The Washtenaw Farmers' Insurance Society

The Washtenaw Mutual Fire insurance company held their annual meeting in the basement of the court house, Wednesday. It was a representative meeting. Leading farmers from all over the county were present. Presedint John Spafford, of Manchester, presided with dignity. Owing to the Hand trial the meeting was held in the basement and although ampie room was not thus given for oratorical display, the orators among the farmers did let loóse two or three times. As has been previously stated in the Argus, the company has over 2,700 members and over $5, 000, 000 capital stock and had an assessment of only 10 cents on $100. As the Argus is obliged to pay $2 on $100 for insurance, it can appreciate the low rate if all the farmers can't. Those present at the meeting Wednesday seemed to appreciate it and never before in its history has the company been so prosperous. The chief business before the meeting was the election of directors. This, however, provoked no contest. The three old directors, whose time had expired, William K. Childs, Emory E. Leiand and W. K. Stocking, were elected practically without opposition. The election was by ballot and the tellers for the ocasión were Joe T. Jacobs, W. I. Yeckley and Fred B. Braun. After the election of officers the stockholders voted to pay the claim of Mrs. William Stevens, of Dexter, for $330. This being done, E. A. Nordman, of Lima, wanted a by-law passed giving the meeting the right to pass upon claims referred to it by the directors. William Campbell contended that the meeting had that right. On motion of Mr. Platt the matter of changing the by-law was tabled. Mr. Childs explained that the state law gave the stockholders the right to do what the officers could not. This year being the year when the charter required a re-exaniination of all the property and a reassessnient of it, Mr. Campbell on behalf of the directors asked for instructions. Mr. Nordman wanted the directors to waii lur iünger üWyi lx-.-iujc ü akiñg the reassessment. George A. Peters arose, and in response to cries of "Come forward, congressman, where we can see you," stepped to the front, saying: "You all had a chance to see me a year ago, hut there didn't many of you see me." Mr. Peters suggested that the board of directors appoint Mr. Nordman to make the reassessment for the township of Lima during the month of June. H. D. Platt suggested giving the property holders of the county a fair equalization. He wanted the directors to apprise the property for protection, intimating in his remarks that if the directors erred in apprising, to err in the directión of putting their figures too high. Mr. Nordman wanted the value put at about what it cost to rebuild. Mr. Peters tried to work in some politics and asked for a minute and a half which was given him. He wanted the farmers to think of their homes, their wives and their families. The meeting then adjourned. This may be a good place to state that it was over thirty years ago that the Farmers' Mutual was first organized in this county by Munis Kinne, of Webster, who went over the county with a little satchel. The trouble in the early management of the company lay in the tact that property was apprised too high. After this was remedied, the company started out on a long career of prosperity.