The times., 1897-04-25
INSURANCE MEN EAT SHAD
Fire Underwriters Annual Outing
at Marshall Hall.
Representative Business Men Dis
cuss Famous Dinner and
Forget About Risks.

The annual planked shad dinner of the
Association of Fire Underwriters of the
District of Columbia at Marshall Hall are
among the most delightful outings Of the
season at that popular resort.
The one given yesterday was not only
delightful, but it was among the most
successful and best managed OF the long
series, and will go down as such in local
insurance history. The association coin-
prises in its ranks, directly and indirectly,
the representative business men of this
city, and these annual outings serve to
bring them together for closer acquaint-
ancc and warmer fellowship, and the pur-
pose is mos. admirably served For the
time being all business cares are laid aside
and insurance lore tabooed, and the dis
cussioa of rates ~ fiat or schedule
cancellations at short rates. or pro
rata or before payment" or otherwise
is as by mutual consent forbidden.
Congeniality and sociabiity are the only
premiums allowed, to be charged, aid
| the only physical hazard considered is
whether or not the generous dinner OF
planked shad and its trimmings, with the
necessary liquids TO wash IL down, is
more than the company can carry on that
line - The moral hazard is all right, for
we are hidden to eat and drink and be
merry" aud this the members of the
| association and invited guests, to the num-
| ber of ESQ, did, with more than usual
| Zest aud relish.
The River Queen, with the Jovial Capt
| Blake in command, left her wharf here
| little late but made up for lost time
| by a quick passage down, and soon the
| merry gathering found itself at The Han,
all smiles ana sunshine, decked in her
prettiest spring dress, bidding most
| cordial welcome. II took but short
while to divide up in parties; some TO
| bowl at tenpins, others to shoot at tar
| gets. but the majority found the baseball
| field the most attractive sport OF all,
! and here the annual game of bail be
| tween the PRO RatlS' and Short
Rates was played
The former team won by a score OF
| IS to g. its second annual victory. IL
was a well played game, and especially
noteworthy was the all-Tound work of
| the battery, Brashears and Loaker. and
of Lee Mite ell and Thyson on the
| bases and Ridenour at short. Official
| Umpire Bill Hatch held the Indicator,
ana his decision gave general satisfac-
| ton, so much so that he was threatened
with slaughter and charged with rop-
| berv not more than a dozen times.
| immediately after the game the company
| filed into the large dining hall, in which
| eight large tables were arranged in similar
manner to those at the Gridiron Clubs
| famous dinners, and after President W. c.
| puyall had called the gathering co or
der a song was rendered by the Apollo
! Ouartetfn its usual excellent manner. Then
| the great dinner began. and was thoroughly
| enjoved. from the chowdeT through the
| Incompatible .planked-shad course to the
| coffee and then the cigars, and then the
! feast OF reason
President Duvall, in happy manner, in
| troGuced the several speakers, and those
who contributed in song and story to the
| entertainment OF the company. Among
| those who responded TO the calls upon
| them were Engineer Commissioner Black,
| Mr. John B Wight, former president OF
! the association and recently nominated to
succeed Commissioner Truesdell, who spoke
| of the good work of the fire under writers
| aud the necessity of even stronger laws
| for the protection Of the companies and the
| assured Commissioner John W Ross sent
| his regrets.
Assessor Mathew Trimble also spoke
upon the subject of insurance law MI
| GilIett, president OF the Grard Insurance
| Company, of Philadelphia, and one of
| the Oldest and best known insurance men
| in the country, made few remarks
| Capt r ". Tyler spoke to the point in
| hand; Messrs. Edward Droop, senior and
| Junior contributed their talent; Mr. Jesse
| Wilson spoke OF the relation OF the bar
| TO the association. Dr w. Z. Young, sec
retary OF the underwriters; Mr.. James F
| Hood, Hon Simon Wolf, Mr. W. S. Hoae
| and Mr. Sam Cross also spoke, and all
were enthusiastically received.
| In addition to the singing by the Apollo
| Quartet, MI Sam Cross sang his great
| success, The Sword OF Bunker Hill. ~
! Mr. Otto Luckkert and Mr. W. Riley
| Deeble rendered solos. To the singing of
| the Star Spangled Banner" the company
| filed out of the banquet hall and to the
| boat, and there, on the homeward trip
an informal program Of music and reel
| tation and story closed one OF the most
| enjoyable social gatherings of this most
useful and necessary business organiZa
| ton
The success of the affair and the fault
| less carrying out of detail is due to the
| untiring energy and labors Of Messrs. Sam
| Cross, Lem Towers jr., Charles f. Nesbit
| t Janney Brown, X. G. Rutherford, and
| Col B. Lewis Blackford, composing the
committee Of arrangements To name those
| present would include the names of nearly
| allthe best-kaow n business and professional
| men of the city, many OF the companies, es-
| pecially the local ones, being represented
| by their boards of directors and officers.