Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-14
COUNCIL MAY OPPOSE
FIRE RATES INCREASE
Will Consider and Advise Un-
derWriters Advance is Un-
warranted.

That there Is not going to be any
wholesale advancing of fire insurance
rates in this city without city Council
taking some notice Of. the matter and
possibly going on record as being op-
posed tc. the advance. was indicated
last night az the meeting of the COM
mittee of the whole of that body when
President Howard NJ. Ward asked IL
the members thought they should do
anything regarding the recent sug-
gesIion Of the underwriters.
Councilman Nc Nahh was on his feet
in n moment and declared that he per-
sonally thought they should do some
thing about IL. He stated that while he
WAS a member of the Legislature hc
worked for and advocated the cstah-
lishmcnt of a paid fire department in
Wilmington and his chief argument in
support OF this was that with "a paid
department the fire insurance rates
would he reduced. He said the city
is preparing to spend n huge sum Of
money for the creation OF this paid
department and I'm the face of this the
underwriters are threatening to make
an increase in the rates.
Councilman Vincent explained that
he attended the recent meeting held
by citizens when the Increase waa
discussed and he gathered the impress
sion that there was to be no general
increase vi rates but that where fire
hazards existed there would be in
crcases but on the other hand If the
causes of the excessive or unusual
risks were removed there most likely
would be a reduction in the rates
Councilman Ahrahams stated that 1t
seemed to hc generally understood that
the insurance companies had been
hard hit by the fire at the plant Of
the Wilmington Leather Company
several months ago and that il seemed
to hc the impression that the increased
rates were about tn be instituted for
the purpose OF helping the insurance
companies recuperate to some extent
on these losses.
President Ward said al insurance
is a gamble hut he wanted I, know
il il were not possible for the city
Council 10 20 on record as not favor
ing the proposed increases and IS pro
testing against their b"ing made. lie
said they as City Counrilm"n We're
expected 10 safeguard the interests
~ the citizens uf wilmington and he
felt that the Council should do some
thing to lct the underwriters UNDER
stand that Council does not favor
their pians. II, therefore offered fhe
following resolution for the considcra
tion II the members
Whereas. II has come I" The notice
II the citizens of WiImneton Dela-
ware that tire insurance policies now
expiring and 3hout tc be renewed tqcp
an increase III rates. and
Whereas The citizens were led tc
believe that wh hen (. paid fire department
was fTcctivc said rates would not in
crease; and
Whereas. We. the Council " Viii
mington. representing the citizens
thereof. thinking the city had acted
wisely q cry ot the time. rs succeed
| Ing III getting paid fire department..
therefore, ~ il
/ Resolved, That we the Council %
Wilmington protest against the in
crease Of rates. and that All fire in
surance companies conducting said
business in Wilmington. Delaware, he
informed that their incrcascmcnt of
rates appear 70 hc unwarra nted, and be
| Il further
Resolved. Tha, said protest is made
for the purpose az stopping any flu
turc raise of fire Insurance rates.
This was not adopted ~ the COM
mittcc meeting last night. Mr. Ward
explained that il would give the mem
bers food for thought and that they
could take definite action on the matter
AT the meeting OF the Council this
evening Several Of the members
favored the resolution, however and
openly expressed themselves as ready
right then and there 10 vote FOR its
adoption. Ii is believed it will be
passed unanimously at the meeting to-
night when il viii again be offered IN
the formal way FOR definite disposition.
II is understood there Will be no Op-
position t0 II.