, 1874-07-22
Opinions Of tho Insurance nIen--.
Tho National Board,
Advisability Of Organizing an Aux
iliury Volunteer Foroo.
Commissioner Sheridan Docs Not Want
tho Present Systom Changed.
Frnn1c Buildings.
THE INSURANCE. HEN.

THE INSURANCE HEN.
Tho insurance mon In thIa city aro not eAtla-
fled with tho action Of tho Common Council
Monday night In making the flro-lltnits cooxtou-
elyo with tho city 1imits. They say tho action
was good as far as it won't, but 1t did not go far
enough to induce insurance companies to invest
voty heavily III this city. OF al that which was
Immediately demanded to project tho bcsk por
tion Of our city from existing exposure within
tho present tlro-1imits, nothing Whatever waa
| done. Tho water supply was still limited, and
tho Fire Department. just as defective ns whom
tho fire broko out on tho 14th. Without
having these evils remetliod, they claim thoro
! Is no uso In extendiug tho Aro-lmits,
Tho CITY was Just as much at the 1norcy OF largo
| cUu1Rgratlous now aa it was two weoks ago, and
tho vigilance and Interest," Of onr ottixonB In re-
gard 10 itH safoty should not 10 allowed to abato
! until everything had boen lono 10 rolnbdy tbs
evils complained OF.
\ TIE SPECIAL COMMITTEE.
Tho Committee Of the Doard Of Underwriters
Which Was appointed by lust Fridays moeting to
resolved at lato hour Monday evening not "a
| make any recommendations to tile Council be-
causo 1t WAS preferable to havo tho Citizens
Committee move Arst In this matter. Tho board
had lato1y been 10 much misropresonted, CD
pecnl1y by tho German press, in regard
to their proposed action, tint they thought
! it better to lot matters tase moro shape
before taking any decisive action. They feol
cllagrined at having been misrepresentod in re~
gard to their attitude towards tie Fire Depart
mont. They ueyor had, nor have thoy now, any
dcalre or intontion 70 get control Of the Depart
mont !; all thoy deairo IL TINT tho Fire Depart
mont DO divorced from politics aud effectively
managed. The companies that havo expended
from $50 000 600 to eco COO 900 this city think
I they ought to be fairly treated by the author
ities.
| AN AGREEMENT
l raSfnrt{nv TINT a rAr3N1ittHA ~ ct Hvc
| from tho Common Council should meet COM
nlitteo Of citlzona aud Of tho board Of Under
writer's for the purpose Of discussing tho recon-
| nonlstiona contained In tho resolutions paased
| A iow days ago tho Board Of Underwriters In
this city sent T. communication 70
| TIE NATIONAL BOARD
| of Underwriters at New York, requesting them
to hold meeting for the purpose Of appointing
committee to Investigate tho insurance affairs
i'll this city. The National Board mot yesterday
at Now York, and it IL understood that tlo Com
,nittoe will bo instructed to demand tho follow
ing reforms from tho City Government:
Tint iron ehuttorH shall DO put Oh all exposed
buildings. that tho Fire Department. bo plucod
upon the most efficient basis possible. Tint tho
1ator-lnaina bo 30 distributed as to mako water
pouty ut oil points. and that the mains bo ell
aargea.
4 revision Of Tue building law with reference
| to wooden ManHard roofs. ...
1t il also understood TINT tho tarif Tor build
ings higher than throe stories will be largely in
| creased.
| Thore arc nlrondy several members of tho Ma
tional Board ol Underwriters in the city. Among
them nre J. ". Murray, Vico- President OF tho
York; Judge Nichols, OF the National Insurance
Company of Hartford; mud N. Y. Young, OF tho
Tradcsnan Insurance Company Of New York.
These gentleman, 1owovor, do not belong to tbs
Committee which will investigate our Mro De-
partment, they having loft New York before tho
request OF tho Chicago Underwriters ronclod
thore. But they viii asBlst tue Committee. all
they can to nlako d thorough research, aud, il
things Rre found NJ bad NJ represented to he,
aud the Common Council refusey to accoao to the
reforms demanded, Homo Of tho insurance CON-
pan,es may discontinue underwriting any longer
E"lu this city.
VIEWS OF OLD FIREMEN ABOUT TIE
AUXILIARY VOLUNTEER ORGAN
1ZATIoNS.
| The proposal to organize auxiliary ward fire.
companies, which Hhall work in conjunction with
tho regular organization in case Of tlo larger
fires, aeoms to meot with considerable favor.
Such companies would, Of course. be yo1untocr
companieB though in ono or two other cities
similar companies aro paid at ono-half and ono.
third tho regular rates.
With view OF ascertnining the state OF
opinion among tho volunteer firo,non Of Chi,
cngos earlier days, TRIBUNE reporter visited
yesterday como OF the old and well-l1nown
members Of tho old Fire Department. Among
these, Mr. Darius Knight, by almost common
consent was inferior to none in Judgment ant
efficiency. but, unfortunately, that gentlomar
had gone to attonl the races at Do1ter Park
and could not be seen. It ia known, however
) that lle bolioyoB tllat volunteer department
organized by wards, aud netting in conjunction
with tuo regular force, would 10 most yalu
able accessory.
MR. F. 4. BnAuo,
at present rea'-estato deAlor upon Dearborn
street. was for many years moinbor of tho oil
Englno '' No. / from is5o "4a to A'D is5s, ans nc
was afterwards First. Assistant under Fire
Marshal U, 2. Harris. Mr. Bragg think
that tho STRUCTURES upon the work Of tic prosoD
Department ut the lato ilre nre u,.aesorved or d
least fsr too sweeping. lie considers tI.nt
s large proportion Of its momberB arc as good ma
o torlal ~ can be found il any city. OF course
. uutler tho proaont "ring" ,syaten, tho,o .as'
% .nany worthless men, whom it would bo well t,
u u long az the present Hoard Of Fire Commission
4 ors oxisB aud "runs tho Marhhal aud hiH aids
lio is in favor Of abolishing tho board anl o
establishing uew onol lin Its place, whose mem
Il bors ahal! all be- Or llaye boon in timos past
practical aromon. This Board he would nav
3 appointed. by tho large proporty-ownorB Of TIL
" city, and suggests that the Firo-M Marshal an'
It one q two Of his aids should also be members
., With regard to
Il TIE PROPOSED VOLUNTEER COMPANIES,
- Mr. Bragg thinks IL a good suggestion. Ther
n. aro large number Of tho old iromen still re-
d should be worth a great deal. Mr. Dragg ha
1t boen consulted BY several OF his old cotnpacr
's with regard to tho organization Of tho propose
II new force, and ono aud all nre III fayor Of II.
=, The dependence OF tho prosont force upon til
1t varying polltica! lntoroats Of tho city Mr. Drag
i considers to be tho main cause Of tic diasatia
10 factlon lalt with 1t. Az Ru instance of
ir THE WOnRIHua or POLITICAL INrLuEscr
q lie alluded to tho colored fro company. Thor
II might 10 good 1lroiaon among its raeniboru, Lu
3. q: aH wilole thoy woro inferior, and In
~ ~ beon, organized to Bnbaorye political il
ut toreAts. There was no lack OF roo
\. mud oxperionced fromon in tho city, and tho q,
ID iBtonco of ths company kept 1uHt 90 man
os efficient men out OF tho force. To Thought til
= colored men woro good drivers and hoTsomc1
!" generally, but not good tronon.
In proof at his statomout, lso mentioned I'll
faot that this sa1ne colorel company lad, so.r
time ago, beeu employed to pump cut the vat,
At from Under the now ClBtolu-ilouHo. The O,
~,