Fight of insurance companies

FIGHT OF INSURANCE COMPANIES.

Muncie May Get Her Underwriting for

Nothing if it Keeps On.

Muncie, Ind., Sept. 27. — Fire insurance rates here are being cut right and left. Four years ago there was a series of factory fires in Muncie starting with the destruction of the C. H. Over and Hemingray glass factories. Following these there was over $500,000 loss to be paid manufacturers by the insurance companies, and after careful investigation by expert insurance men sent here it was decided by some companies to withdraw from this field. Many policies were canceled, while those who continued to hold risk did so after giving the rates a boost. For more than two years the loss by fire to the companies here has been smaller than in any other locality where there is much property, and for a year the city council, Commercial club and other organizations have been making a strong fight for the lowering of the high rates.

John J. Hartley is secretary of the union companies, and W. L. Little is manager of several companies known as non-union. Recently Hartley announced for the union companies a general reduction of 10 per cent. Little at once went the union companies a point better, and to hold business the union companies met the cut. For three days this sort of business has been in progress each company attempting to get the business from the other, and policies on business property, manufactories and residences have been canceled right end left, and the fight is still on.