The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-04-21
Correspondent Takes Up the
Question OF Insurance Rates
WHY DON'T THEY DROP ?"
Instead Of Dropping as Expected, With
New Fire Fighting Equipment, This
Mans Rate Has Been Advanced
Mutual Plan Hinted AT.

Mr.. Editor: Please allow me the
privilege Of a little Of your valuable
space.
/ SolAetime ago the topic Of discussion
| throughout the city was the advisable
| ity OF reorganizing, re equipping and
| making permanent headquarters for the
fire department. Iii the minds of some
Of our citizens it seemed dis though ii
was going to throw large burden
upon the tax payers Those who had
| the project in view were loud IN the
praise of such scheme and claimed
the city would save money bv the
| change, as under the conditions they
were advocating it would not cost the
city 20 much to run the department.
" course, they admitted, it would take
quite little money to start it out,
but we would be repaid in the end
Well. at present we know there has
been good deal of money laid out which
will have to be made up in taxes and
that very soon; it has got to be adj
mitted that we have something to show
for our money, up-to-date equip
ment, expensive horses, and d fire sta
tion equal to any in New England. at
least, 50 | am told. Now, after the
citizens have given their sanction to
all this, have we really got to admit
that it is failuref
Referring back to the time when ar
gilments were rife in regard to the
proposed new order Of things, great
point In favor Of the scheme was, irsur-
ance rates would drop providing we had
q we'll organized fire department. We
do know they ran higher when the ari-
tation got up, and it was blazoned to
the outside world that the department
was not capable Of taking care Of q
fire for the want Of suitable apparatus.
and we have been waiting and watching
for them to drop now that the change
has been made. But alas, Poor Yonrich.
The writer, during the present week, has
been notified that q policy IN which ha
Il Interested was about to lapse, lii
making enquiries relative To renewing
the same he was calmly informed that
The rate had advanced d little since last
we met. In place Of it being an $500
premium, 1t would be S24.00 per thous.
and. Think what an increase that
would be to . man carrying 10000
insurance
It appears to me between one thing
and another it Is high time His Honor
the Mayor appointed grievance COM
mittee to look after things
! understand that at d meeting of
the Granite Manufacturers the other
evening there was quite lively discus
sion on this same insurance question.
and It | mistake not they have entered
the wedge which, If driven slowly but
surely, will have tendency to solve
the question as far as they are con-
cerned. Not having anything to guide
in making calculations I will refrain
from making any estimate, but when
one stops and gives the matter serious
consideration he must admit there must
be snug little sum deposited with
the insurance agents by members Of the
Granite Manufacturers Association.
wonder il they have ever given 1T
a thought how much it would amounf
to ln five years. venture a guess that
it would cover all the losses that have
occurred by fire to granite plants In
TINS vicinity IN the last twenty years.
II does seem as though they ought
70 be ieyelsheaded enough to get to-
gether on this point and protect them
selves BY some sort of mutual arrange
nent. lt certainly could be done If
they would only get together on the
matter. The fact that the money was
gathered here in Barre and forwarded
to New York. Boston, or any other
place, does not make it more valuable.
We venture guess the banks in our
alty would be more than glad to have
The looking after Of such a neat little
sum as could soon be accumulated bv
Ehen
In reading your paper there are times
xe notice other people have grievance.
It does not seem long ago since the
had q telephone grievance.
With some 1t is the street cars. The
light grievance we always have with
y, 50 that we are getting to be accus.
.omed with it.
Some people have way of layiue
.he blame on the city fathers whenever
does not go as it should
70, but that does not seem always Ia
'olve the problem. AS there il soon
o be meeting Of the citizens it would
lot be p bad idea for some Of aar
right lights who can express themselves
u open meeting, to give us a few
words relating to the time when We
an expecss the promised drop. to 20
nto effect.
Hoping ! have not taken up too much
i your valuable paper, | am.
ONE WHO is INTERESTED.