The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-10-25
The shiawassee Mutual.

tne onlaWaSsee Mutual FIRE Insurance COnl-
pany having been called to an article headed
''Poliay Holders Dissatisfied" published in
The Argus recently. in which the writer
makes number of false statements and
malicious insinuations derogatory TO the
character aud business management of the
board. we feel called upon TO make this one
reply in order that the base insnuations aud
false statements of Policy Holder" may
not work out the evident intention OF the
writer. l. e. the besmrching of the good
character aud reputation of the officers OF
the Company, and TO stir up dissatisfaction
among the members
''Polcy Holder" says: lit seems to some
OF us that some one il spreading II on pretty
thick" alter announcing that another assess
ment had been made, but If he Will refresh
his memory he will STE that this is the only
assessment that has been made or will be
made this year, and If that Is thick IL is no
more so than il has been for the past sixteen
years OF which Policy Holder" has been
member of the company. Four times with
in that time have the officers of the company
been obliged, by force of circumstances to
make two assessments in year and but
once in the whole time have they been able
to 20 through a year without an assessment.
ITO be sure there have been several tires,
but some OF them have been caused by gross
carlessness, and might have been prevented
If reasonable precaution had been used"
which 10 doubt is true, and none would be
more pleased than the officers could POLICY
Holder induce the members to use that
necessary precaution.
''lf send half demented doughhead TO
the barn at four o'clock in the morning to
do chuie s, aud the balm is burned down L
should not expect the company TO pay my
loss in iul, or give hundred dollars more
than my property was insured for" by
which statement may be inferred that POL
icy Hoider'' knows of one instance, at least,
where this has been done, and we demand
of POLICY Holder" that he name that one
instance, as We are not disposed 10 treat SO
serious charge lightly, or pass it 10y un-
noticed, and we most emphatically deny 1t
as being false and willfully so, for the thing
has never in one instance been done.
With regard to Policy Holder" smoking
in and around his barns, and allowing his
hired help to do the same we would say
that inasmuch as the practice is prohibited
by the rules of the company, that should the
fact become Known to the members of the
board, the policy of such member would
certainly be cancelled.
AS to your information that the adjustels
have, in number OF cases, paid more tLan
insured should have received according to
the amount their policy called for, we can
only say that your informant either did not
know what he was talking about, or was
willfully and maliciously disappearing
the facts in the case, as it has never III
single instance been done.
If POLICY Holder" should cut down his
insurance in order to lessen his assessment
and his property should be burned after the
reduction of the insurance he ought to know
enough about business to be sure he would
receive only the amount his policy sets
forth. ana not some other and greater
amount 1t seems very evident that "Policy
Holder intends that the members of our
company shall believe that the officers of
the company are not only wasting the funds
of the company, but are misappropriatiDg
the same, and that general mismanagement
marks the actions of tho board.
Now word 10 the dissatisfied, if any.
We, as the Board of Directors of this COM
pany, have striven to the best of our ability
to deal Justly and honestly with every men,
Der of the company, the loser as well as the
more fortunate who does not lose. We
have endeavored to do business upon true
business principles; we stand ready for in
vestgation at any and all times The books
the secretary's Office are always open to
inspection of any and every member of the
company and we invite their scrutiny. We
have been compelled to make one assess
ment this year for the purpose of meeting
the losses and necessary expenses of the
company. On account of the hard times
and low prices, and consequent difficulty in
getting money, II was thought best to defer
1t until this season of the year, when
most every farmer has something to sell
that brings money, and enable them to more
easily meet the demand.
In our annual report, at the end OF the
year, we will minutely set forth all our
transactions, and feel that nothing will be
found as rotten in Denmark as one might
suppose. And we would urge all members
of the company to attend the annual meeting
in January in order that they may know the
condition of the company and how its affairs
have been managed.
Believing that time will prove everything