Fireboat or No Fireboat: Insurers Threaten a 25% Rate Hike

Another difficulty has confronted the city council in the fireboat matter, this time the question of insurance upon water-front property being the stumbling block. No sooner had the trouble arising from a supposed conflict between the city ordinance and the United States marine law relative to the number of men required to be kept on the boat been settled, and the force cut to five men, than the council was notified by the underwriters that unless the former efficiency of the fireboat be established on or before May 20, the insurance rates upon property within the district protected would be raised 25 per cent.

This was something of a staggerer to those who had worked so hard to place the city's affairs in a condition to meet the financial difficulties, so acting upon the request of the insurance men to meet the committee of the council, they yesterday afternoon assembled in the council chambers in the city hall in the hope of arriving at some conclusion by which the trouble could be averted.

The mayor, Aldermen Miller, Clise, Anderson and Compton, and Delegates Voight, James, Little, Hurd, Kistler and Goodhue, Fire Commissioners Meek, Kahaley, Jones and Masel, and also Chief Hunt, Capt. Burns, D. A. Spencer, Frank Hanford and T. J. Conroy, the assistant manager of the Pacific Insurance Union, were present, and gave their views upon the subject.

Delegate James thought that insurance companies were very prompt to raise insurance rates as a rule, but were very slow to make any reductions whenever better protection was provided, as was the case of the Queen Anne district before and after the establishment of the engine-house there, and which, he claimed, had not reduced the rates a particle.

Mr. Spencer replied that he thought Mr. James had the wrong idea, as the rates had been as low without the fire protection, before the establishment of the engine-house, as they would have been had it been there, so the property-owners were the gainers at that time, as the rates had not been raised as they could have been had the companies so desired.

Mr. James said he had an idea some one had been bringing influence to bear or had said more than they had any business to say in explanation of this move, but as the matter had come up he supposed it had to be settled in some way.

After an hour's debate, Mr. Conroy stated that his telegraphic instructions from the head office had been very plain, and he would have to leave it with the council whether they would establish the efficiency of the boat or have the rates raised. He thereupon excused himself, as he had to go away upon the next boat, and took his leave.

"Looks like a case of fireboat or no fireboat," remarked Alderman Clise.

"In case of no fireboat they won't insure at all," dryly remarked Delegate Voigt.

The only conclusion arrived at was to the effect that a proposition would be made to the insurance company that the city place three more men on the boat, thereby making the total number eight, with one man, in case of alarm, to act as driver of the hose wagon, but to act as fireman on the boat after reaching the place of landing.

A committee of three, consisting of the mayor, Alderman Clise and Delegate Hurd, was appointed to present this proposition and to also lay the matter before the council.

Several other matters were brought up, the chief suggesting that the city purchase a new repeater for the fire alarm system, to be what is known as a six-circuit repeater. This, he explained, would diminish the danger of discovering where the system was out of working order in case of fire during the search, as the present repeater is only a three-circuit, and in case anything happened to the wires at any point, it cut out one-third of the city until the break was repaired. Fire Commissioner Kahaley also stated that it was becoming absolutely necessary that more hose be purchased, as some at present in use was rather old and would need to be replaced.