The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-12
MUST ELIMINATE POLITICS.
THEN INSURANCE. RATES WILL DE
DECREASED.

No Reduction Likely Unless the De-
partment Is Entirely Freed From
Political Influences, Say the Insur-
ance Men-NO Change Possible
Otherwise, They Insist-CharIes-
toms Showing Alluded to ms Evil
dence of What savannah's should
Be-Business Men Say They VIII
Place Insurance North.
The increase in insurance rates is still a
very live topic and is likely to continue TO
be for some time to come AS renewals of
policies fall due, there will be "a kick from
each one who feels the pinch of the in
I creased rate.
Business men are threatening to place
their insurance in New York, and there is
talk of organizing a mutual insurance COM
pany for the protection of residence prop
erty only on a similar plan to that OF the
Carolina Mutual of Charleston. which is
said to have proved very successful.
No definite steps toward anything of this
kind have been taken, however, and it is
likely that the great majority of the prop
erty owners win reinsure at the old rate
and divide their curses between the in
surance companies and the fire depart
ment
The insurance agents say that they did
not want the increase. and would have
prevented it If they could, but that they
consider that the action of
the tariff association was unavoidable
/ under the circumstances and that the
only thing to wonder at is that the in
crease was not greater.
One insurance agent said yesterday that
If the matter of increase had been left
TO him he would have made It 100 per
cent. and not 10, and thus brought the
issue squarely to a head at once.
There will be no reduction In the rate
so long as present conditions obtain" said
he, land it is much more likely that there
will be further increases"
Here" said the agent, lis the report
of the Charleston fire department for 1897
1t shows that the total expenditures OF
the department for the year were $40, 9s9 SO
as against $4,000 for the Savannah depart
ment. Yet Charleston has a larger de-
partment, consisting of ninety-nine officers
and men, with twenty-eight horses ten
steam fine engines, and considerable other
equipment. Their fire loss makes a re-
markable showing, being only $21 ,266S3 for
last year. Their heaviest loss In the last
fourteen years was $146, 421.14, in 1893, and
their average annual loss for the last
t1ve years is less than 100000 The average
for sixteen years is $76,S91.91. Compare
with this Savannah's average annual loss
Of over $276000 during the last eleven years.
and note what poor showing we make.
Take into consideration at the same time
the far less cost to the city of Charleston
for its fire department"
Here" continued the agent ''is a state
ment received to-day showing Savannah's
record for the last eleven years The fig
ures are taken from the official reports OF
the companies, and can be relied upon as
absolutely correct:"
What prospect is there for a compro-
mise or an agreement being reached to
remove the increase?" the agent was ask
ed
None" he replied until the Savannah
hre department Is entirely removed from.
the political influences, such as have de-
stroyed its efficiency for the last ten years.
when that Is accomplished l am satisfied
that not only the recent increase of 10 per
cent, but the former increase of Is cents
on the hundred viii both be removed, and
the property owners of Savannah will then
obtain rates which they should have en-
joyed for the last several years"
Chairman James M. Dixon of the Water
Commission appeared before a committee
of insurance agents, consisting Of Messrs
j. f. Wheaton, w. II. Daniel and w. j.
Harry at the Office of Daniel & Carswell
yesterday afternoon, by request, and gave
the committee figures on the water
pumpage and pressure of the
Savannah works as compared
with other cities. Mr. Dixon showed
that where the Savannah works maintain
a fire pressure of rs to so pounds, Charles
ton maintains a fire pressure of only 40
pounds, and New Orleans never goes above
S6lh pounds. Charleston besides has very
limited water supply. Mr.. Dixon has writ
ten to other cities for information as TO
pumpage and pressure. He said that he
| thought these comparisons with cities
whose situation Is similar to Savannah
were fairer than comparisons with selected
cities having especial advantages for Sc
curing high pressure.
President s. Y. Topper of the South
eastern Tariff Association, 1t Is stated, has
made known his intention to retire from
that Office at the end of the present term.
| He finds that the demands on his time as
manager require him to turn his attention
wholly to the affairs of his agency. In
addition TO this Mr.. Upper believes In ro-
tation in office. His successor will have
to be chosen at the annual meeting. C.pt.
| +. s. Gay, manager for the Insurance
Company Of North America, has been
| mentioned as a probable candidate.