The age-herald., 1901-06-19
BIRMINGHAM WILL
 JET LOWER RATES Secretary Fleming Writes An- other Letter to the Mayor WILL STICK TO AGREEMENT Says Just as Soon as Improvements in Fire Department Are Ready the
 City Will Be Put on
 First Class Basis.
WILL STICK TO AGREEMENT

Birmingham will get lower insurance rates and will soon be placed on a first class basis. This means a great saving to all property holders.
 Secretary Fleming of the Southeastern Tarif Association has notified Mayor Drennen that the insurance companies will live up to their agreement, and that just as soon as the new fire fighting ap- paratus is ready for operation the new rates will be in force
 MT Fleming says q special agent will be sent to Birmingham within the next few days and after examining the i'm provements will begin a revision of in- surance rates The letter follows:
 Atlanta, Ga.. June II. 1901. To the Hon. W. M. Drennen, Mayor of Birmingham, Ala
 Dear Sir-Improvement of fire protec- ton and revision of rates. Your favor of the 18th instant, in response to my re- spects of the 11th instant is received and has full and careful attention.
 Noting that you expect the promised Improvements in the fire protection of Birmingham as agreed upon between us, to be completed blythe first of July prox- imo, l beg to say the association will not await advices of the completion of these improvements, put that MT. Il. M. ldu- her, special agent of the association, will arrive In the next day or two and begin at once the work of Investigating the said Improvements and revising of the rates.
 In order to remove all possible misap- prehensions on the part of the Birning- ham people am authorized to say that when the new rates shall have been pre- pared and published the agents will be authorized to make proper rebates from Tai, i 1..A.- 10k rrxl1A Ea Iva provements shall be shown to have been completed. For instance, if the improve ments are shown to have been completed on July 1 proximo, as you now expect they will be, the agents will be allowed to make such rebates on all policies writ ten at the old rates after July 1, as will give the property owners the benefit of the new rates from the date of the com pletion of the improvements. It Is abso- lutely impossible to publish new rates based on the improved fire protection In Birmingham immediately after they are completed. The utmost that any associa- tion could do in case of this kind Is to proceed to make up the new rates and publish them as soon as possible. Until the new rates can be gotten out and pub lished (and we promise to do that with the least delay possible) parties taking out insurance after the date indicated
 
 understanding that so soon as the new rates are ascertained the agents writ ing the policies will return to them such proportion of the premium paid as will secure to them the new, or lower, rate.
 It seems to me this proposition IS per fectly fair and reasonable, and will sat- isfy all doubts which may exist upon your part or that of others as to the intentions of the Southeastern Tariff As- sociation. In your letter you say: 'The city expects to live up to it's agreement from every standpoint, and trust that you will not delay this matter in any way" I can assure you that there Is no less desire or purpose on the part of the association to live up to it's agreement than can possibly be felt by the Birming- ham city authorities. l have endeayored to show you how that all parties becom- ing insurers after the new improvements are completed may secure the full bene- fits of the new rates from the very day such improvement in the fire protection Of Birmingham becomes effective. If l have not made the position and purpose of the association perfectly clear, l shall be glad to have you put further inquiries to me and I will endeavor to answer them promptly and fully.
 As my other recent letters to you on this subject were published in your city papers, will ask that you also give the same direction to this one in order that all persons interested may have the facts in the case Yours truly,
 CHARLES c. FLEMING,
 Secretary.