The Fire That Paid Its Bills
A local grocery firm thanks their insurance agent for a prompt payout after Jackson Street burns down.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
To Our Patrons:
We desire to thank you for the nine hundred dollars cash, just paid as we desire to thank you. Your adjustment and payment of the loss sustained by burning of our grocery store on Jackson street, almost a week ago, is prompt, fair and to our entire satisfaction, as you pay the full face of your policies.
Very respectfully, Morford & Platt. John P. Hoyt, Pres. N. D. Ballard, Vice Pres. J. Furth, Treas.
In an era before modern disaster relief or government aid, small business survival depended entirely on the speed and integrity of private insurance companies. This brief note highlights how critical reliable underwriting was for Seattle's early commercial class, where a 'prompt' payout could mean the difference between rebuilding and bankruptcy.
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