The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-05-15

Impatience is taking possession of
many policy-holders who were made
poorer by the conf1agration. because of
the delay on the part Of the insurance
companies to adjust and settle losses.
AS result Of this feeling OF uneasi-
ness committee representing properc-
owners and business men of this city
went before the meeting of the Fire
Underwriters Adjusting Bureau in
Reed Hall. Oakland. Yesterday, for the
purpose Of ascertainIng. what the or
ganization was doing and what it in
tended to do in the adjustment and
settlement OF claims, why the under
writer's did not have quarters in San
Francisco where poficy-holders could
give notice OF their losses and obtain
reliable and authoritative information
as to what course to pursue In clear
ing away debris in cases where the
owners wanted to rebuild immediate-
ly. The committee consisted of Sam
uel Knight, David Rich and E.. s..
Rothschild.4
Chairman G. w. Spencer Of the Fire
Underwriters Adjusting Bureau out
lined the system upon which the COM
panies were working In adjusting
claims In answer No the question as
to when payments on losses would be
forthcoming, Mr.. Spencer said: 7
THE underwriters wfll pay all losses
in full as they have done in the past,
and without discounting. Men accus-
toned to looking great disasters in
the face are now adjusting the losses
so that they may be paid as soon as
possible
Rolla " Watt said that the insur-
ance' men were farther ahead in their
work than were the banks. and that
-
were being handled and adjusted faster
than were the losses in the Chicago,
Boston and Baltimore fires.
REQUEST UNREASONABLE. !
Asked as to why the insurance COM
panies did not publish list Of their
losses, Mr.. Watt replied:
THAT would be as unreasonable as
1t would be to ask the banks to pub
Iish a list Of their creditors and Gus
toners, and, besides, 1t would entail a
vast amount Of extra labor at this
time. We cannot give any information
regarding many policies that were
burned, but every person who held a
policy may rest assured that the un-
derwriters will deal honestly and fair
ly with the holder IN the final settle
ment."
F. ]. Devlin followed Mr.. Watt. and
SLdlGO tIdL IIldIy VI LnC lllouA oiiOC
companies were handicapped In accom-
modating their clien.s with informa-
ton because of the destruction Of rec
ords.
This is a time ror patience and not
for. criticism remarked Mr.. Devlin.
THE insurance companies. with per-
haps one or two exceptions. will pay
every dollar they owe. Insurance men,
in fact. will be called upon to rebuild
San Francisco, and property owners
should exercise patience while claims
are being adjusted
The property owners committee was
given to understand that the Fire IN
derwriters' Adjusting Bureau would
open branch Office in the ferry build
ing next Monday. where general in
formation would be furnished. The
committee was told that the reason
the underwriters had established them
selves In Oakland was because they
could not secure the necessary Office
accommodations here.
PERMITS TO REMOVE DEBRIS.
Persons desiring to remove debris
from their premises are advised by
the underwriters to hrst go to the rep
resentatives Of the companies in which
they are insured, explain the situation
and be, governed By che instructions
given them.
The following losses were taken up
by the general adjusting committee of
the Fire Underwriters Adjusting Bu
reau yesterday. and the companies
named were designated to furnish men
to adjust the losses:
California Theater - Commercial
Union. Caledonian. Williamsburg City.
Mechanics Pavilion-Northern Ham
burg Bremen, Norwich Union.
observation-disclosures and Liverpool
and Globe, Globe and Rutgers. London
Lloyds. Proyidence-washing Allie
ghany.
General Electrical Company-Union
Springfield, Northern.
Seller Bros. 101 Market street-At-