The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-05-25

AS outlined by The Herald would be
the case, the local Board of Fire
Underwriters yesterday made some
radical changes in its method of future
government. Hereafter the manage
ment of the board will be vested in
Captain Donnell, head of the local
branch of the Board of Fire Under
writers Of the Pacific and he will pass
upon all rates, special or general, in
fact, have full charge of the affairs of
the board, subject, of course, TO the
suggestions of the executive committee
in many things, but supreme in others.
The duties of the captain will be in a
measure similar to those now his under
the organization of the Board of Fire
Underwriters of the Pacific. He Will
attend to the matter of expiratioEs,
instead of the relief committee having
that work in hand and in consequence
one of the great objections to the
methods formerly in use will be
effectually removed. Heretofore it has
been necessary for the members of the
board who had grievances to make
their statements to the committee
whose work has now been so materi-
ally reduced. if not wiped out alto
gether, and it necessarily followed that
competitors, were made acquainted
with the status of every risk regarding
which there was any question. Such
state of affairs was very undesirable
to the great majority of the members
of the board and the change will prove
generally satisfactory.
The meeting at which the changes
referred to were made was held during
the afternoon in the rooms of the
Board of Fire Underwriters of the Pa
cific, where the headquarters of the
local board have been established, and
an adjournment was not taken until
nearly o'clock. The attendance was
heavy, practically every agency being
represented by one 'or more members.
1t was a very pacific session, the main
changes having already been agreed
upon. There were many details which
needed adjuStm ent and this work con-
stunned the time of the board. Mat
tiers of interest only to the agents
themselves claimed much of the time
of the meeting and a general revision
of the governing code took place. AS a
whole, the rules. and regulations which
will govern in,<ne future are in direct
line with those of the Board of Fire
Underwriters of the Pacific and the
union rates are to be maintained where
possible. Of course. the members of
the board are given the old power to
meet outside competition, which is not
active except in the case of the Home
and Phoenix. All of the old officers
will retain their positions and the work
of the board should be very smooth in
the future.
Anticipating a Break.
OF course. all of these preparations
are made in anticipate of a
threatened further epreak in the Board
of Fire Underwriters of the Pacific.
10 fn
the situation since the visit to this city
of General Manager Stillman. of the
parent board. 1t was reported yestsr-
day that the board had suspended all
operations, but this is incorrect. It
has simply suspended rates in the
state of California. The north and
northwest are still practically intact,
and the only cutting being done is
that at Missoula, Montana, where the
situation is about the same as in this
city. There is a great diversity of
opinion among those who should know
something regarding the matter as to
how much longer the present state of
affairs is to continue Some contend
that within a comparatively short time
the head offices of the companies will
issue orders for a general return to
union rates and a suspension Of the
present cutting, while there are others
who hold that the adjustment will not
come for at least months yet. One Of
the greatest contests for some weeks
is that for the insurance on the Reform
school, some 100000, which will be
written at a considerable cut.
Sinclair Comes Down.
Resident Agent Sinctair,-of the Home
and Phoenix, returned yesterday from
Montana, where he has been for some
weeks in the interests of his COM
panies. He states that many of the !
local agents of the Home and Phoenix
are members OF the various boards
formed throughout Montana and with
the exception of Missoula, the cities of
that state are free from cutting. He
denies that Magill has issued orders
for the Home and Phoenix agents to
get out Of the boards and do business
On the cut rate basis with vengeance.
Mr.. Sinclair says that just before he
left Montana for Salt Lake the agents
Of the Niagara received instructions to
at once cancel all business written
since the first day of the year and
cease the writing of new business dur
ng the present fight.