Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-05

additional men for actuarial and appraisal
work II has done all thst could be done
/ under the deficient and ambiguous insur-
anee sections of the District code 10 system
| attic and Improve the supervision Of in
surance transactions. to drive out life and
| fire insurance companies of doubtful fnan-
| cfal responsibility and to protect the inter-
ests of good companies as well . OF the
public. Important results have been Sc
cured.
The superintendent of insurance IN nov,
| engaged in the preparation of bill 10 pro-
vide a complete insurance law for the Dis
| trict of Columbia. based on the best laws
elsewhere; but meanwhile he recommends
| some amendments of the present law az SO
urgently needed that they cannot wait for
| the general revision OF the statute These
special recommendations are intended to
| provide:
First That no "old-line iegal-reserve
HE insurance company be permitted to or
sanlze under the laws of the District of
Soiunpia, without first having a pad-up
capitaI or 100000. or its equivalent. invest
ed In securities mentioned In section $50 of
| the code.
second To prevent the reinsurance of
any and all kinds of local insurance COM
panles, assessment associations or FRA ternal
| eenenclaI associations, in any insurance
eoHpany or companies assessment as,socia-
.,oil OF associations, or fraternal beneficial
ASSOCIATION or associations, chartered by
speeial acts of Congress or under the gen
erai laws or the District of Columbia or
tne reinsurance of such described local
sessment association or associations or q
Iraternal beneficial association or associa-
lions, that are chartered outside of the
District of Columbia, without first nrocur
ing the consent of the superfnt endent OF
insurance and the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia
Ihird; To require insurance policies or
renewal receipts to be countersiyred nv
agents who are located in the District of
Coiumbla, according to the laws of forty
three of the States.
Fourth To require every local company
10 make deposit of securities in the regis
Try of the supreme court of the District OF
ooiuHhoia Tor the protection of policy hold
ets anu 10 meet the reciprocal requirements
OF many of the States.
Section 6J4 of the code fixes tho .,,,a ..
Wnich all licenses expire April 80. The
same section provides for the payment of
incense fees in the month of March for tho
forthcoming license year, which is from one
70 TWO Misunderstanding upon the zine in
March that they may be paid-in adyanc
Oh Oh the time eMay u when they can be used
Inc law does not permit such funds to he
held by the collector of taxes Changes are
apt TO occur among agents especially, be-
tween March and May ], and TO be COM
peiied to pay license fees from one to two
months IN advance of the expiration of their
existing licenses works a hardship upon
then, and, besides. licenses may be refused
when such fees must be returned. In view
OF ms we would recommend that the law
In this respect be changed SO as TO make
fees payable on May l.
The amount received from companies in
l9o4 Tor taxes on their 1903 net premium re-
ceipts was 500, 441.45, and there was received
for licenses to companies, agents. solicitors
and brokers, including assignments sl6-
e44.53. making the total revenues OF the
department for the year So, $50. 9s
Premiums paid by insurants In the Dis
trict of Columbia in 1894 amounted TO
S4.54S, 090.64.
associations In the District of Columbia in
1904 amounted to s1,952.051.27
Inc aggregate amount of assets Of COM
panles and associations reporting TO this de-
partment on December 81. 1904, was s. SD
l.o,o4554 liabilities, s2,2S7, Coz, 424.5J; sur
plus, So54, 56S, 2cS.99
Purchase of Supplies.
The solution of the practical problems IN
VOWED III the purchase of the large amount,
of supplies used by the District government
continues to occupy the earnest attention
or the Commissioners. During the fiscal
year the amount expended for supplies pur-
chased for the various offices departments
and institutions of the District of Columbia
aggregated 81. So. 1885, 50. Within recent years
the system of purchasing and handling sup
plies has been materially simplfed. result
ing IN the greater expedition of business
and much economy. Other plans to stlll
further accomplish these results are now
under consideration. including for instance
the rental of storehouse for the supplies
FOR the public schools. The lack OF store
room facilities now compels the purchase
of supplies In numerous small quantities
resulting in a consequently large number of
acquisitions and vouchers for small
amounts.
1t would seem advisable, also, to have the
police department, fire department. Wash
ington Asylum and other large departments
and institutions of the District, purchase
nonperishable supplies In larger quantities
than at present and store them, in order
that supplies may be available at all times
and the number OF acquisitions orders
.trfct would also be enabled to save money
If contractors offering to furnish supplies
could bid upon a basis of delivery of goods
to certain central points, in large quanti-
ties. instead of delivering small quantities
of goods at various times and at various
places. as is now the case. in addition to
which uniformity in the method OF inspect
ing supplies could be obtained
The Commissioners have asked an appro-
priation for the construction of wharf
on the river front for the storing of sand
and gravel. The District is without a
proper wharf at which materials Of this
kind can be landed and stored, and Is SUBJ
ject to much embarrassment therefrom
1t is also essential that a sufficient amount
of land be secured adjacent to the Baltimore
and Ohio Railr6ad for the purpose of estab-
fishing property yard on said railroad.
AT present the District is occupying part
public space and part private property I'M
der rental at Third and Parker streets NE.
1t is understood that this property will have
to be vacated at the end of one year at
most. In this connection some attention has
been given to the advisability of establish
ing a District fuel yard and buying coal
direct from the mines and hauling it with
District teams to the various places to be
supplied. This matter has been given con-
sideration in view of the fact that appar-
emily eXorbitant prices were asked for fur
nishing fuel during the present fiscal year.
1T is probable that some change will be
made in the system of inviting deliveries Of
coal, in the hope that lower bids can be Sc
cured from the wholesale dealers.
Work of the Police.
The police force has been directed and
disciplined in a manner TO maintain for II
enviable reputation for efficiency ard
good conduct, although it is still numeri-
cally inadequate. When it is considered that
the police jurisdiction is coeXtensive with
the District of Columbia, embracing an en-
tire territory OF the United States, with
an area of nearly 20 square miles, including
cities and towns, a nearly proper conception
Is had of the great landed extent over which
the available force of about 400 patrolmen,
divided into different relefs, must be dis
tributed. The general and local government
int In the CAPITAL city,