Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-24
RATES FOR INSURANCE
Question Discussed by Bust
ness Mems Association.
THE UNION ]sTAT1oN
OBJECTIONS MADE TO DISTRICT
AID IN BUILDING IT.
Exceptions Also to Change in Quality
Of Material-Permanent Improve
ments Considered.


ness Mems Association at the Hotel Barton
at $50 o'clock last evening, when the first
regular monthly meeting since last April
was called to order by President William f.
GUIDE. The first order of business was the
presentation to the meeting of set OF
resolutions passed by the Brightwood Clu-
zens' Association. at it's meeting October
16, and which had been forwarded by Louis
P. Shoemaker, president of that association,
for whatever action the business men deem
ed proper. The first resolution approved
the action of the District Commissioners in
asking Congress to use all current revenues
for current expenses and reiterated that all
improvements that were intended largely
for the benefit of future generauonS-Such
as municipal buildings, the filtration plant,
railroad terminals. the Anacostia river i'm
provements sewage disposal, trunk sewers
and street 'extensions-should be PROVIDED
for by a bond issue protected by sinking
fund. The second resolution was to the Ell
feet that the efforts Of the members should
be to encourage the establishment OF manu-
featuring plants and business enterprises IN
certain portions of the District of COLUMBIA
and that public sentiment be invoked as lar
as possible to accomplish this result.
Copies of these resolutions were ordered
sent to the other associations to the Com
missioEers of the District and to the DIS
trict committees in Congress. They were
read by Secretary Barry Buckley and a mo-
ton to adopt them as the sentiment OF the
Business Mems Association was carried.
c. c. Lancaster addressed the meeting on
the subject of congressional appropriations
for the District and suggested that series
of dinners be given to which the members
of the various District committees shall De
invited, in order that the business men VI
the community might get acquainted with
the men who help them in the halls OF Con-
gress He said that Congress was ready
to give the people of the District money 10
carry out their designs, but that the mem
bers of the Senate and House do not thor
Oughly understand what these needs are.
If entertainments were provided for them
this defect would be speedily overcome In
no other way, he said, can the citizens OF
this District get acquainted with the men
who have the power to aid them. the sus-
geston was not put in the form of mo-
ton and no action was taken.
Insurance Rates Discussed.
William Hahn read paper on the condi-
lions of fire insurance in the District and
deplored tha fact that the rates are so high
in Washington He referred to the COM
bination of companies that kept up the
rates, and said the only way to counterfeit
this for the business men to organize
in opposition (r l.
states from 1880 to 1901, inclusive, showed
that the loss by fire averaged 90 per cent,
while during the same period in the District
of Columbia the losses averaged out 81
favorable field for the insurance companies
for the reason that the fire losses are dis
propCrtionate to the premiums exacted.
When the board of fire underwriters was
called upon by the committee from the as
ISOLATION and asked to readjust the rates
they cited Pittsburg as having higher rates
than Washington, Notwithstanding the fact
that the water supply of that city and its
fire department were both better than those
of the District of Columbia. The commit
tee called attention 10 the fact that never
had the fire department of this city been
unequal to any emergency, and said that
the insurers here would get just rates no
matter how long might be the struggle for
them. Copies of the report were ordered
printed and sent to the members of the
aSSuciat ton.
Great Falls Water Power.
Capt. ]. P. Walker offered resolution
which was unanimously adopted, to the eff
feet that:
ut appears that Secretary Root of the
War Department has assumed the right to
dispose of the water power of the United
States contained IN the Great Falls dam of
the Potomac river, built by the government
for the purpose of supplying the city of
Washington and the District of Columbia
with water, and thereby constituting the
United States and the Potomac Electrical
Power Company partners IN the proprietor
ship and use of said water power, there
fore that a committee of five should be ap
pointed to investigate and report upon the
action of Secretary Root at the next meet
ing"
Mr. Davis Address.
Henry +. Davis, former United States
district attorney. addressed the meeting on
the subject OF the new union station, and
deplored the fact that the taxpayers of the
District are called upon to pay millions to
the railroad companies to help them build
station which it was their duty to build at
their own expense. He told the business
men that they were paying these millions
for the privilege of revok!ng a license they
had granted to the railroad companies, and
advised them, in the strongest language, to
keep their eyes on the coming Congress and
see to it that that money did not leave the
treasury of the District
The question of the arbitrary narrowing
of certain streets was discussed at some
ZENITH John Fleming opening by complain
ing of the action of the Commissioners on
+ street northeast, where they are taking
more than two feet from the width of the
street and broadening the sidewalks on the
outside of the tree lines, an operation, he
said, that could be explained in no other
way than that they We're trying to econo-
mize on having He asked that a commit
tee be appointed to inquire of the Commits
! sioners why this was being done. and If
they dc not give a satisfactory reply the
business men Shoulo go peloie congress
! and have it stopped
Move for Permanent Art Commission.
A motion by Secretary Bulkley mat the
| Coumiss. oners be asked to join the Bust
ness Mems Association in asking Congress
| to appoint a permanent art commission, the
| DUTY of which IL should be to make sugges-
| tons for the identifying of the city and the
| District by the harmonZing of the works
| of art that are from tine to time added
| to those already in place. He said that
| all of the great cities OF Europe have such
| commissions, and that Philadelphia and
| Cleveland, In this country Shave them. and
| that these cities have been benefited ac-
| cordinely. The motion was amended by con-
| lining the membership of the commission to
| citizens of the District of~Columb!a, and
| was unanimously adopted.
| Judge Bundy took up the question Of the
| street building lines in~the~new portions Of
| the city. and suggested that an amend
| ment is needed to the act authorizing the
| Commissioners to tablish building lines so
| that they may become operative on all
| streets less than ninety feet in width. A
| unanimous vote to ask this of Congress
| closed the question. ~
| The new union station came up for some
| discussion, and many of, the members
wanted to know what white granite" was,
| and why it had been substituted for white
| marble, which stone had been agreed upon
| bv the railroads Paul Pelz. associate archi-
| tect of the Library of Congress. told them
| that there was no such thing as white
| granite" and that it was the duty of the
association to see that the railroad compa-