The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-02
REVISING THE RATES.
A TARIFF ASSOCIATION AGENT
BERE REDUCING INSURANCE.


The Ratings Made Last August On
satisfactory to the Local Agents and
Their Demand For a Revision Com
piled With-The Universal Tariff Not
Suitable to savsnnah's Conditions.
Merit the BASIS of the New Rate-A
Number of Large Reductions AL
ready Made
revision of the rates upon insurance
risks is now being made in Savannah. The
revision is being made by Mr.. Fred H
Williams OF Atlanta, special agent of the
Southeastern Tariff Association. Mr.Wnl-
Jams has been engaged upon this work since
the first of the week.
It will be remembered the insurance rates
Of Savannah were revised by a special
agent Of the tariff association In August,
the result being horizontal increase in
rates of all classes.
There was immediate complaint as soon as
the new rates were put into effect, both from
the insured and the agents. The increases
in many instances we're as high as 80 to IS
per cent. The insurance agents perceived
the injustice OF the new rates and set TO
"OIA 10 secure a CORRECTION.
WHAT BROUGHT 1T ABOUT.
They held several meetings and passed
resolutions calling the attention of the ex-
ecutlve committee of the tariff association
to the state OF affairs and requesting imme-
dlase action upon their part. The execu-
i've committee was not at all disposed
toward making any change in the new
rates, and demurred upon one ground and
another. At the nesting of the traffic as
ISOLATION in June at Saratoga a universal
tariff was adopted TO be applied to all the
cities IN the jurisdiction Of the tariff asso-
citation without regard to local conditions.
It was this decision that caused the survey
OF Savannah and the increase of rates In
August.
The new basis was at once found to be I'M
Just and unsatisfactory as applied to this
city. The conditions here are different from
almost any other city in this section, and a
basis that might be satisfactory to Atlanta
or Nashville was absolutely out of the
question in Savannah.
CONDITIONS DEMANDED A CHANGE.
AS an agent said last night, In speaking
Of this subject, Savannah is built differ
emily from almost any other city In this
section. The blocks are small, and the bust
ness houses are built up soiidly together.
Inc residence lots have only a narrow
frontage, and the residences are built
closely adjoining each other, fronting i'm
medlately on the street instead OF having a
yard IN front and gallery behind, as in
some cities. As most of the newer residences
are built OF Georgia pine, which is very
inhammable, a great opportunity is offered
Tor large condegrations. Msnifestly, how
ever, IL would be unjust to charge the extra
percentage named in the new rates because
there were adjoining houses upon each side
OF residence and the whole block was
built closely together.
The tariff association having found its
universal basis was impracticable has now
agreed upon basis of merit and each build
Ing Is rated according to its individual risk.
A brick butldind with thick walls and iron
shutters is given correspondingly better
rating than one with thin walls and no
shutters or wooden ones. When the rules
OF the association With regard to fire risks
have been compiled with a low rate is given.
NUMBER OF REDUCTIONS.
1t ia upon this basis of merit that the re-
vision OF rates is now being made in SaVan-
nah. MIR. Williams, the special" in charge
OF the revision, is giving general satisfaction
Ia bis work. A number of reductions have
been made In cases where exorbitaut in
creased were made in the August revision.
The prospect is that the new basis of rates
will be satisfactory to both the agents and
the property owners.
Secretary upper of the Southwestern
Tariff Association has been in Savannah
several times recently in consultation with
committees appointed by the local agents,
and the result is the present revision.
In this connection it may not be auliss to
note that Savannah has not had any large
cotton fires this season, nor any heavy con-
migration of any character in several
months. If December passes without heavy
fires the record for the year will make a
very good showing.
CONSIDERED SAVANNAH UNLUCKY,
Savannah has been considered by the
companies an unlucky town" said an agent
last night, land TO tell the truth, the fire
losses have been very heavy. All that is
needed here, however, is fire marshall
whose duty it should be to investigate all
fires, their causes and the circumstances,
and also ascertain the value Of the property
burned and the amount of insurance upon
it and all other Information that can be OBJ
tanned upon the subject. II there
are sufficient suspicious circum-
stances to warrant q prosecution it
should be the fire marshaps duty to
arrest the parties suspected and turn them
over to the courts. Two or three oonvic-
tions for incendiarism of this character
would have Tremendous effect. The very
fact that an investigation must follow every
IRE would be sufficient effect in itself To