St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-08
is 1T A SCHEME?
Insurance on School Building

insurance on School Buildings
| AL Policies Ordered Cancelled.
Assemblyman Oppenheim threw a
bomb into the council when he intro
| duced his resolution upon the matter of
fire insurance for the school buildings.
| There have been rumors and rumors of
late that all attempt was being made to
| form an insurance trust whereby three
! OF the principal agents of st. Paul
| would be given the monopoly, and the
members of the assembly were appar-
emily all ready to greet the resolution
| with grape and CANISTER.
The resolution called for the appoint
ment of Joint committee of five, two
/ from the assembly and three from the
board OF aldermen, with power to adj
| just the insurance, etc. The excite
ment intensified when AsSemblyman
McCafferty sprang to his feet to inter
| pose his objections. He treated the plan
/, in an acrid way, and hot exchange of
/ words ensued that were at times of an
i exceedingly personal character.
Mr.. Oppenheim explained that the
! purpose was to save $4,000 to the city
! III premiums, and he declared that the
| rate paid now is S2.55, and he could
! place the whole amount for I'VE years
! for $3.50. He amplified that the board
| OF underwriters had acceded TO the re-
; duction.
| 1T is certainly not the board of under
! writer's" returned Mr.. McCafferty. 1T is
! Two or three insurance agents that have ar
ranged the scheme. The president of the
: board. the vice president and the secretary
positively deny that any agreement has been
made with the board, The scheme is en-
tirely outside, and that is just where the rub
| comes in. This resolution proposes to del
egate the power of this body to two of its
members. | submit that that is not an hon
! est way OF doing business. 1t is beneath the
dignity of the assembly and contrary to bust
| ness principles.
"A committee has already enappointed"
exclaimed Assembiyman Minea II am op-
| posed to new committee until we have re-
cived report. And don't believe in giving
any committee power to act in matter Of so
much Importance.
| Mr.. Costello moved to strike out the
words giving power TO act. and to insert
that the committee shall report to the
j assembly before placing any insurance.
You can't do business in that way" in.
terposed Assemblyman Oppenheim, now
thoroughly aroused. I've got the whole
That's it exactly retorted McCaferty.
~ gu have fixed it,
Mr.. McNamee said he was opposed to
! insurance at all, and some OF the other
members suggested the city would save
money by canceling all policies. Mr..
| Mluea thought the board of education
| should do its own business in this line.
Finally, after hot exchange of COM
| plimeItS, Mr.. McNamee agreed to vote
/ for the resolution if every agent i'll the
| city should be given his pro rata share
! OF the premiums.
THAT is my aim precisely" exclaimed Mr..
Oppenheim. Rogers d Son have the bulk
OF the insurance now. I've got schedule
on my desk showing it, and they are getting
twice too much. Rogers was a member or
the old board OF education
Mr. McCatferty instantly took up the
cudgel for Rogers q Son, and denied
that Mr.. Rogers had ever been mem
Der of the board.
My friend here has no right TO impugn
any man, and won't sit here and listen to
it, he cried with veh emence
You have been Impugning everybody here
tonight, was Mr.. Oppenheim's hot retort.
Il am uot interested i'll any insurance com
pany nor am | friend to any of the agents
| in particular. pursued Mr.. McCafferty with
| out noticing the interruption.
But you seem to be mighty solicitous for
them" returned Mr. 0ppenheim.
Il am i'll favor of saving this money, but
|, not in favor of giving this authority,
"You are not in favor of saving again in
terrupted Mr., oppenheim.
Il am.'
''You are not
~ am, and if any man says am not he is
telling an untruth'' and the thoroughly
angry aSsemblyman brought his fist down
upon his table with heavy thump.
So the debate ran on, ana the presi-
dent insisted that only one could have
the floor at time. When he made the
/ injunction Oppenheim, McCafferty, Cos
tello and McNamee were Oh their feet
trying to get the floor. McCaffertv per-
sisted and continued at some length.
Finally he demanded to know how MIR.
Oppenheim could fix the thing if no one
| else could. How does any one know
| but even a better rate than Sl50 can
| be secured? and he declared In favor of
receiving competitive bids.
| Mr.. Oppenheim explained that he had
| threatened to cancel every policy if
| they would not give insurance for 81 so.
! which is the lowest rate in ST. Paul
The agents will make trade with COM
mittee, but they will not with town meet
| ing, he exclaimed.
Then Mr.. Costello'S amendment was
taken up, and Mr.. Oppenheim offered
an amendment that the rate shall not
| exceed Sl.5C, ana Mr.. McCafferty op-
| posed this, saying that it may be posi-
| bic TO do even better.
| You are opposed to the saving" said Mr.
Oppenheim, with a sneer
',rhat isn't true, and l have told you so
| three times" replied McCafferty, savagely.
President Murray helped on the dis
cussion by charging that the secretary
of the school board and Inspector Auer-
| bach renew policies from time to time
, at any rates they please and are not
| held accountable to any one, and that
they pay twice too much in premiums.
Il still maintain we may get 1T at Sl.45. 1t