The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-04
THE SNAKE EXPOSED.
Gavigan Betrays the Scheme Of
His Insurance Bills.
He Observation-Disclosures.
HIS Effort to sCfnch' Insurance Compa-
MES q LanghzbIe FaiIure-They
Refuse TO BE Bled.

make Il said 70 be eoiied between the lines
OF the insurance bills which Representative
Hutchinson. Of Lincoln county. intends 70 III
fyoduce in the legislature. II wes at FIRST 50 vel
concealed sEat tbose directly affected By the bills
could only suspect its presence II remained Tor
Mr.. William J. Gasigan. who Is trying 70 INTRO
dnee the methods Of Chris. Buckley, bis poli1l-
cal Gamaiiel, into Washington. to drag the
snake head out and make its presence 20 ev1-
dent 20 the insurance men that they have been
provoked 70 laughter st every mention OF DIS
name for the last month. Mr.. Gsyigan i unGer-
stood to be the real father OF the bills The SUB
stance Of the bills was published II the Post
IxTELL1GEycEE December u
They forbid insurance companies doing onsi-
pess In this state 20 Join shy combination ior lile
maintenance OF rates, and provide for the orga1i
cation Of mutual insurance companies.
On December W. l. Gazzara, the insurance
agent, received letter from Mr.. Gavlzan which
betrayed the presence cf the snake. His frsf iIn-
pulse be says,was 70 throw ii IN the waste basket,
bot he concluded 20 present IL % the seattle
board Of underwriters as he wished his brethren
In the craft 10 share Ia the Joke he had over u.
lie presented il at the last meeting OF the board
and IL was greeted With circle OF smiles and
placed on fie. Its existence Wa OILY made
krown 20 PosT-TSTELIGGgScEg reporter IN q
casual conversation, and no Itslr difficulty was
exy<rsenced 10 securing g copy Of II with per-
mission for i's publication. However, Ar. Gag
ram was finally induced 10 allow IL 10 Dc copied,
December :. 1870.
ssw l. GazzaIa, Esa.--DcaT sir: In this morn
fsr's issue OF the Telegraph resd yOur interest
ing article headed .sFireboat is Not for saie,' .
in which ron state thaf the assistant manager Of
TIE Pacific Insurance Union viii be IN tnis city
TO-DAY Or tomorrow.
aWithin tic lest few days have learned of
proposed citation relating 70 insurance, which
j. to be introduced "a the next session Of orr
state legislature. The nature OF the legislation
prnposed IL OF vital importance 10 the Paeilic IN
surauce Union and the insurance business gen
erslly IN this state, asd u occurred 20 me while
reading your article in the Telegraph this morn
5ng that the resistant manager OF the Pacific IN
sursncc Union would ike 20 know OF the nature
OF the proposed legislation. Very respectfully,
..wILIIAx j. GavTeAS.
Having gone 80 far Mr. Gazzam opened ont
and said: ~ regarded the letter as a Joke and
turned II over 20 the board Of underwriters as q
piece of pleasantly. IL hostile legislation Is
passed by The legislature. the companies vii
for they are doing legitimate business. The
recent reduction OF rites Is proof that, while
the Pacific Insurance Union is combination 20
maintain rates, its aims arc only 10 maintain
such rstes M will yield legitimate profit and
to better insurance IN every respe & Il main
tsins an ,,,d Inspection snsean wh, ,s
betterment OF water supply and fire depart
ments. This bureau Yields no revenue. bat
pays out q large amount annually 10 promote
improvements. Mr.. r. H. Porter. the chief in
spector, came here after the fire and spen. three
weeks nj the expense of the union in making
suggestions % the city. and really drew up the
Union 10 not blowing. but. as this matter has
come out, may well state the facts
~ am opposed to substituting ANYBODY. ard 50
is the Pacific Insurance Union. In fact, IL has
never spent money ~ influence legislation. Dur
ing the last session the legislature requested
that committee from the board companies be
sent to Olympia 10 investigate the policy OF the
bill then under consideration. but the board Of
the insurance nniOn refused TO paw the expenses
OF the commission, and the individual com
pauieS refused also. Frank Hauford. H.
Nhitncy and myself went as a committee from
tie seattle board OF underwriters. NJ the ex-
pense of the board. The companies are already
paving state tax OF per cent on their gross
premiums.
u. A. Spencer, president of the board of under
writers. expresses his opinion plainly on the
subject He said: These are plainly 'cinch'
bills, bGt the insurance companies will not sub
nit 10 bIackmail. The bills ale almost identt-
cal with the one which passed the California
legislature two years ago and was vetoed by the
governor. That was sciuch' bill. too, but the
insurance union refused TO buy of those who
bad not the governor perceived its real pur-
pose.
IN reference 70 the recent reduction I'm rates.
George III. Blodgeft. the insurance agent has re-
ceiyed a letter dated December 81. 1850 from "
J. Callineh2n, general agent st San Francisco
OF the City of London Fire Insurance Company.
IA the course OF which the following statement
They did IL FOR the reason. which think Is per-
fect3y correct and the only dignifed position
that the Pacific Insurance Union could occupy,
when taking into consideration that your city
has done 50 much, at very heavy coss, to place
their IRE protection In such good position. and
fcr ny own part think il Is the only equitable
Position that the Pacific Insurance Union could