The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-07
Board of Trade Meets and DiS-
 CuSStS Insurance Rates
COMMITTEES APPOINTED
Committee Will Go Before City coun- ciI-ResoIutlons Adopted in Which Associations Demands Are
 Termed Unreasonable.

The board of trade met yesterday af- ternoon and passed a resolution inviting President Roosevelt to Birmingham; took up the insurance report of the South eastern Tariff association, and passed a resolution regarding 1t; and endorsed the action of President simon Klotz in ap- pointing committee to welcome the Sea board.
 On motion of Ben F. Barbour, the pres ident named a committee to appear before the fire and water service committee of the city council this afternoon and urge that the city do all in it's power to fur nish new fire fighting equipment. The committee consists of J. D. Collins, J. H. McCary, John l.. Parker, Colman Blach. R. w. Ewing, Sol Caheen, Sibley King, Ben F. Barbour, John W. Tomlin- son, Oliver Chalifoux and Ferd Marx. This committed will also appear before the council tonight to press this matter.
 A committee of six was appointed by the president to communicate with fire insurance companies inside and outside of the Southeastern Tariff association and see if some of them would not be willing to take the insurance of Birming- ham at lesser rate than that now ex- isting. The committee Is composed of Sol Caheen, Oliver Chalifoux Sibley King, Colman Blach, John W. ONeil and J. D. Collins.
 There was considerable difference of opinion among the members of the board as to how to proceed to get lower rates Some of them were in favor of fighting the tariff association vigorously, while others thought that the best method would be to secure better fire equip ment.
 Thought Demands Excessive.
 All agreed that the demands of the Tariff association were excessive and that the city would be utterly unable to meet all of them. It was agreed, however, that the section of the demands of the association touching the business section could be met by the city and that this would improve the situation very mate rially.
 Several members of the board favored making an effort to get the city council to meet these demands for the business, district, which would cost 1t was said, not over $25,0OO for new equipment and sl50O0 annually for maintainence. John w. ONeill specially favored this plan.
 
 could best succeed in getting lower in- surance rates by getting more apparatus with which to fight fires He said that when the tariff association made its de- mands two years ago they underestimate ed the size and growth of Birmingham and for that reason failed to ask for all that they should have asked for.
 Independent Companies.
 Sol Caheen was in favor of giving the insurance companies which are not in the tariff association all of the business in Birmingham, and thought that some rep resentative might go to New York and place the insurance provided that enough of it could be secured among the mer- chants.
 R. W. Ewing was in favor of taking the matter up with the local underwriters association and securing it's aid in get ting lower rates. He thought that com mittee from the Commercial club the board of trade, the Underwriters asso- citation and the city council might unite in getting the desired reduction.
 John W Tomlinson and others were of the opinion that the tariff association did not intend doing anything to lower the rates and that this accounted for the exhorbitant demands it made. They were for an open and hard fight on the association and if possible giving the in- surance to other companies.
 The resolutions offered by J. H. Mc- Cary. which were written by MT. Tom linson, were adopted, and are as follows;
 The Resolutions. Whereas, the Southeastern Tariff asso- citation, on the 1st day of January, 1902, put Birmingham on first-class basis in regard to insurance rates after the city of Birmingham had compiled with certain demands in regard to improvements in the fire service; and
 Whereas, Birmingham remained on first-class basis until the 22nd day of Au- gust, 1904. when said Southeastern Tariff association put Birmingham back on second-class basis and Increased insur- ance rates accordingly, and,
 Whereas Birmingham was taken from a first-class basis on account of certain alleged non-compliances in minor matters in regard to the conditions whereby Bir- mingham was put on a firsi class basis. and
 Whereas, the Southeastern Tarff asso- citation instead of asking that Birming- ham comply with said conditions has made additional and unreasonable de- mands of the city of Birmingham
 Be it resolved, That the Board of Trade of Rirminpham considers that the de-