writers, from 1873 to 1875, and was president of the New York Board of Fire Underwriters in 1890 and 1891. Blagden, Thomas, New York fire insurance broker. [See Death Roll.] Blodgett, Tilden, of the New York office of the Equitable Life Assurance Society, was born in New York, February 6, 1852, and has been connected with the company since 1869, beginning at the lowest rung of the ladder and climbing to the post of a manager of the metropolitan department. Mr. Blodgett was one of the organizers of the Life Insurance Association of New York, and was its president in 1892. He was also the first vice-president of the National Association of Life Underwriters. Boardman, George C., general agent of the Etna of Hartford for the Pacific coast, was born and reared in Hartford, Conn. He became a special agent for the Merchants' insurance company, and in 1860 visited California in the interest of that company. In 1861 he became secretary of the San Francisco insurance company, and in 1863 was elected president. In 1868 he resigned and accepted the general agency of the Etna. Practically Mr. Boardman's career as a fire underwriter on the Pacific coast covers the whole history of the business there. He proposed and mainly promoted the original board of underwriters, which paved the way for the Pacific Insurance Union. Board of Underwriters of New York, which represents ocean marine companies doing business in New York, was organized in 1820, and has been in uninterrupted operation since. The present officers are John D. Jones of the Atlantic Mutual of New York, president; James F. Cox, vice-president; James A. Whitlock, secretary; A. C. Spencer, clerk. Boards of Fire Underwriters, State. [See Fire Underwriters Associations.] Bond and Mortgage Guaranty company of Brooklyn, N. Y., was organized March 29, 1892, with $1,000,000 paid up capital stock. William B. Isham is president and Frank Bailey secretary. The company, as its title indicates, insures the payment of the principal and interest of such bonds and mortgages as it is willing to accept for that purpose. Only a beginning of business was made in 1892. Borrowe, Samuel, second vice president of the Equitable Life Assurance Society, was born in New York, August 8, 1837, and joined the office force of the company in early manhood. He was city manager in 1868, appointed secretary in 1869, and second vice-president in 1878. Boston Board of Fire Underwriters was organized November 14, 1882. At the annual meeting, November 8, 1892, the special committee on co-insurance reported the following rule, which was unanimously adopted: All risks specifically rated by the Boston Board of Underwriters, where exceptions are not herein provided, are rated on the basis that these risks are insured to at least 80 per cent. of their value, and on and after the date of the promulgation of this rule, policies covering all such specifically rated risks must be written with an 80 per cent. The following officers and executive committee were elected: Presi- dent, B. B. Whittemore; secretary, Osborne Howes; executive_com- mittee, Herbert Coolidge, H. S. Wheelock, C. E. Guild, A. W. Pope, Boston Board of Marine Underwriters was organized May 9, 1850. The officers for 1893 are John H. Dane, president; Francis Pea- body, vice-president; George N. Amerige, secretary and treasurer; William Canfield, inspector. The office of the board is at the Mer- chants Exchange Building on State street, Boston. The board makes the tariff of charges for marine insurance, and its inspector inspects and fixes the rate on all vessels arriving in port and applying for in- Boston Fire Insurance Losses, 1881-1892. The following tabu- lation appeared in the report of the Boston Protective Department for Boston Fire Underwriters Union was organized May 22, 1872. It was originally the rating board for Boston, but was superseded by the Boston Tariff Association in 1882, which was in turn succeeded by the present Board of Fire Underwriters. The organization of the Union has been kept alive simply that it may serve as a vehicle for the electrical matters of the Board. The presidency of the Union is va- cant and has been so for about two years; Charles E. Guild is treasurer, and Osborne Howes, Jr., is secretary. The electrical inspectors of the Union are George W. Wilson, F. H. Carter, Geo. H. Spooner. Boston Inspection Department. The annual report of the in- spection department of the Boston Board of Fire Underwriters for the year ending November 1, 1892, stated that the department had made 5,033 complete inspections of buildings, and secured the correction of defects found in 3,954 of these inspections. As it took at least one additional visit and oftener two to secure this correction of defects, it was safe to say that there have been at least 10,000 visits to the buildings inspected during the past year. Regarding sprinkled risks