The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-03-01
AS TO THE INSURANCE. RATES
Chamber of Commerce Committee Sc.
cures Material Reduction.

SohsS weeks ago Dy the Chamber of
Commerce to investigate the increase
in insurance rates In the city has
made it's report to President E. G.
| Brown. The report will be formally
read at the next meeting of the Cham.
| Der or Commerce, next Monday after
noon, in order that the property own.
ers of the city may be at once put in
TO possession of the important infor.
nation which 1t contains:
Anderson, s. c., Feb. II, 1905.
MIR. Fred g. Brown, president
Chamber Of Commerce, Anderson,
, S. C.
"Dear Sir: We, your committee
| surance as recently promulgated in
Anderson by the Southeastern Tariff
association, beg to report:
Cur first procedure was TO invite
the. cooperation of the local agents
OF the insurance companies, which
was heartily accorded.
I'VE thoroughly investigated the
general tariff and schedule Of the as.
sociation, and then applied them TO
the risks in this city.
we compared the revised rates is
sued January 9Th. 1905, with the rates
in force prior to that date. We found
a general advance all along the line.
THE chief advance applicable to
all buildings was charge of 10 per
cent for deficient city fire department..
con stocks we find the advance
more considerable; the revised tar
IFS difference between insurance on
stocks and buildings is greater than
Ormerly,> and the reason is sound
and not hard to find; viz, in the event
of any building catching fire. whilo
the fire department is fighting !. the
fire, they are damaging the contents
OF said building with water, for which
the insurance companies are liable.
Some stocks ale more liable to dam
age by FIRE and water than others;
hence the difference in the charges
scheduled. We also found fiat
charge Of IL cents on all stocks for
deficient city fire department.
.On all risks in general, buildings,
and stocks, we found numerous
tion of the buildings and their ex.
posure to other buildings and risks
more or less dangerous.
These charges consist chiefly Of
unsafe electric wiring, unsafe CHM
neys, fues, stove pipes open stair
ways, elevators and skylights, wood
cornices, dormer windows, division
walls or parapets not standard, open
ings next building not properly cut
off, etc. etc.
"a great number of these charges
we found unjust and applied by the
letter of schedule without discretion.
Also we found number of errors.
After locating the chief troubles,
we invited Mr.. Jas. s. Middleton,
Tariff association chairman for South
r0r .nli 10 ..of
amicably settle our differences
had two meetings with Mr.
Middleton, and are pleased to, say that
we found him very fair and anxious
to do Justice to our claims: we sue
ceeded In obtaisiing general reyi-
sion of rates and decidedly lower
average than was first applied by the
Tariff association, these reductions
being generally as follows: s3
You must understand that the.
charges OF 10 cent and 10 cent for
deficient city fire department were
made because Of the absence Of cleo
trio fire alarms throughout the city;
this System Of alarms being neces-
sary for the city to rate in insurance
circles as city Of the second class,
and have no penalty added to rates. s
Upon the promise of the mayor to
take up this matter at the next sit
ting OF council and to recommend. the
installation of this system, and / his
assurance that council would prob,
ably install same, Mr.. Middleton, for
the association, agreed to take off this
charge; right her3 we must impress
upon you the fact that In order to
continue to escape this penalty the
city OF Anderson must take steps
looking toward the installation of
the electric fire alarm system.
.ss This reduction makes the average
rates or buildings less than it was
before tine Tariff association entered
the State. I; 81 s.s
sion. making the average charges on
stocks consid derably less than as rated
January 9Th. These rates will aver
age higher than before the association
entered the State. Il fsi: " 81 35.S a
s y The old rates were made some
years; ago and the general VI advance I
of the revised tariff of II 900 WAS not 1
applied Ito And tierson, although it was
applied to other IS cities of Anderson
ssi2es in9 this and other States, 50 that
the 20 per cent ad vance ~ made
5throug ghput the Unite & States applied
on Old ratings and rot on revised rat
lISs aS GlSSWneEessSss tE
The rates on dwellings have been
reduced 10 cent to- 15 cent through
out. I: 335a
q believe that we have now, OBJ.
tanned rates that put us on the same 4
basis as other cities of this State and
North Carol lima, and Shower than APP
plies to eli les OF the other Southern
STATES. as q IEi
45s The above report covers the mer.
Scantile risks pf the city general lly::s we 4
have not attempt ed IS to take upt and
adjust each and every il;iividual risk,
We viii say though # hat we found % /
number OF errors in rat tess OH must
know that each building and { lot fSE OF
stocks therein is rated separat tely, d
sbasisl being nsed II and the schedulaS
charges added 3 th ereto all this Il re-.
.1lires an ssnD Drmaus volume pff work
and ypn can read fly and dsrstand that:
sii cornpii iipg this work d mum Der of