The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1885-12-24
An Insurance Man on Insurance rates and
Water Supply.
BOSTON, December 10, 1885.

An insurance Man on insurance rates and q
Water Supply.
BOSTON, December 10, 1885.
ToTHE EDITOR OF TIE JOURNAL. l notice in the
Age of this week statement to the effect that
tn advance in insurance rates in Belfast is due to
the agitation of the subject of Fire Department and
Water supply in your columns. The Age is en-
tirely mistaken. Probably not another Insurance
Manager besides myself sees the Journal and if
they did companies have other and generally more
reliable sources of information ON such important
matters than the local press. Not only do their
travelling men give them full reports on the sub
ject but they are annually published in detail.
And the report for Belfast might well be marked
"keep standing'1H has varied so little for twenty
years-"Two hand Engines. Water supply, Cis.
terms
Rates in New England are controlled by an associ-
alton of companies of which happen to be Presi-
dent. This association works through small com
mttees covering specific territory and until the
late advance have been chairman of the Waldo
County Maine, Committee. When the matter of
rating Belfast came up had there been no local in
tuence on the committee your rates would have
properly been made as high or higher than they
now But | occasionally visit Belfast Il wish
| could do oftener) and as had no desire to be
met by a reception committee of indignant citizens
with dead cats and ancient eggs, was able to have
your rates made on the same basis as Rockland
Augusta, Gardiner and other cities having Just
good buildings and vastly better fire eNtinguishng
facilities, and in support of this action claimed
that something would be done in Belfast and quot
ed the Journal in evidence. So instead of raising
the rates your course has in fact delayed the adj
vance nearly two wears. But | have repeatedly
advised the local agents and others that the first
time a fire occurred large enough to bring at the
same time a number of adjuster- into Belfast the
rates would go up. The American House fire
came, the advance followed, resiguing from the
Committee to avoid any responsibility for action
which could not control Nor could have justly
opposed it. Other cities in Maine have Ncd them
selves for steam departments and water supply.
They get the benefit in their insurance RATES. Bel
fast prefers to economist III these directions Her
citizens should therefore pay more tor their im-ur
ance. Insurance companies, like the Almighty,
help those who help themselves.
wish the people of Belfast could see it for thci-
interest to procure good water supply l know it
would increase taxes, already high Int there is
such Il thing as so-calcd economy which is eNtrav-
agance Portland and Bangor are the best equipped
cities in Maine. The Belfast Natl Bank building
would insure in either of these nlores far one mira
what it paws in Belfast and there would b. over
sixty companies to compcte for if instead II aIout
fifteen in Belfast Connection cheaueu. iu.Ip4,uer
as it does everything else believe water WORK,
should he nut in bv local canit9I There is 10 ,,k
of if in Belfast and no sane ucrson -rinno-,. th.t
outside parties are going to invest in work. of his
kind unle,, they see profit in theln. lour cffizen
better have that profit than let it . outside have
great confidence in the Judgment of those citizen,
a., ~ ,,,o fr+.,r.snd II, ma ..HI,,,I pu,l.. .h.,,,