The San Francisco call., 1906-06-16

clalS OF the concern To-Day dShcO
pointblank what the financial condition
OF the company was; whether it in
tended 10 pay its losses, and on what
basis.
We'll" answered the insurance man,
IF our policy holders arc willing to ac-
eept so cents on the dollar and give rs
a chance to live we may be able to re-
sumo business. If they crowd US for
more than that it means that the Ger
man Freeport will be wiped off the
earth"
W. NJ Bament of the Home Fire In
surance Company of New York, who
presided as chairman of the general adj
iusting committee Of fifteen of the Fire
Underwriters Adjusting Bureau dur
ing the three weeks absence in the
East of II. F. Atwood. when asked to-
day for his views on the present insur-
ance situation as il affects San Fran
cisco. said he was not prepared to eN-
press himself He was not ready 10
state whether tangles that have en-
meshed the operations of the insurance
companies during the past six weeks
would be unrAveled and speedier head
way made toward final settlement OF
the losses. Bament said:
Il have been so busy with the af-
fairs Of my own company that / nave
scarcely had time to give outside mat
+ers attention. / acted as chairman of
the general adjusting committee in the
absence of Mr.. Atwood, and l do not
think he should have resigned from
that position after returning from the
East. as he was Just the man for the
place. / have thought all along now
ever. that il would have been better had
the craftsmanship of the general ad-
justing committee been given to Pa
cifc Coast underwater.
LOSSES BEING PAID.
MY company is paying out on its in
dividual losses and already We have
settled several hundred claims. l am
not prepared to say just what amount
we have paid out thus far in dollars
and cents. / received my first notice
today from one of the loss committee
named by the general adjusting com
mittee. The Home is now ready to
pay on several risks where it was ia
terested with more than six companies
What appears to be a fragrant at
tempt on the part of some insurance
companies to prevent payment of fire
loss by using without the slightest
warrant the earthquake damage" bug
aboo, has appeared in the case of the
American Biscuit Company. The large
factory stood at the corner of Battery
and Broadway, San Francisco. 1t was
through that section of the city. The
loss in which a number of insurance
companies were represented. was duly
assig gned to the adjusting committees
The total insurance runs between $780,
600 and 100000.
Now the story goes that certain
companies in the seventy FIVE cent list
Of discounters are trying to force a
settlement on a declaration that the
companys buildings were materially
damaged by the snock. This in face
OF evidence. Photographic and from wit
nesses by affidavit, that the structure
withstood the earthquake and was not
damaged TO any extent noticeable by
external examination.
FACTS ARE CONFIRMED.
Afidavits have been made that the
building was in excellent condition
when the fire reached it. Persons who
passed and repassed the factory many
times before the flames drove them
away have given their sworn state
ments that the structure was intact
Many employees of the company, who
fought the encroaehing flames, have
made like declarations 1t is known
that there have been newspaper publ
cations OF photographs showing that
the building was uninjured materially
DS lue suock. All OF InlS evidence mas
been procured to prove that the loss
was entirely by fire. yet there is a de-
lay in the settlement of the loss, which
is not only exasperating the company
but is harassing. annoying and delay
ing those insurance companies which
are interested and are ready to settle
the loss in good faith.
This incident is much discussed In
insurance circles as furnishing evi.
dence of the tactics which not a few
of the six bit" companies are pur.
suing in their efforts to compel the
San Francisco sufferers to accept z
/ deep cut in the face of the adjusted
claims before payment will be made
Mrs. A. c. Vincent and Rose Palmer
through their attorney, Charles B. Ma.
gle Of San Francisco. have begun suit:
in Justice James Quinn's court agains
the Palatine Insurance Company to re-
cover $500 in each case. The plaintiff.
! allege that the Palatine Company ha.
refused to pay the policies or any par
of them Relative to these suits c. F.
Mullins, manager of the Palatine Com.
pany said: