Year: 1870

Mr.. EDITOR Feeling desire to en-
Tighten the public mind upon a subject of
vital Importance to all concerned, | know
of no better method of reaching the public
eye, than through the columns of the Sus-
sex Journal. Most of your readers are
aware of the fact, that our fellow-towns-
man and worthy citizen, Capt. William
w. Cannon, of Concord, was unfortunate
in having his store goods partially des-
troyed and damaged by fire, sometime in
the month of March, in the present year.
These goods were insured in the Kent
County Fire Insurance Company, for
.twenty-four hundred dollars. The Capt
at the time of his loss, estimated his en-
tire stock of goods, at about one thousand
dollars.


The timely efforts of the citizens of the
town succeeded in extinguishing the
flames, and saving portion of his goods,
and other contiguous property, most of
which was insured, in the above named
Company. The Agent for the Company,
appointed j. W. Morgan and T. p Rod
uey, two intelligent and respected mer-
chants of the town to assess the damage
caused by the fire. These gentlemen un-
der oath, after overhauling all the goods
(Which required no little time) assessed
the damage at three hundred and twenty
two dollars, an estimate-considered by
all who were acquainted with the stock OF
goods, to be very reasonable one. A few
weeks after the above named gentlemen
had valued or assessed the damage, Mes
srs. Prettyman of Bridgeville, and Walk
er, of Dover, came down, and after glanc-
ing at the goods that were damaged,
jumped in their carriage and left for their
homes. These gentlemen l am informed,
did not remain in the store over fifteen or
twenty minutes, which was not sufficient
time for them to see what amount of dam
age was done to the goods. In a few
weeks the Captain received letter from
the Secretary of the Company, in which
he stated that Messrs. Prettyman and
Walker valued the damage at ninety-eight
dollars and ninety cents Now Mr.. Edi-
tor, is it reasonable to suppose that these
two men, Prettyman and Walker, could
make correct estimate of the amount of
damage in fifteen or twenty minutes, when
it required Morgan and Rodney over a
half day? There. is no justice in such
proceedings. But, to show you how
changoable the wire workers of this Com
pany are, after they had given their con-
sent to pay the ninety eight dollars and
ninety cents, the amount of damage as
sessed by Prettyman and Walker, the
Captain received another letter from the
Secretary of the Company informing him,
that the Company at the last meeting had
concluded not to pay him anything. Two
weeks afterwards he received the third
letter, informing him that they would pay
the ninety eight dollars and ninety cents.
Now Mr.. Editor contend that the Com
pany has no excuse at all for the non pay
ment of the three hundred and twenty
two dollars, the amount of damage as
sessed by Mr.. Morgan and Rodney. Their
only excuse is that the agent did not do
his duty. If this be true, who is to
blame? Must the party insured suffer
because the agent is remiss in duty? I
think the agent came nearer doing his
duty than the Company whom he repre-
scented, and | am inclined to think that
.there are others that think as I do, as I
nave heard them publicly express desire
10 draw out and insure in some other Com
pany. The whole secret is, the COMPANY
does not want to pay its Indebtedness if t
can possibly avoid it, and if there is any
justice in law, hope Captain Cannon will
nave 1t dealt out to him more lavishly
than was done by the Kent County Fire
insurance Company. OBSERVER.