El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-12-27

there would be an entire change every
year or two as there is done now il
the police department. This would
cause continual turmoil and if man
knew he was holding the joe through
political influence, he would be lesl
apt to try and make his services eff.
cient and valuable. This fact has al
ready been demonstrated by the mum
ber of politicians that are out fishing
for the appointment of chief, and az
the rounder says there are already
some few out for the posish.'
Another thing to take into consider.
alton is as to whether or not there will
be any reduction in insurance rates.
If the Gamewen electric fire alarm
system and a chemical engine is added
to the department. and enough men to
work the appar atus at the same time,
then the insurance rates on the busi-
ness property will be reduced, but on
residence it will remain the same, as
Ell Paso is now rated at the minimum
rate on residence property. The fol-
lowing two interviews from Messrs.
b. r. Wood and Horace B. Stevens,
| two OF the leading insurance agents OF
the city will show the condition of
affairs regarding insurance rating.
Mr.. Wood says: Under Mr.. Jalo-
nicks advisory ruling we have q basis
rating of S1.1O on the 500 as against
81 90 of first class city. Our present
dwelling rate being similar to that OF q
city of the frat class and the basis rate
mentioned ($l.Ooj having reference,
only, to business property, the reduc-
tiOn in total premiums, under first
class rating, figure would be about as
follows:
Thea reduction of Ill per;cent as
between 81 aud SI.1O rate mentioned
by Mr. Jalonick has reference only to
his advisory basis rate and not to his
advisory additions for DEFICIENCIES in
building construction and in stocks of
merchandise-said additions being the
same in either case. hence accepting
35 cents as an average charge for
DEFICIENCIES I find the average rate on
business property to be, under q first
class rating, $I.35. Our present basis
being S1.1O and the average addition
being 35 cents, we are now paying an
average premium of 81 As per cent.
Thus On the assumption of q first
class rating I find a reduction of 6 26-
20 per cent on the total premiums to be
paid out on business property. The
following table illustrates the present
matters in band:
Total premiums estimated to be
.S75, 900
Deducting in dwelling proper
ty.. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Zo.OOO
Total on business property 80. $4,000
Deducting from this 26-29 per
cent to be saved in prem
lums- ........ ...........: 5f4,oo
We find total premium to be
paid out of. SAG, ,551. 65.
A saving to the city in insurance
rates of So, 448. 35 if paid department
is adopted by the city council.
Mr.. Horace B. Stevens says: ST ap-
prove the committees idea in having
full paid department., but 1 think it
will cost too much to have it just now.
1 do not know what an electric alarm
system would cost but should think to
erect poles and string wire ETC., would
cost not less than $500. They then
would be the cost of chemical engine
and horses costing $1,000
more. l do rot think 10 men besides
the chief and engineer could handle
the apparatus. There would have to
be at.least four men tO.the large truck
and ladder and at least five men to
each line of hose, and in case the hose
it would take more.
Il am in favor of any move looking
to the reduction of our expenses. Any
improvement of the fire service, will
certainly help to reduce insurance
rates, which means a reduction of
taxes. While the rates here are high,
they are the same as in other cities OF
Texas in the same clsss. The records
show that in twenty-three years of bus
mess in Texas, the insurance companies
have had only three years when their
income exceeded losses. think good
deal of this has been due to the tax laws
and especially that of the valued policy
law, which puts premium on arson.