The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-23
J. o. WILSON, 4 CHICAGO INsuR-
ANCE MAN, FOR COMPACT
MANAGER HERE.
WAS SELECTED YESTERDAY.
GOVERNING BOARD GETS THE
LOCAL UNDERWRITERS TO BURY
THEIR DIFFERENCES.
Decided to Continue the Reratfng In
the C1ty-Mr. Lancaster's Sue
cessOr Expected Today.

The st. Paul fire insurance men put
in an interesting day yesterday. 1t
opened with a storm and concluded
with one Of those beautiful Gains peo-
pie read about, but rarely enjoy, unless
they pass through the trials and trib-
ulations which have beset the local
underwriters for several months.
Wednesday evening, as noted in the
G o of yesterday, a party Of in
surance men from Chicago arrived in
st. Paul. They form a majority OF
what was formerly Commission No
3. but what is now known as the gov
erning board. 1t is their business to
lcok after the insurance business of the
Northwest and when the machinery
OF any compact office gets out of gear
to see that 1t is put in shape again
For, when there is trouble in a compact
office, there is trouble in the whole
field embraced in it's territory. And ST.
Paul has had that trouble for many
moons. So these Chicago gentlemen
came here, and the first thing they
did was to issue invitations to every
insurance agent in st. Paul to attend
they were allstogether the fun began
Such move had been tried once be-
fore, when M6ssrs Fisher and Black
welder were members of the commits
sion, and the trouble might have been
settled at that time but for the lack
of diplomacy shown. These gentlemen
here now had profited by the exper-
fence of their predecessors, and the
result was better.
When the meeting was called to or
der the condition of the business in
st. Paul was discussed. Everybody
admitted it was bad. How were they
going to brace1it up? The local board
had lost members, and it could not
hope to tighten up things to where
they belonged5 unless all the agents
came in. Those who were not members
would never join the board until there
was a new compact manager in charge
of the st. Paul office. The old charges
of favoritism were repeated and broad
ened. Some of the agents accused
others or rebating commissions. In
fact, certain specific cases of where
such had been done were mentioned
Every man at the meeting who had q
grievance against any other man or
agency in the city told his troubles
1t was certainly interesting. Charges
and counter charges were made, but
throughout it all, Chairman Little
john and his cOmpeerS maintained
their composure. When every man who
had a kick to make had made it, each
one felt better, and, when the meet
ing adjourned for lunch, the prospect
of reaching an understanding was
good.
In the afternoon it was decided that
the first thing to be done was to select
new compact manager. Out of the
several men mentioned for the place,
three names became prominent, these
were J. o. Wilson, secretary of Com
mission No. l, with headquarters in
Chicago; Judge Leach, of Minneapo-
lis, and c. w. Kibbee, the local in
surance man. Several ballots were
taken without result when finally Mr..
Kfbbee secured the necessary number.
The vote was, however, reconsidered
and J. Q. Wilson was elected
The question Of reorga nizing the
local board of underwriters was dis
cussed and that matter with some
others that are to come up, will be
disposed of at a meeting this morning.
1t was. however, decided to continue
the rerating of the city.
Mr.. Wilson, the new compact mana
ger, has had no experience in a COM
pact office. but is known to be an ex-
cellent insurance man. He has been
in the field covering territory in Ohio
and Indiana While he is practically,
if not entirely a stranger to ST. Paul
underwriters, he is highly recommend
ed by the governing board AS soon
as he had been selected for the place, a
telegram was Hsent to him in Chicago
asking him to, come up to ST. Paul at
once and it was hoped that he would
start in time, to reach here today.
]. W. Lancaster, the present compacl
manager, will, it is expected, be pro-
vided with another position elsewhere,
by the governing board. The position
in st. Paul pays. So, 500 year.