto Rico, says
of the report about the cession Of the
island to Germany, that it must have
originated among the enemies of Bis
marck at Porto Rico. Some excitement
was caused on reading the news in the
American papers, but very few attached
any credence to it, and the Governor
General publicly denied having received
any instruction from Spain in regard to
the matter, and the local papers also de-
MED that there was any truth in it.
There was considerable dissatisfaction
On the island, however, owing to the
.roublel state of affairs in Spain, and to
he fact that all the important Offices are
held by the Spaniards. Since the emanci-
patton of slaves last year agricultural
pursuits have been considerably neg.
ected, the small land owners not hav-
ng the cash to pay weekly wages to for
ner slaves.
The locomotive engineers Of the
yarious trunk lines and leading roads
lad meeting in this city yesterday and
protested most earnestly against any re-
luction of wages at the present time,
md expressed the opinion that the
Pennsylvania Central Railroad Com
,any should restore the ten per cent.
eduction made by it on the wages of
Engineers last January.