Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-02
TO RERATE THE CITY.
Tariff Of Pire-InSurance Charges 10 Be
Made More Equitable.
GENERAL CONFERENCE OF AGENTS
An Agreement Reached Which Ii
IL Believed VIII Result In the
Restoration Of Harmony Nhich
Ha. Sot Recently Existed.


Tariff Association upon the fire insurance
business of Richmond has been broken
and II that organization exercises any
influence upon the agencies In this city
fin future the chances are that 1t will b.
advisory and not controlling as hereto
fore
This Is the outcome Of a general meeting
Of agents held yesterday. at which all OF
the thlrty-one agencies in Richmond were
represented. except one. The exception
was the firm Of Peasants & Crenshaw.
/ These gentlemen were invited to be pres
ent. but in the absence from the city Of
Mr.. Peasants, senior member Of the con-
Germ. Mr.. Crenshaw did not attend, not
/ caring to commit himself TO any PROPOSE
ton until he had advised with his part
ner. fih = tla )
me meeting. which was held In the
Office of the Virginia state Insurance
/ Company. lasted for some time, was en-
| tirely harmonious, and there was through
! out better spirit tnIn has marked most
/ of the gatherings OF fire insurance men
| here during the last year or two. After
/ a full discussion, an agreement was feach
/ ed. whereby existing rates Will BE- charged
untn they can be revised by a committee
/ of local agents, and adjusted upon
/ basis that will be equitable and fair as
/ between the companies and the insured.
HOW 1T CAME ABOUT
/ The conference Of yesterday was held
I as a result of the meeting on Tuesday OF
/ the Committee OF Seven, which, as re-
/ ported in the Dispatch. was given fuii
power at the annual meeting OF the
/ Southeastern Tariff Association held IN
/ Washington to deal with the situation IN
/ Richmond. The conditions here had been
l growing steadily worse. and this COM
I mittee, of which Major Norman '. Kan
/ dolph. ylce-pres!dent Of the tarin asso-
/ citation, Is chairman, was authorized 10
conduct matters without regard 10 the
/ existing rules Of the association. as their
/ Judgment might suggest, and without
/ having 10 refer their action TO the asso-
citation.
/ This committee held a conference on
/ Tuesday. and after going over the Whole
ground decided. by q vote of to 3, 1t IL
j said to invite all the agents in the city
I to meet Yesterday morning. Both the
/ board and non-board agencies were asked
/ 10 come, and all did so save Messrs
/ peasants d Crenshaw. There are alto
rether thirty-one insurance concerns IN
the city Twenty-siX agencies have been
! operating under the rules OF the South
eastern Tariff Association, three were
! non-board agencies. and the Mutual and
/ the Mechanics have never affiliated with
the association. Messrs. John h. Cary &
Son and Samuel H. Pulliam e 90. We're
the first firms 10 withdraw from the tariff
/ association. and Messrs. Peasants *
/ Crenshaw drew out two or three months
/ ago although in so doing they had 10
/ give no several large companies which
/ they had represented for some years.
| The loss OF these agencies. the strife or
/ lack of satisfaction In the local board.
! and the failure Of the tariff association
TO accomplish anything at their three
days special meeting held here some
time ago, caused the organization to Gre
ate the Committee OF Seven. and through
| the wisdom of that body this step In the
| direction Of peace and harmony was
| taken
TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT.
| Major David y. Walker presided at yes
/ terday's meeting. and Mr.. William y.
/ Witherspoon. secretary of the local board
| of underwriters and stamp-clerk for the
/ tariff association, acted rs secretary.
/ There was a manifest disposition on the
! part OF oil present to reach some cOnclu-
| sion that would be agreeable TO all and
| TO put an end to the unpleasant features
| of the last year or two. The secretary Of
! the Mechanics Company said his Board
| of Directors had not acted upon the mat
/ ter but he was favorably inclined TO such
/ a proposition as was submitted. Mr..
George u. Peasants. Of the Mutual ex-
pressed his satisfaction with II, and 1t
was acceptable, II is understood. 10
| Messrs. Cary & Son and Pulliam x Co.
IL was therefore decided that an agree
men be drawn mp and presented to all
| Of the agents for their signatures. AS
| soon as all have signed committee Will
be APPOINTED to revise the rates Of the
entire city. 4 rate expert VIII be put 10
work under the direction OF this commit
| tee. who will meet representatives, Of the
various companies I'm conference touch
ing the matter The present 'arin will be
observed by all the agencies until this
work. which will take about three
| months. has been finished.
CAUSE OF DISSATISFACTION.
The Southeastern Tariff Association
added Virginia to its territory in the
| spring Of 1892. and one year later an en-
tirely new tariff was made in Richmond.
! There was a complete revolution of rates,
and when the new sch adule was pub
| Nshed there was widespread Indignation.
| great clamor. and some notifications
| were made here and there but they were
few and slight. The agents urged the
| association 10 go SOW and make the rates
more equitable. but this. too, was In
vain. From that time to this there has
been dissatisfaction here: there have been
cuts in rates. followed by unpleasant ex-
| periences, and Of late II has been APP
| parent. az stated in this paper that the
| thrift association would have TO adopt a
more conciliatory course or lose its grip
| on Richmond.
Some people are inclined 10 construe the
/ action OF yesterday as a surrender by the
tariff association, but the general i'm
preston is that II has simply adopted a
| conciliatory p'sn in lieu Of the former ar
bitrary methods of doing business. All
Of the policies will now pass through the
! hands Of Mr.. Witherspoon. as before. but
viii have nothing 10 do with making
rates. The agents. too. win be allowed
broader latitude In the matter OF rules and
| conditions.
Mr.. Crenshaw. of Peasants & Crenshaw.
| was seen by a Dispatch man last night,
| bu, said he did not know whether his
firm would go into the new arrangement
| nr not