New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-12-05
A CITY BUREAU OF FIRE INSURANCE,

| We nave no especial confidence IN the
| election Of men having practical ability
for the management of public enterprises,
nor have we any expectation that any
man of our way Of political thinking
| should be elected to fill any such an Office
| if it should be created. In the midst of
the complaint about city taxation, and
with sincere desire to aid in relieving
burdens for which We acknowledge no
party responsibility, we offer a suggestion
which if carried GU. may effect the double
purpose Of reduced taxation and of public
duty.
Tie fire organization Of New Orleans is
one Of the most excellent in the world
This is evident in the character of the men
who handle its ropes, in the proportion of
its stock and service, and in the generosi-
ty with which its services are given to
the public, while the consequences Of all
casualties incurred in saving life and
property are borne in chief part by those
who render the service.
The city, whose safety is thus gra-
tuitously guarded, has advanced money
toward purchasing or replacing, her en-
gines, and pays the running expenses of
the fire companies. That the regularity
of these payments has been affected by
the embarrassments of the city is known
to all It is also known that the city of
New Orleans pays large sums annually for
insurance upon real estate, upon ship
ping, cargoes, upon life and personal
stock of every description. Taking the
| assessed value OF real estate at more than
one hundred millions, its commerce out
and III at much more than double that
sum, and other values insurable upon
life and goods, it is not at all extravagant
to say that New Orleans pays at home and
abroad for fire, life, river and ocean insur-
ance more than two millions of dollars.
If the city, then, shall become the under
writer for these values, she can, as well as
any other corporation, constitute fund
for the indemnity Of all the risks she will
assume. The Legislature may authorize
tax on all subjects, to be imposed only
in case the receipts Of the fire insurance
bureau should prove insufficient at any
time to meet its current losses. There
should be charged upon this fund:
l. The cost Of the iremen's stock, with
the running expenses.
2. The cost of supporting men crippled
or rendered infrm in the fire service; PEN
sions to the men so disabled or to the
families of those who have lost their lives
in the service.
3. Any surplus above these annual
charges to be in part funded to secure fire
risks and in part applied to the general
expenses of the city.
If the city can, upon the credit of the
receipts so applied, and the reserved au-
thority to impose a new tax, present at
least as good security to the insurer as
any other fire company or agency, we
may assume. That city policies being
as responsible as any others, the citizen
would rather insure at home than for the
benefit of any other community. 2. That
property holders and taxpayers would
prefer. such home insurance.. Because
it would assure to their own gallant fel-
low-citizens a certain compliance with the
public obligation on their behalf 2. Be-
cause to the extent that this insurance
fund would meet this obligation it would
relieve and reduce the taxation on prop
erty and persons. A fireman insuring his
life would feel that the insurance money
would go toward also guaranteeing his
widow in her policy and person. The
landlord paying q hundred dollars to in
sure his house against fire, he had also
paid part of his taxes to protect his
house from being. burned. Each would
be mutual insurer. The insurance re-
ceipt would be also q certificate of tax
relief or reduction.
Neither the plan nor the argument