Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 March 1897 — INSURANCE MEN MEET [ARTICLE]

INSURANCE MEN MEET

WESTERN FIRE UNION CON. VENES IN ST. LOUtS. Plan to Amicably Adjust Differences with Non-Union Companion-Asso-ciation Favors the Fire Marshal System of Holding Inquests on Fires. Unite to Fight Bills. The Western Fire Insurance Union, .composed of presidents aud managers of insurance I’ompanWs.uiet in semiannual convention in St. Ixiuis for a four days’ session. The most important question discussed was the relation of the union Jn non-union companies. There are about eighty-five union companies and feeventy-tive non-union. The rivalry between them has often led to bitter fights, spreading over a large territory. At the convention a plan was adopted to secure an amicable adjustment of differences. The question of legislation also received considerable attention. In a number of States bills have been introduced hostile to insurance companies, while in others bills encouraging the business are being considered. The committee on legislation advanced this as an argument for the alliance of all insurance companies, union and non-union. The fire marshal system was also considered by the convention. This system is in vogue in several Eastern States, and an unsuccessful effort was made in Missouri to get a law for the apiwintment of a fire marshal and deputies, whose duty it should be to investigate every fire, holding an inquest in due form, with a jury and witnesses, and making an official report. The insurance companies are in favor of the idea, as they believe it would greatly prevent incendiarism and careless tires. MILLION HINGES ON A WORD. Important Suit in Which a Chicago Company la Interested. The ownership of $1,000,000 worth of land in California depends upon the legal construction of the word "brought.” The act of Congress approved March 3, 1801, provides that no suit shall be "brought” by the United States to vacate ar annul any patent to public lands issued before the date mentioned within five years from the passage of the act. This "period of limitation,” as the lawyers style it, expired March 3, 1896. Consequently it appears that all patents to public lauds issued before March 3, 1891. became absolute and irrevocable March 3, 189(5. unless previously attacked by suit brought as the Jaw requires. The case in which the point has been raised is that of the United States against the American Lumber Company of Chicago aud the Central Trust Company of New York. The Government seeks to have canceled, upon the ground of fraud and conspiracy, more than one hundred and sixty different patents to railroad timber lands in California, situated in Humboldt and Mendocino Counties. The American Lumber Company holds the patents to these lands, which embrace 27,000 acres, and their value has been estimated at in the neighborhood of $1,000,000. The Central Trust Company issued mortgage bonds on the security of the lands to the amount of $300,000. The bill of complaint was tiled in the Circuit Court in San Francisco Feb. 3, 1896. That was just a month before the statutory period of limitation expired. after which the Government could not institute suit. The question to be decided is, Was the suit brought when the bill was filed? The decision will thus afford an important precedent for both courts and lawyers.

FLAME 9 LICKED UP MILLIONS. Record for the United States and Canada,for Two Months. The New York Journal of Commerce and Commercial Bulletin says: The fire loss of the United States and Canada for the month of February, as compiled from our daily records, shows a total of SB.676,750. The loss for January and February compares with the figures for the same months of 1895 and 1896 as follows: 1895. 1896. 1897. Jan $11,895,600 $11,040,000 $12,049,700 Feb. 12,360,200 9,730,100 8,676,750 Tot. $24,255,800 $20,770,100 $20,726,450 --fne fire loss lor li’9 7 . so far. it will be noticed, is very close to the figures for the same period of 1896. Mu. has opened up very expensively, and it is not unlikely that the record for the first quarter will exceed that for the first three months of 1896.

CHEAP GAS IN BELFAST. Costa Consumers Only Sixty Cents Per 1,000 Feet. The city of Belfast, Ireland, has been making a large profit on the gas works controlled by it. Last year’s profit was £67,377. It has been decided to lower the cost to consumers, although the present price is ridiculously low, according to American standards. Hereafter gas will be sold for 60 cents per 1,000 feet, instead of 66 cents, and there will be a discount of from 5 per cent to 20 per cent, dependent upon the amount consumed; all this, too, with coal at $3.09 per ton. Woodmen in Session. The second biennial convention of the Sovereign Camp, Woodmen of the World, was called to order in St. Louis, with about fifty delegates present from nearly every State in the Union. Joseph Cullen Root, sovereign consul commander and founder of the order, was in the chair. Eckels Says Nay. ~ Eckels has refused to acdrcept the appointment as monetary envoy nto Europe, and will serve term as ii ■ Comptroller unless removed by President i' McKinley. o iniif. 11 • -■>» Singers’ Train a Wreck. *A’ special train bearing a French opera ■■'frotope of 150 people, bound for San Fran■*ocidtW, was wrecked near Casa Grande, Ariz. There were about ten tramps on tEe train and several were badly injured. iiAW P f the opera troupe was injured, but o ?lW|y. _ '1 "Li McKinley’s Mail. / lll( /£he mail is piling up, despite rP 8t efforts of a number of officials, t by Private Secretary Boyle. The, Ip the' letters concern appointments congratulations. j/’ .ibnconrages Railroad Building. jXhe bill has passed both houses of the u Legislature exempting from taxa,(l|iop,,;lor. fifteen years, all railroads commencing operations within six months, were introduced favoring female ~ suffrage, the right to lapse on marriage be,restored on widowhood. ti _ - Pine Tree Clubhouse Destroyed. The Pine Tree Clubhouse, a well-known sbintiiet resort conducted by P. E. Water‘’bifrt; vtirt’ burned at Solon Springs, Wig. ■’TSrfrati# building was destroyed in half an iiUUL. nWra? WMs by fishermen from