The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-10-06
THE UNHoLY INSURANCE COMPACT
Some San Francisco Press Comment

The local insurance war continues.
The Eastern Mutual or Armstrong
agency is doing a good business, cut
ting Insurance Union rates 40 per
cent. The union managers met yes
terday and by vote of 80 to IL de-
cided to admit the fighting companies
under certain conditions, but the local
agent of the Armstrong companies
says it is now too late for such action.
This war may result in breaking up
the insurance union.-S. r. Bulletin,
The action of the Armstrong Mu-
tual Insurance companies in making a
cut of 40 per cent. on insurance rates,
because they were refused admission
to the Pacific Insurance Union, may
result in the breaking up of the com
pact. About one-half of the members
of the compact say they will go out if
the Mutual companies are not ad-
mitted, and the other half will go out
if they are admitted.
| In the meantime the Mutual Com
bination is doing large business on
the basis of the 40 per cent. cut.
Many merchants have cancelled their
policies in other companies and have
insured with the war making firm.
Yesterday the agency in this city was
kept busy attending to applications
from merchants who wanted their
premises examined for insurance. -
s. f. Alta, 2.
"Since our advertisement appeared y
says Mr.. Van Slyke, Our clerical force
has been driven night and day writing
politics. When people find that they
can get insurance at 40 per cent. be-
low current rates in good solid COM
panies, with chance 10 participate in
the profits, it is not surprising, that
they want to avail themselves of the
opportunity. Added to the reduction
we offer another advantage which is
appreciated in large business houses.
Where automatic sprinklers are intro
duced We give rebate of 25 per cent.
on our rates."
Il give the compact thirty days more
of life" said an insurance man to a
| Chronicle reporter. 1t is bound to
go to pieces. There are so many di-
vergent interests that it is impossible
to hold them together much longer
The manager of one company says
that if the Armstrong companies are
not admitted his people will withdraw
Another manager says if they are ad-
mitted his company will draw out at
once, So you see it is only question
of time before the concern goes to
pieces. It will be hard on the insur-
ance brokers, but it can't be helped
S. f. Chronicle, 2.
The Pacific Insurance Union is
threatened with enemies without, and
dissensions within, that bid fair to
break the compact before long. The
worst feature of the whole matter, ii
the current street talk of insurance
men can be relied on, is that the gen
eral manager, deemipg himself all
sufficient to engineer the business,
has not needed the explicit instructions
of the board of managers, and through
his arbitrary action has brought the
Union into its present trouble. The
Armstrong combination has already
declared war on the compact, and II
is stated the Commercial Union Assur-
ance CO., has given the usual custom
ary thirty days notice of withdrawal
unless certain notifications are made
in the constitution. There are sev-
eral companies here that would glad
ly swell the ranks of the opposition
did opportunity offer. As one gener-
al manager expressed himself, "The
compact as originally conducted was
eminently satisfactory, but when in
structions are issued to me from head
quarters on Saturday, that 1 must
change my shirt on Sunday, and pre-.
scribes the clothes | must wear the
ensuing week, L feel the compact is
going too far."-.S. f. Comm. Ne1CS, g
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cesSful when everything else has failed
If your blOGd is impure, your digestion
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