the report said: We have now seventy-six risks protected with automatic sprinklers, a large number of these consisting of two or more buildings. These are frequently and rigidly inspected, the visits averaging about once in six weeks, and no effort is spared to bring the protection to the highest state of efficiency known. We have obtained the use of admirable arrangements for testing the operation of heads concerning which there may be doubt, either on acount of their new form or from having been subjected to conditions likely to render them inoperative; in consequence of defects thus made manifest we have been able to secure changes which we found necessary in several buildings, We are now ready to indicate exactly the manner in which we believe sprinklers should be arranged, and supplies of water provided for them in order to produce the best results under all conditions, and the eight risks equipped with sprinklers during the year have been under the direction and supervision of this department from the beginning of the installation. Five fires have occurred during the year in sprinkled risks, and in every case the sprinkler has put out the fire without external aid and with but small loss. Our knowledge of the conditions leads us to believe that in at least two cases the loss would have been very large had it not been for the prompt extinguishing of the fire. F. E. Cabot is the head of the department, having the official title of superintendent of inspections. Boston Life Underwriters' Association was organized in 1883, the original officers being Cornelius G. Attwood, president; Ben S. Calef and J. Mason Everett, vice-presidents; George N. Carpenter, secretary; Francis Marsh, treasurer; James T. Phelps, E. J. Smith, D. W. Kilburn, C. W. Holden, and Sidney M. Hedges, executive committee. The presidents of the association from organization to 1893 have been as follows: 1883 Cornelius G. Attwood. 1884 Ben S. Calef. 1885 Charles W. Holden. 1886 Walter M. Hodges. 1887 James T. Phelps. 1888 Geo. N. Carpenter. 1889 Daniel W. Kilburn. The officers for 1892-3 were, Sidney M. Hedges, president; Nathan Warren and Stephen F. Woodman, vice-presidents; Franklin Barnard, secretary; Francis Marsh, treasurer; Edward H. Osborn, editor of the Solicitor; Ben F. Calef, chairman, and William F. Batche, Charles A. Hopkins, Walter W. Hodges, and Darwin Barnard, members of the executive committee. The officers for 1893-4 are: Nathan Warren, president; Noah Plympton and C. D. Hammer, vice presidents; Franklin Barnard, secretary; Francis Marsh, treasurer; E. H. Osborn, editor of the Solicitor; James T. Phelps, chairman, S. M. Hedges, W. F. Batche, C. A. Hopkins, and S. F. Woodman, members of the executive committee. The tenth anniversary of the association was celebrated at Young's Hotel, Boston, February 14, 1893, by a banquet. The speakers, besides President Warren, were Lieut.-Governor Wolcott of Massachusetts, W. H. H. Davies, solicitor of the Mutual Life Insurance Company, Commissioner Merrill, President Tillinghast of the national association, Rev. Dr. Cuckson, Darwin Barnard, Robert M. Morse, Secretary of State Olin, President Register of the Philadelphia association, and Ben S. Calef. Boston Protective Department has grown and developed out of small beginnings. In 1849 its sole equipment consisted of two canvas bags containing each three oil covers. The headquarters were located in the insurance office of Dobson & Jordan, No. 50 State street. Assistant Engineer F. A. Coburn of the fire department was in charge, and had a key to the office door. He was authorized to press any person into service to carry the covers. In 1858 the fire department allowed the insurance companies to place six oil covers on the ladder of Ladder Company No. 1, to be used at fires. The men were paid at the rate of fifty cents an hour for their services. October 1, 1868, the first company was organized by Assistant Engineer W. A. Green, of the fire department, and consisted of nine men, the driver being the only permanent man. The apparatus and equipment at that time consisted of a one-horse milk wagon, twenty-five covers, and a number of brooms and shovels, the whole being housed in the old Engine Company No. 8's house in North Bennett street. Up to March 29, 1874, the department was maintained by voluntary contributions. In 1874 the legislature granted a charter to the organization, which was accepted March 11, immediately after its passage, and a code of by-laws adopted. The original title, "The Boston Protective Department" was retained in the corporate name, and the fire insurance companies doing business in Boston are required to maintain it. The maximum amount for expenditures was placed at $30,000. Captain J. S. Jacobs was appointed superintendent 1874, and Company No. 2 was organized and located on Shawmut avenue, corner of Pleasant street. In 1875 