The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-19
In the Insurance Worid;
News and Notes of Interest

! committee Of field men is there this week
the insurance interests was issued this week
by Manager 7. NJ. Goodloe. 1t is as fol-
lows:
Water supply consists Of three pumping
stations. to wit:
New pumping station. built about four
years ago. seven-eighths OF a mile above the
city. Marsh land was procured and built
up with dirt, old brick. etc. but with no
concrete for foundation. There is PRACTICAL
Is no foundation, as the river Overflows at
least twice a year. and has done so for
years. leaving a deposit of sand and mud.
Considerable piling was driven, but appar-
emily not enough.
There are three SO-inch intake pipes
clamped together and suspended from piling
on either side, no foundation being built un-
About three months ago large quantities
Of sand came through the pumps. and final
~ such dirt and sticks as were used in the
fill. Pump No. , was clogged, indicating a
break in the intake pipes, and later the
ground caved in on the river side above
where the indications were that the pipes
were broken. The pumps were kept run
ming and the cavity made larger, finally
breaking off the flush pipe.
Pump No. l was shut down OWL e to the
clogging OF same, and pump No. put in
running order. Both pumps are now run
ming, though they are liable TO be shut
down at any time. In this event there
would be two old pumping stations, the
pump of the Evansville Cotton Mill Com
pany steamer service and cisterns.
II Oiu pumping SIdIlOnS, WHICH nave
not been used for the past four years, are
each equipped with a $780, 0o-gallon ca
pacity pump, each pumping from reservoir
of 10000 gallons capacity. Reservoirs are
supplied through six-inch intake pipes,
water being pumped from sand boats
brought from Green river for temporary
use.
9Th city engineers claim to be able 10
maintain a forty-pOund pressure in an
emergency, but this is considered doubt
full, and in case of fire steamers would nave
TO be relied on. There are at present TWO
second-clasS steamers in commissions; an
additional one will be put in by Monday,
and a fourth one as soon as II can be got
in shape.
Pressure on sprinkler equipments last
week ranged from five TO twelve pounds.
"Cisterns are we'll scattered through the
business district-average capacity. $1,000
gallons.
1.-The Evansville Cotton Mill Company has
an individual pumping station of its own,
with two pumps and reservoir of 1OO,OO
gallons, all of which can be converted into
the city mains in case of necessity.
"A pump boat has been engaged or Dor
rowed from the city of Cincinnati, ana Is
now being repaired with a view OF having
it taken to Evansville. and Will pump WaIer
direct from the river into the mains, The
capacity OF this river pump is SAID TO De -
10000 gallons per day.
T r
The action of Marshall Field & CO., of
Chicago, as to their policies in BALTIMORE
companies after the fire is receiving the
highest praise on the part of insurance men
throughout the country. They notified the
Chicago agent of the Firemen's Insurance
Company of Baltimore that they would not
ask for the cancellation of their policies in
that company. In their letter advising the
agency of their position in this matter they
said: You will notice that we have not
Cancelled any of our policies in your COM
pany, nor have we yet any other policies
in Baltimore companies, for we still remem-
Der the companies located there paid us in
1871, when Chicago was destroyed, nearly
$4,000 in cash, and we desire to show now
our appreciation of that fact by a careful
consideration of their interest and to await
a statement of their condition and future
action from the companies direct and after
they have had an opportunity TO make one
and with the hope that hey will soon be
able to re-establish themselves. Let us hear
from you from time to time with such in
formation as you can give and in the
meantime express to your company and
others there our sincere wish that the
clouds of disaster will yet show many silver
Innings" The action by this Chicago firm
and many others who were disposed 10 wait
until the companies had an opportunity to
adjust themselves to their losses has pre-
vented many serious runs upon the weaker
companies, which would have resulted
much more disastrously to them than the
fire losses themselves. Tn Importance of
exercising charity and patience at this time
is pointed out by Rough Notes as follows:
But there is something deeper than a
interest in assisting the Trailer
barks to weather this storm. There is a
selfish interest. For years past the need
, of more insurance capital has been appar-
ent to underwriters and. larger insurers
alike. The field certainly was not crowded
in Baltimore. The companies operating
there were provided with all the business
that they cared for in that particular dis
trict, and some of them now wish they had
mad much less. Still there will be a heavy
loss to be borne by the property owners dl-
rectly-a portion on which 1t would have
been difficult TO have placed insurance be-
fore the fire. There certainly was no over
crowding of companies there, however keen
competition may have proved in regard 10
some of the choicer individual risks.
ut Is now foregone that companies will
be inclined to reduce their lines in many
other cities because of confiagration
hazards. Instead of any relief from the
s~tringency which has marked the supply of
fire insurance for the past three years and
which had just begun to show some signs
of relaxing, there will from now on for
some years to come be a still greater con-
servatism exercised on the part of man
ayers. Lines will be revised and reduced.
New factors affecting general conditions
will be taken into consideration, and the
majority of companies may be expected to
care less for quantity of business than
! heretofore.
ut therefore follows that more under
writing capital will be needed rather than
less. The companies that are struck hard
by this great loss, but are still able to meet
their obligations in full, should be given
every chance to recover their footing and
remain in the field. Be charitable, be pa
tent. and do not be overhasty in advising
! cancellations"