The San Francisco call., 1904-02-11
Insurance Underwriters Organ
ize and Announce That They
Will Pay Fifty Per Cent
of the Losses at Once
CONTENTS OF BANK
VAULTS ARE INTACT
Mayor McLane Says the City
May Not Need Outside AS
sistance and Money Already
Received Will Not Be Used

BALTIMORE, Feb. 10.-The open
ing to-day OF the boardroom by the
Chamber of Commerce and the receipt
of quotations, the uninterrupted ship
ments of grain cargoes, the certainty
of State aid and the notification by
some of the large insurance companies
of their readiness to pay 90 per cent
on losses and the action of the Legis-
lature in asking for Federal troops in
Stitute chain of incidents which have
contributed materially to the restora-
ton of public confidence and cheerful
ness.
Mayor McLane has reconsidered
his previous determination to an
nounce that he would accept outside
aid. On this subject he said:
The situation here does not justify
such action. There is no restitution
as yet. | cannot tell what may fol-
low. We have a Board of Charities,
which looks after the city's destitute.
This board is in close touch with all
the organized charities. An appro-
priation is made annually for the pur-
pose of taking care of cases of desti-
tuition. There are some funds on hand
now, and it may be that the State APP
preparation will be enough to take
In the course of the next few days 1
will be in a better position to definitely
decide on this matter. We have re-
ceived by contribution from various
cities about $1,000 and additional Of
fers of thousands of dollars have been
made. The money already received
will be put aside until we can deter
mine whether to ask for outside assist
ance."
The grain trade of the city has not
suffered to any extent. The fire did
not touch the elevators or railroad ter
minals and steamships are being load
ed as usual.
A number of large vaults and safes
were opened to-day and in each of
them the contents were found to be in
good condition. The 100000 in coin
and legal tender notes was taken from
the vaults of the Third National Bank
and sent to the vaults of a bank out
side the fire district.
kilograms, letters and resolutions
Offering aid or sympathy are still be-
ing received at the Mayors office.
Among them was cablegram from
Liverpool announcing Chat at rep
reSentative meeting of the tradesmen
of that city a resolution was unani-
mously passed rendering the sympathy
of that city to the citizens of Balti-
more. A letter from the local Ger
man Consul was also received, in
which he stated that he had been di-
rected by Baron Won Rheinbaben, i'm
perial Secretary of State of Germany,
to extend the sympathy Of the German
empire.
The fire insurance underwriters put
in very busy day. perfecting their
organization and preparing to get at
the work of adjusting the losses. The
agents of the seventy-fiye companies,
who organized yesterday. moved into
permanent headquarters at the rooms
of the Royal Arcanum.
dozen loss committees were ap-
pointed, and tomorrow these will be-
gin adjusting the insurance.
The insurance companies are CO.
operating with the bank people in
their efforts to relieve the financial sit
uation. Some of the largest companies
and some of the smaller ones have de-
cided to pay Immediately so per cent
of the claims presented to them, where
the loss was total or nearly so. leav-
ing the remainder to be paid after the
insurance has been finally adjusted. A
few small claims were paid by some
companies to-day.