the annual appropriation for the support of the department was increased to $40,000. July 1, 1880, Samuel Abbott, Jr., was elected superintendent, and is still at the head of the department. In 1891 the appropriation was increased to $50,000. The department voted to adopt the New York system known as "double banking," requiring two extra wagons and a double outfit at each house with a second crew of men who will be on duty through the night and subject to "call" service during the day. The present organization consists of two companies and a total force of 56 men. There are ten horses, four wagons, 394 rubber covers, and two sleighs. The total number of fires and alarms during 1892 was 1,242, or 227 more than the previous year. The expense of maintaining the department for the year ending March, 1893, was $54,344. Boston Underwriters Inspectors Club. At the annual meeting at Boston, October 19, 1892, B. B. Whittemore made an address on fire insurance inspection during the past thirty years. Officers were elected as follows: President, George L. Elwell; vice-president, H. J. O'Neill; secretary, William H. Wedger; treasurer, Ira W. Orcutt; executive committee, F. E. Cabot, H. J. O'Neill, G. W. Wilson. Bowers, Henry E., resident United States manager of the Guardian of London, was born at Bozrah, Conn., December 3, 1840, but passed most of his boyhood in Norwich. In 1863 he was assistant editor of the Norwich Morning Bulletin, and in 1864 became the accountant of the Norwich fire insurance company. He was appointed general agent of the Fireman's Fund and the Union of California in 1868, special agent of the North British and Mercantile for New England in 1872, and United States manager of the Guardian in 1876. Previous to his acceptance of the management of the Guardian, he was for some years a member of the firm of Skeels, Bowers & Boughton, at Boston. Boyden, S. S., was appointed actuary of the Union Mutual Life insurance company in February, 1892. Bradley, Frederick, of Scull & Bradley, Boston fire insurance general agents. [See Death Roll.] Brewer, William A., Jr., president of the Washington Life insurance company of New York, was born at Boston, Mass., October 9, 1835. He graduated from the scientific department of Harvard College in 1854, with the degree of S. B. Following the vocations of civil engineer and architect, he was for two years engaged on the construction of the Lexington & Big Sandy railroad of Kentucky. In April, 1857, he entered the actuarial department of the Mutual Life of New York, under Mr. Sheppard Homans. In 1860 he was appointed actuary and secretary of the Washington Life. April 13, 1869, he was advanced to the vice-presidency and June 30, 1879, he succeeded the late Mr. Curtiss as president. Mr. Brewer resides at South Orange, N. J., which he has served in various public capacities; two terms as president of the village, fourteen years an officer, two years of them as president of the New England society of Orange, director of the Orange Athletic and Riding clubs, etc. Brewster, James H., assistant United States manager of the Lion and Scottish Union and National, was born at Coventry, Conn., December 24, 1845. He entered the office of the Connecticut Fire insurance company in 1867, and was appointed assistant secretary in 1873. He retired from that company with President Bennett, when the latter was put in charge of the two British companies, and was appointed assistant manager under him. British America assurance company of Toronto, Ont., was ruled out of Massachusetts in February, 1892, in accordance with the law of that state charging up as capital and therefore liability, the whole amount of deposits by foreign companies with the various states with which they do business. This created a technical impairment of the capital of the company, under the Massachusetts law. The company withdrew but subsequently, having made good the impairment, was readmitted. The control of this company was purchased in December, 1892, by the Western assurance company of Toronto. The two companies continued in business separately, but used the same agents in the United States as far as practicable. Governor Morrison of the British America retired. Bromwell, L. L., Pacific coast manager, was born at Cincinnati, O., about 1846, and at the age of twenty became a clerk in the Cincinnati office of the Phoenix of Hartford. In 1868 he was appointed a special agent and adjuster of the same company, and in 1870 received a similar appointment in the Pacific coast department of the Home and Phoenix. In 1878 he was general agent of the California insurance company; in 1879 was elected vice-president, and in 1885, upon the retirement of Mr. Hopkins, was elected president, continuing until the company stopped. For some years he was the Pacific coast manager of the Union Fire and Marine insurance company of New Zealand. |