Evening journal., 1921-07-12
INSURANCE
RATE PROBE
HITS SNAG
(continued from first pagel


Although those who attended the
melting last night at the Chamber OF
Commerce found themselves without
3 definite information concerning the
, rates to be put into effect, neverthe-
less they held lively discussion OF
the situation pro and con.
During this discussion. Albert
, Bird. of the Bird. Ford and Long in
, surance firm, declared the fire risks
I in Wilmington we're as bad as any
r that could be found in any city in
the East Properties on King and
Market streets. he said, we're ex-
tremely bad hazards.
'sWilmington's annual fire loss will
exceed $13 per capita" said Mr..
Bird. land I expect you will find. If
a study is made. that in this respect
we head the list of cities in the
United States"
Fire prevention is more import
ant than FIRE fighting, said President
; Smith OF the new Department of
Public Safety. He added that the
e directors plan establishment Of a
2 bureau which will make regular in
spections and enforce adequate PEN
{ alties upon property holders who do
NOT uDtY lnt HldnudAto-
I I'VE are planning a fire depart
D ment that will be second to none in
4 a community Of our size and com
q parable in every respect with those
! OF our largest cities" Mr.. Smith
- said. I'm carrying out our plans
e. one OF the first steps will be the es-
Enlistment OF a bureau that will
= thoroughly investigate conditions
d throughout the city.
d "This investigation will be carried
d on regularly and the instructions Of
B those in charge will be enforced"
Mr.. Smith added, asking that the
r department be given from six to
Il nine months" in which to do this
-- work, and he assured all that the
" results would give lasting satisfac-
70 ton to the citizens of Wilmington.
In opening the meeting. President
Warner, of the Chamber OF Com
merce, said it has been presumed
generally that II Wilmington estab-
lished a paid fire department there
would be no increases in insurance
/. rates.
1T may be- added Mr.. Warner
/ that this is only an equalization
, and that it cannot be considered a
general rate increase" He ther
added:
while it has been known that in
"a vestigators have been in the city fol
months, no one knew that an in
10 crease was contemplated. If such Is
a. the case, IL comes as a hard blow al
M this time when we are called upor
y to pay an increased tax rate, largely
"A made necessary by the cost of es
n tablishing a paid fire department.
Ia "Some say that the increases ap
,ix ply only in specific cases. We do no
81 know. But II the increase apple
nc to the great mass of our people i
NO certainly is q hardship" Mr.. Warne
a. added. He then outlined three con
Ice tentions on which he suggested tn
IN meeting should devote its considera
ma ton They were in question form
ix as follows;
Oh First. have the insurance compa
ed nies shown bad faith in making tn
increase at this time; secondly
We should a protest be lodged by tn
CO. meeting and II so. in what form; an
mt lastly SHOULD attention be directe
ar to curing the sore spots that ar
IN under fire"
~ In concluding. Mr.. Warner state
no that he could, not see where any bu
Ia. the fire insurance companies ar
a. responsible" He stated that the
- have chosen a most inopportun
"a time to make the change"
- Defends City Council
ne Councilman Alexander r. Abraham
nc then explained the various steI
'as taken by City Council a year ago {
lsst.. oh D foI,r .
, paid fire department He admitte
-"e that it was known as early as Marc
me OF this year that Investigations wei
TED being made. I'VE could never &
old definite information as to wheth
lad an increase was TO be made" ]
said. Councilman Abrahams stat'
ith that in his opinion the local insu
lad ance men were not 10 blame. as tn
rry merely acted as agents OF the b
-er- New York companies.
me c. T. Bridgman. chairman OF q
Ime Delaware Safety Council, said that
me far as he knew no statement HI
ial- been made that lower rates would T
had suit from the establishment of
paid fire department 'It has be
lose believed that the establishment
Tere a paid fire department would have
NAL tendency to reduce rates" he sa
nee. Mr.. Warner said that certs
re- figures placed Delaware's fire Il
nie- for last year about s1.70O.O0O
ellie. which he assumed about 20 per ce
4 to could be allotted to Wilmington. I
fire insurance representatives &C
on tended that the annual premiu
[ to paid in Delaware were several hi
his dred thousand dollars below the
was losses and 1t was a case of "incre
iivi- ing rates or going out of bu
, 20 ness"
r OF Criticism Of the lack of a fire m
shal brought the statement fr
lived Mr.. smith that the department
r IL Public Safety was going to pay p
his ticular attention to the early
n OF tablishment OF a separate bureau
Nor attend to this work. Mr.. Bird Il
em- condemned the conditions exist
Tor in Wilmington at the present II
'. j. GIVE the city fire marshal
eral. give authority TO enforce the nee
'ther sary safety regulations and you
ehus' have taken the biggest step poss
OF in the direction of cutting rat
Mr.. Bird said.
urleu Highheld Upholds Companies
lhse- William j. Highheld stated
i'aue ae as the new rates had been received
= him at / o'clock on Friday af
noon and he had not had
.,so TO study them. He said that
ley one knew Just "nae 'le 80 .s