The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-04
Every little bit helps. ;

~~~r~- | ton is concerned.
 The Pacific coast insurance head quarters have been established in | Reeds Hall. Harrison and Thirteenth | streets. Oakland. The first step to- ward organization was the formation of the First Underwriters Adjusting Bureau, with George w. Spencer, of the Aetna, as chairman. All of the companies corncerned in the San, Fran cisco loss are represented in this tenn porary organization. Besides this pa- rent emergency organization American companies have organized, with George H. Tyson, of the German American, as chairman, This organization has head quarters at 1906 Broadway, Oakland Following the same line the repre- sentatives of English companies have organized and have headquarters at Clay and Fifteenth streets. Oakland. Rolla V. Watt, of the Royal, being chairman of this organization. In the absence of satisfactory telegraphic communication with the East the coast insurance men wish 1t made known that all communications from all sources should be addressed to the Reeds Hall Headquarters, at which place the mail and despatehes will be sorted and distributed to, the American and English companies organized and by these in turn to the agents. mana gers and others
 The most serious delay that has confronted the underwriters so far in the restoration of order Is the danger of opening the vaults in which records are kept One nasty agent opened his vault and the result was the instant and complete incineration of the re- cords by the inflow of oxygen. Books and papers crumbled into uselesness at the slightest touch.
 Professor Price, one of the most prominent chemists on the coast, has advised the underwriters that they court the destruction of their records by opening their vaults for some time and 1t probably will be thirty days before the safes and vaults may be opened with safety.
 Experts in deciphering injured and partially burned documents have been employed and many others have vol unteered from the East The probabil- ities are that they will have plenty to do. Every claim blank In San Fran cisco was destroyed. Hurry up mes sages have been sent East for blanks and 500,000 are expected here as soon as the express companies can handle them. but even the express companies have hundreds of tons of matter piled up which they have been unable to deliver. and 1t is doubtful if there will be a claim blank here for some time.
 The representatives on the ground are beginning to hear from their coGl- panies. T. c. Grant, Pacific coast man. ager of the North British and Mercan- tile, has received a telegram from headquarters to this effect: London office instructs United States Manager Richards to value on London in pay ment of all recognized claims. and sub- scribes $5,00O to sufferers
 T went through the Chicago fire" said Mir. Grant today. but it was mere incident compared to this. There we did not lose our homes and our friends as well as our offices"
 l asked T. c. Coggin. general coun- sel for the Board of Underwriters of the Pacific coast, what the probable attitude of the companies would be in the matter of the discrimination be- tween earthquake and fire losses.
 Tn this matter we are on new grounds" he said. and 1t is utterly impossible to cross this bridge before we reach it."
 The general impressions seems to prevail among those in close touch with the insurance agents, that the companies will follow the policY~-of which would mean that losses by earthquake would not be paid any more than a loss by tornado would be, and while predictions are premature at this time on any general plan to be adopted by the companies it is safe to say that close adherence to con tract will be the general line of set clement.
 On this basis many companies will be retired from business, by the settle ment. Nowhere in Oakland or San Francisco among insurance men Is there any doubt manifest that any of the companies will not pay claims Concerning the total probable loss and total insurance loss there is great re- ticence. From the very nature of the situation, with the records still in val ue, anything like and accurate estimate cannot be made. The guesses range from $1oO,O0O, 1000 to $2b0,O0O OOO ,nss,e rance loss, and S20O, ,00O. .0O0 may be con sidered a fair average of the rueasas now being made by the insurance men The total property loss caluclatad roughly by the insurance men viii reach $500,000,0 900. These figures arc not proclaimed publicly because thers Is disposition to minimize the aro rance loss and requests for estimatss are met with the answer that no esti- mate Of any value can be given
 The underwriters have already nre- pared to take hand in the future San Francisco as far as building constrnc- ton is concerned, a committees hayin1 w. J, button. of the Firemen's Funds as chairman, is to cooperate with similar committee from the Architects ana Engineers Association in formu- the city. Attorney Coogan said today that was one of the most important works ahead of the underwriters as the present city building ordinances had been demonstrated by the fire ho be taulty In many particulars.