The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-07-21

All of the details of the deal between
the Home Fire Insurance company of
Utah ana the Hartford Insurance COM
pany of Hartford, under the provisions
of which the former reinsures its cut
rate business, or business written since
the first day of February, with the
Hartford, the combined capital of the
TWO companies TO stand behind the
risks assumed by the Home, were ar
ranged yesterday, and the necessary
contracts were signed up and deliver
ed. The work was accomplished by
President Heber J. Grant for the Home
and Assistant General Cofran for the
Hartford The latter gentleman arrived
G the city from the east yesterday
morning and Mr.. Grant had come
down from Oregon on the day previous.
During the day the gentlemen were in
close consultation, and all Of the pa
perS We're signed before the departure
of the night train, on which Mr.. COT
ran took his departure for the coast.
Speaking OF this deal, Mr. Cofran
stated that while there was no money
in It for the Hartford at the present
time, his company was building for
the future and was prepared to stand
behind the Home for one year or
forty. it made not the slightest differ
ence which.
For the past several weeks Mr.. COT
ran has been in Chicago and the east
for the purpose of meeting the presi-
dent Of the Hartford, Mr.. Chase.
Through the death of George +. Bis
sall, general agent of the western de-
lgartment of the company, and the ap-
Sentiment of p. P. Haywood as his
successor. some changes were neces-
In II c-fa of "a II "a
1t was for the purpose Of selecting the
men that President Chase was in Chi
cago. These changes were announced
rfche other day and are as follows:
J. W. CT Cofran, of San Francisco, /
assistant general agent of the western /
department..
R. " Bissen, second assistant gen
4eraI agent.
a w. H Taylor, manager of the loss
department.
Henry X. Belden, of Sam Francisco, +
manager of the Pacific department.
Whitney Palache, Of San Francisco, /
assistant manager.
For ten years past Mr.. Cofran has
been associated with Mr.. Belden in the /
insurance business, but the changes
just made will neceSsitate the diSso-
luton of the partnership, each of the
members to take upon himself the du-
ties of the offices to which he has been
appointed. The firm Of Belden & COT
ran has held the management of the
Hartford on the Pacific coast for years
and both of the gentlemen are recog-
gized powers in the western insurance
ssxo1Id.
70 NJ. Cofran, the new assistant gener-
al agent, is well and favorably known
on the Pacific coast. He was born at
Goshen, N H. in June, 1855. His early
life was pent on a farm and at the age
If 10 years he started out for himself,
turning his steps towards California.
Mr.. Cofran began his insurance career
in san Francisco in 1874. engaging as
a. clerk in the Office of the Commercial
Insurance company Of that city. Five
years later he went to Portland as
special agent Of the company for Ore
gon. Washington and Idaho and such
was his record shat in 1881 he was en-
gagged by the Hartford for the same
territory. Mr.. COfran continued in this
position until 1885, when he was called
to san Francisco to accept the asso-
cia.te manV semerE Of the Hart --rd
Fire, with Henry K. Pelden remaining
trpthat position until the present time.
&r Cofran has been a close and care
III student of the business OF under
writing and has mastered its iritri-
cacies and details and is well equipped
for any position in the field Of insur-
lance Among his associates on the
roast he is known as a, man of super
for Judgment and discretion ard III the
tariff associations in that field has al
ways been found doing good work on
the right side.
IN conversation with d Herald re-
porter yesterday. Mr. Cofran stated
tTrat he saw no immediate prospect of
a. settlement of the rate troubles
which are now cutting so heavily into
the resources of the companies doing
business on the Pacific coast. It is
that other general
managers may follow the exam
pie set by Brown, Craig
& Co. ard refuse TO cancel their own c
policies. This might have a tendency
to put a stop to some of the cutting,
but the outlook is not bright. The gen. Q
tlemaas hardly anticipates that the
home Offices will take an action for
some time to come, at last.