The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-10-08
Fire Insurance in Chicago.

The great Chicago fire of 1871 ruined
many insurance companies, crippled
others, and caused heavy losses to al
most every one in the whole country.
The smaller, but still destructive fire of
last July involved loss of between
three and four million dollars more.
| The insurance authorities noted these
CONGREGATIONS with alarm, and began to
| believe that it would be impossible to
continue taking risks in Chicago unless
something was done to lessen the proba-
bility of extensive and continually re-
curing fires. On the Oath of July,
therefore, the Executive Committee Of
the National Board of Insurance Under
writer's notified the people of Chicago
that if they desired the companies con-
nected with that board to continue
doing business there they must comply
with certain suggestions, which were in
substance as follow
1. That the present fire limits should be
made co-extensive with the city limits.
2. That Building law should be adopted,
| the same in substance as the New York Build
ing law. -.
ganization of the fire department.
4. That water-mains of certain size should
be laid in certain districts.
| 5. That provision should be made by law
| for an investigation of the cause of all fires
with a view to preventing incendiarism.
6. That all lumber yards and other indam-
mable things should be removed from the
southwestern district of the city.
All that the city has done, thus'Ig
is to comply with the first suggestion
CATER much hesitation and delay, and
to take steps for complying with the
fourth, in regard to the laying of water
mains in certain districts. There has
been no attempt to reorganize the fire
department., or to increase it's apparatus
and working force and no steps have
been taken for the removal of the lum-
ber-yards and other infammable mate
rial in the southwestern district of the
city. The provisions in regard to a
building law similar to that of New
York city, and for a law for the investi-
cation of the causes of fire will have to
be acted upon by the State Legislature,
and Of course have not yet been COM
piled with, as the Legislature has not
been in session. After thus waiting
two months, the Executive Committee
of the National Board of Insurance
Underwriters has adopted resolutions
recommending the companies belong
ing to the board to discontinue taking
new risks or running old ones after the
first Of October next.
OF course this action has caused a
genuine and very decided sensation in
Chicago. The Chicago press, with the
exception of the Times, denounces it
with much vehemcnce and bitterness
and even the latter paper heads it's local
article describing the feeling in Chicago
over the proposed departure of the in
surance companies with the suggestive
line $50 and be DID" The T5'j6-
auae characterizes the action of the
underwriters as "foul and dastardly
blow" at the credit of the city, although
it advocates nearly all the reforms which
they demand. The Inter- Ocean accuses
them of attempting to dictate to the
city and it's officers while the Post and
Mail calls the insurance managers a
set of swindling "Tigg Montagues, %
and thanks heaven that Chicago is we'll
rid of them. Detroit Tribune.