The age-herald., 1901-02-22
MERCHANTS SIDE
 OF THE QUESTION
President 0'NeiII of Board of Trade Writes Communication
FIRE INSURANCE RATES
Takes Southeastern Tariff Associ ation To Task for It's Failure To Read just Rates On South High
 ands-The Situation.

John ". O'Neill, president of the Board of Trade which organization is striving to secure better fire insurance rates for Birmingham, In reply to an interview on behalf of the Southern Tariff Association, sends the Age-Herald the following com munication:
 To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 In your paper of the Fist instant you published an interview giving the side of the Southeastern Tariff Association on the question Of insurance rates in Bir- mingham.
 On behalf of the merchants of Birm- ingham 1 desire to give you briefly their side of the question. The Mayor and Aldermen for more than a year have en- deavored to get the Southeastern Tariff Association to put Birmingham on a first class basis It was promised that If a station was located on the South High lands that the rate would be reduced in that part of the city from a $l basis to 75-cent basis. This station was estab- lshed last September, and yet the rate remained the same until the matter was agttated recently both by the Mayor and Aldermen and by the Board of Trade, the latter going to the expense of employing a special attorney in the matter The re- suit was that on yesterday the South eastern Tariff Association put In force the Recent rate on the South Highlands and dated the order back until January l. This delay Is termed In the interview above referred to as an 'inadvertance" and yet the Southeastern Tariff Associa- ton recently brought one of its mem bers to task for issuing policy on 75- cent basis in that locality.
 Regarding the rates in other parts of the city, the Mayor and Aldermen and the Board of Trade have spent no little time and energy in endeavoring to get some satisfactory understanding with the Southeastern Tariff Association. After persistent effort finally a proposition was made by the Southeastern Tariff Associa- ton stating the terms on which they would permit the insurance companies which are members of their association to Issue policies on @ f1rst-claSs basis, which Is 30 cents on brick mercantile houses, stock in said houses being based upon the Same rate, with 0 percentage added according to the class of goods of the insured.
 This proposition was referred to a com mittee of the Mayor and Aldermen. which resulted in a counter proposition being made by the city, the only material dif- ference between the two propositions be- ing the purchase of a new chemical en- zine by the city, the city claiming that 1t already had a chemical apparatus suffi- cient for all practical purposes.
 The question Is now whether the South eastern Tariff Association Is going to continue to exact an additional premium of 25 cents on the dollar, which amounts to- according to their figures, at least sS0, 900 per year, merely because the city will not set aside its present chemical equipment and purchase new one. Spe- cial Agent Tanner says that he on yes- terday telephoned to Atlanta and the sec retary of the association said that he could not modify his proposition. Will not the tariff association, by its action In this matter, lay itself open to the charge of arbitrarily fixing rates which 1t re- quires It's members to adhere to, and will not 1t be open to the further charge of being unnecessarily exacting in the mat ter of requirements on the part of the city? It is to be hoped that the members of the City Council will see the import ance of being present on next Monday night so that there may be a quorum and this important subject disposed of. which will save the business men and property owners of Birmingham from $30,00O to $50,000 per year.
 The Board of Trade has again requested the Southeastern Tariff Association to be present at the meeting of the City Coun- cil on Monday night, hoping that 1t Will result In a satisfactory adjustment or this matter.
 JOHN W. O'NEILL,
 President Birmingham Board of Trade