The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-01-24
RERATING MEANS
MUCH TO SAVANNAH
SAVING OF 20 OR rs PER CENT
MEANS MORE THAN REDUCTION OF
Equal NUMBER OF CENTS.

Several Buildings, Owing to Defec-
tive style and Proximity to Dam
gerOus Buildings VIII Remain
Under Old Rating Terms-SpeciaI
Hazards Not Effected by Change.
Moral Effect of Re-rating Will BE
Great and Far-Reaching, Say
Agents-ReductionO of Rates Result
of Hard Fight.
The announcement of the re-rating
of Savannah and the lowering of in
surance rates was received by none
with more real qualification than by
the insurance agents. The low
ering of the rates and placing the
city on a f1rst-class basis means that
they will not be bombarded with dis
agreeable questions any longer.
The reduction here will be not less
than 20 or % per cent. on brick build
ings and mercantile stocks. This same
reduction will apply to school houses,
churches and other public buildings,
but not to the class OF buildings known
as special hazards. The special haz-
ards include cotton seed oil mills, saw
mills, naval stores and cotton presses,
as well as many others of the same
nature. These are always specifically
rated.
A prominent insurance man in speak
ing of the re-rating yesterday, said: 81
am perfectly willing to venture the
opinion that Savannah has Jared bet
ter than the majority of the big cities
that have been re-rated, and equally
as we'll as the best of them. While it
is true that some buildings, under the
new rating, will have to pay more
yet in the main the rating is a very
favorable one"
Exact Charges Hard to Get at.
No exact figures regarding the re-
duction and what it will mean to rner-
chants and others in Savannah can be
given, as this would necessitate a care
full comparison of the old rate book
with the new one. This would take
considerable time and work, and none
of the agents have as yet figured out
just what it will be.
The reduction of 20 to % per cent
is considerably larger than the reduce
ton OF an equal number OF cents. If
a per cent. rate is charged under
the old rating, the present rating would
cut it down to $50, while If the reduce
ton were only rs cents it would mean
simply LIS. When the great number
of buildings carrying heavy insurance
is taken into account, and the others
which carry greater or less amounts
is added TO 1t, il will be easily seen
that the total amount saved is bound
to be large one, and well worth the
long and determined fight which has
been made to secure the re-rating.
Will Have Good Moral Eject.
Besides the direct saving to insur-
ance payers the moral effect of the re-
rating Will be almost inestimable. In
surance agents state that they have
been inquired of time and time again
by Northern capitalists and manufac-
turers why Savannah was be-
ing ranked so low. The old rating
was a direct reflection on the efficacy
of the fire department. and on the
facilities at the hands of the city for
protecting it's residents and property
holders against fire.
The result was that capitalists held
off and passed Savannah by when
seeking a location in the Southern
states. ne new IdtluB Stamps Sa-
vannah as one of the safest cities
against fire In the entire country. and
the effect can not but be good and far
reaching. This city can now compare
with the best protected cities in the
country.
The rates, too. will be lower than
can be secured in many cities where
equal shipping advantages, etc, are
offered. The few buildings on which
rates will either remain as before. or
be slightly raised. will not effect the
general standing in the least. These
buildings are only the ones which arc