The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-06

meeting OF the executive committee uVL3 THIS
day. complaints from many companies Icla-
tive to the fire department and ITS inefficient
work at the recent fire which destroyed the
buildings Of the savannah Grocery Company
and Ferst & Co. were carefully considered,
and the following action taken.
Resolved, That ln view of the utter in
eucltncy OF lHe Lfe u. Eai '.heHt. as 4eis
onstrated repeatedly at fires do savannah %
cents be added TO the basis rates on all risks.
except buildings and contents occupied eN-
clusively as dwellings This TO 90 into effect
at once, and TO remain iu force until the fire
department is approved and its emclency
demonstrated.
Companies viii please aclynowl edge receipt
of this circular, and at once issue instruction
S. Z. TUPFER, Secretary.
UNDERWRITERS INDOBsE IT.
Copies of the circular were received by
all the fire insurance agents. A meeting
of the local underwriters was held at
once TO consider the circular. The sense
of the meeting seemed TO be that the cir
cular was demanded by the circumstances.
and that the only thing to do was to urge
immediate reform in the fire department
IN order that the increase in rates might
be EemOved as soon as possible
The agents did not hesitate to express
themselves in approval of the circular
MessFs. Q. Z. Prendergast, r. NJ. Huh and
W. J.. Wilson. three well known under
writers, who were seen by a MORNING
News reporter in regard to the circular
said 1t was only what they expected.
PUTTING 1T STRONG.
SIT was simply a question of either an
increase in rates or the withdrawal of the
majority of the companies from the city"
said one Of the agents. "Ihe companies
are confronted with a $500, 900 loss right
at the beginning of the year, which wipes
out the profits OF more than q whole years
business at Savannah, to say nothing of
what losses may occur subsequently, The
Bay treet fire was q black eve to Savan-
nah. The companies have had the
impression for some time that the
Savannah fire department was poor
~ equipped and managed. and
the last fire convinced them that
this impression Is correct. The result is
the increase in rates The increase as
you see by the circular, is only % cents
on the hundred, or ~ 80 ON the thousand
A man having policy at the rate of $40
on the thousand viii have to pay SD 80
on the same policy when he goes to renew
IL The increase does not apply to poll
cies already in force, OF course The rate
went into eject at 10 o'clock this morn
ing, and viii be strictly applied to all pol
icies as fast as they are renewed. The
rate does not apply to insurance on dwell
ing houses"
CAREFUL IN THEIR CRITICISMS.
The agents were careful in their criti-
cisms of the fire department, though
from the manner in which they spoke 10
was clear enough that they agree with
the tariff associations circular They
SAID IL was not only the officers and men
of the hre department who were attacked.
but the equipment OF the department. and
the arrangement Of the water mains 1t
was said that there are not enough en-
glnes to furnish sufficient pumping power
for a large fire, such as the one "a month
ago, and that IN the older portion OF the
city the water mains are entirely too
small
''Ihere is only q six inch main on Bay
street" said Mr.. C.. +. Prendergast
switch does not begin TO supply suaicient
water for fire. Larger water mains
should be put down in the northern por-
tion Of the city.
THE CITY COUNCIL ACTS.
The matter was brought up before
council AT the special meeting Yesterday
afternoon. Alderman EOhan first brought
up the subject by reading the circular of
the tarlh association. Alderman Bohau
SAID he considered the circular an unwar-
ranted attempt TO regulate the affairs of
the city Of Savannah and an insult to the
city.
Alderman Myers said he had a resolu-
ulon on the subject, which he desired TO
ofer to the consideration OF council The
resolution was as follows:
d hg d
eastern Tarff Aasocai io1 t6gt t6e T. S,aJrah
fire departrnpnt Ia inofAriaDt ana IL, 49,
quence thereof the rates OF Insurance havln,
been ad' auced % cents per hundred, viii. IN
; MI prove o., nor o4.y f. tIga. hardship tul an
OF our citizens. fberes' ~ ~ interest
Resolved mi tI,s r,ir'-,,.;,,,, ,.,,..,.,,.
w q Cam, John fluauery and Edward Ea-
Purse John r YoHne ana j. +. Williams
representing the loafd of trade. ana sam.
uel Melnhard, H. A. Palmer A. Netsblr-,
anu d. H. I.sliIL reptgseLtlaE business aud
ie1 ~ tt LeSs2 q a1U lntee a.a. r
hereby aproirtsi n ,G,rrat.fe Mn, ,f d e
quest that they fully infestI.a.e the fra-fSr
and confer with the Southeastern IariI IS
soeiation. II in their Judgment said confer
ence Is aolls1ple, ana d. .er o run iuyeStigA-
c cUu IL , IJgIos.eI %-o59. IeNort result TO
nre1necs as fl, o,ff Zen, a - i'll ,n5
desirable F-ot'' anu
Alderman Myers said he thought the
charges should be investigated bv fhe
vFl Ina 4..n-