The San Francisco call., 1907-01-16
UNDERWRITERS IN
ANNUAL SESSION
Insurance Men Discuss the
Future of Business in
the San Francisco Field
PRESENT FIRE HAZARD

The Present Fire Hazard of San
Francisco" by Adam Gilliland. and
The Effect of Fire on Glass A Build
ings," by George N Robertson, were
the most important papers read at the
opening session of the Fire Under
writer's Association of the Pacific in
the ferry building yesterday. GilIfland
was optimistic in mis- views OF the
future of the insurance business in this
city. Robertson discussed in detail the
result OF his studies in his capacity as
chief engineer for the Board of Under
writers, OF the effect of the fire on the
big buildings of the city. He called
attention to defects in structures in re-
gard to hreproofng and illustrated
various points by stereopticon views
furnished by Professor Derleth, civil
engineer of the University OF Califor-
mia.
Ornamental stonework and architec-
tural embellishments were, in the main
so badly damaged, said Robertson. that
1T was necessary to replace them. the
tearing down and replacing causing an
actual loss greater than the original
cost. He Illustrated the effect OF heat
upon steel and iron columns. calling
attention to the manner in which they
softened and collapsed. this damaging
portions of the building above them
which might not otherwise have been
damaged
Concrete and plaster partitions Jared
even worse than those of tile. the en-
gineer explained, mainly because the
loss of alignment was greater. Floors
were generally more fortunate than
partitions because of the protection af-
forded by ceilings underneath The
fire which destroyed the majority of
the large buildings was rather a lazy.
determined fire than a hot one.
Loss ON BIG BUILDINGS
Robertson asserted that freproohng
of the future was more a problem OF
excluding than controlling flames with
stress upon providing windows with
shutters to exclude flames. He gave
figures as to the sound value. salvage
and loss of several of the most prom
inent buildings. as agreed upon by the
adjusters, as follows:
Rialto building-Sound value, $632.-
5000; salvage, $1O6,022.74; loss. s54.-
S97.4S.
Hotel St Francis-cost of building.
s1,57&714.sO; cost of repairing, s1.1ss,-
1890.
Grant building-Cost Of building.
s297O4S.36; cost of repairing. s17s,7sS
Skreve building-Sound value. $54S.-
5s2.S1; loss and damage, $3.50. 935
Gilliland outlined the measures that
have been taken and that are being
taken to protect the city in future.
calling attention to the needs for fire
protection in the Western Addition and
In the unburned section of the Mission
District.
President F. B. Kellam. in his ad-
dress, also took a very hopeful view
of the situation for the coming year.
Although s175.O0O. 900 has been paid
out in losses by the companies since
the fire, financial conditions of the
country have not suffered He said
that although forty-three companies
had retired from the San Francisco
field. thirty-six from California and
thirty-two from the Pacific Coast, and
that although six had failed ard were
in the hands of receivers, a great
showing had been made in the pro gress
of insurance in the United States. In
the Chicago fire thirry-six years ago
one-half of the companies doing bust
here, with two and a half times the
loss. 955 of the companies have wealth
cred the storm
NEW LAWS NOT NEEDED
President Kellam took occasion to
insurance laws. taking the stand that
the fewer there were the better it
would be both for the companies and
the policy holders.
A letter from Edward F. BeddaII.
general attorney for the Royal Insur-
ance Company, was read He wrote
that the fire in San Francisco had swal-
lowed up a century-s profit in the in
surance business. He declared that
this was mainly due 70 the faulty con-
struction of buildings and that the
cities of other countries were not 50
liable to disaster from fire as those OF
the United States. He advocated
salt water system of protection and
deplOred the practice of some coast
cities in allowing tanks for petroleum
to be built on the water front.
c. A. r. Heuer read a paper on
Simple Electrical Inspections" with a
warning against the dangers OF the
transformers. and r. W. Osborn deliv-
cred an address on the subject of
"The People VS.. Insurance Companies
Argument for the Defense Before Judge
Horsesense."
The members of the association will
meet again today at 10 o'clock for
the hearing of more papers. reports
of committees and the election of Of
ficers.
The annual banquet will be held to-
night at the Palace Hotel at z o'clock