, 1879-02-08
h!nd-hantl Is one Of tic surprises Of the official

THEY RECEIVED.
In analvzinE lflr experiences nf companies, VIC
find That 81 many tpcnt more tl,nn ti.cY received
that the details would bc tou long for TnE
TafnuSR. The New York companies in this
category arc NJ follows: Etna, Adriattc, Allan
lie Of Brooklyn, Buffalo, franklin. Hamilton,
Hoffman, Hops. Irving, tenux, Eassau, New
York Central, New York Equitable. Sterling,
Wcstehcatcr. This ltat Is almost identical with
tl'atof companies whose sarplus Was reduced
during tic year. Tic companies OF other
States belonging to this category are III follows:
BoyIston, Massachusetts,; Eliot, Massachusetts;
Equitable, Rtude Island; Firetnen'e, Maryland;
Firctncn's, Ohio; First National, Alassa-
chusctts; franklin, Massachusetts; Ger
manls, New Jersey; 1ycomtnR, pcnnsy]-
vanfa; Merchant Marino, Massachusetts;
Ncptunc, Massachusetts,; Peoples, Newark;
Roger Williams, Rhotic Island; Security, Com
ncctlcut; Stnndanl, New Jersiy; Virginia OF
Richmond; Washington, Massachusetts,. TIN.
excess OF expenditures over recetrts by oil
these companies IL a ycry handsome snr.l. hut
that the list 10 80 fnrgc sh0wa how anomalous
the condition Ut the business has been when the
whole number las gained 80 largely that tho few
have lost so fnuG
PROFITS ON CITr BUSINESS.
Upon the basis of las. years reports It ap-
pears that tho companies combining their busi-
ness at home made no money, hut, when II is
remembered that tho two fires Of Jan. IL and
II maao draft on the companies doing busE-
nees here for abuut 81 500 0tN, It nay sccm rs II
the hopes Of 1879 werc blasted. That Ia just tle
t1utn fact that the companies hare had to look
the proposition By asking Increased
rates upon nil city property, with
the exceptions, viz: dwellings and storage
warehouses. THO latter aro still taken
81 fteon a,Nl thirty.fve ccuts, just as II no fires
had OCCURRED. 1t IL assttn,cd ihat double rates
on mercantile risks may give tho companies q
chance for pfo1t at the end of this year, but
dwellings that 1t Ia kafe to calculate that the net
tncrcasc will scarcely amount 10 5U per cent
upon last years sotals. isis is partinlly nrll-
trastzct! tn advance BY the reduction In illies,
companies have cut down tlle slzo or tticlr poIf-
ties without merry to tho assured In fact, tIo
prospect for profit Ia contingent chiefly Upon
comparative immunity fron, Iusses. III short, it
plentiful supply Of "lish thrown in to giys Il
p!quapcy and fnVor.
TnB TARIFF ASSOCIATION IDEA.
Although n'ncty-scven companies have voted
TO form Tariff Association, and have held
several meetings to perfect plan of or9aptza.
tfoD, It Is the prevailing impression tl,nt tic
scheme will fail. T'ero nro 4 dozc1l reasons
assigned for th's expectation, but tie principal
one IL that the Iargc companies aro usflling 10
tie thclr hands, willie the smaller com pantes Inay
remain outside. It Is nevertheless d fact that
these utncty'scvcu companies hnve voted unant-
mously to abolish the rebate system, and try
the plan Of net rates to the assured, which IL
equivalent to revolution In the former methods
OF doing the buslncss. The hitch it,
the progress Of tho measure is The
effort to take a new departure In treat
ment o. nsoxSrs e'eater
strict their commissions to 10 prr cont, ut tho
snrue time agreeing to abolish rebates. llcseto-
fore the brokers hnve been treated as agents of
tho assured, alMi It hns been SO stpu)a.cst Il.
tho policies ns to prevent tho companies from
suffering from the tcfaications OF broRc?s.
'fhs fs d fa1ical ct,nuge Ut relationship which
| wtlt antarontzo d class Of bru1;rrs somewhat by
discriminating in favor oi the rcspectablo
| bured ~ doing AWAY with tlIe rel,ato system.
| Btlll It Is impossible, In thu opinion of mary uf
our slrewdcst untlcrwrttcrs, to harmonizc con,.
panlcs al,l brokers upon nlv echeInr, n,,.l the
proa,pct is fair t!,atso iar "a Tariff Associatiun
is concerned, tho prcsent ngttAtf0n will end in
smoke II Ii another instance Of good thing
bs!uE defeated by too much ct'1lllng.
THE tNCNEAsEu HATES
are fixed fact for tho spring ae,tson. wliatcycr
may be tie result Of thu dull work Of summer.
LII The district below Grand street. the compa.
uies are demanding aud receiving gross tariff
rates quito generally and thcY are encouraged
10 make the Charge by the readiness Of thcit
customers to give then, their own prices. Tnls
tss.s". =. s.,e., =, 49, .,,.' ,co ~. Wv.
ioesco'o 10 even m oro tnah Nv pes cent IN some
coscs'-ono welt'kno~n flsk which was recently
insured In etlt-eilec companies at 80 cents now
payEur S1,05, There aru numerous cascs whrrc
rote. ha,c h.cn odv,ncc, fron, AZ cc,,t. T., 4, m
'a.se NV uosu ''oA' ~ e'.oo
ana thefe aso also instances Of positive extoT'
tlon on tue part OF companies in taking al-
yuntaGc Of the situation. An English coin,,any,
knowiug TINT Broadway flrtn needed all tic
anauranco they could UT, md would pay ans
| price rather thnsa not hAve 1t. auyaHetl thets
| Iate luil bu csnts oeH9Hd INC gross taTl1t lMf
@ KILL tnr ~ fus ts.rs ne,sn, u ~ mn, W u,
III. tirx-roo.!s dts rtct liz cnmnan,cs n,o nhs r.
secure al they require at advanced rates, and
merchants are sc'ldlne out of town fur ii'aur
anee, ~ olaes 10 avoM son'e OF .lle ehafges Of
'1' s'sJ asen.ms '.."... a''4 eo."psu''s. '.'
cosfA"Iss e'cA ASp ~ RETIRED.
4ns oan@'o ue'u'aa oo"pany 'naoo ON,
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