Augusta County: C. T. Wills to John H. McCue,
November 20, 1852
Summary:
C. T. Wills' letter to McCue makes reference to several insurance policies,
including a refusal to issue policies involving Irishmen in Staunton. Wills also
provides McCue with the names of other companies whose bylaws serve as the basis
for the bylaws of the Lynchburg Hose and Fire Company.
Mr John H McCue
Novr 20th 1852
Office of the Lynchburg Hose and Fire
Insurance
Company
Dear Sir
Your favour of the 10th Inst. is in hand and its contents noted. Our Directors are gratified at the stand which you have taken as to the risks of the Messrs Shumate, and for the present will decline their propositions. This is not the general course of this Company, under similar circumstances. Where two neighbours (citizens) have difficulties, our Company ordinarily feel no fear in taking a risk for either, but where the difficulty is with a citizen and one of the class of Irishmen such as you have about Staunton on the Rail Road, they always refuse the Risk when the fact of the existence of such a difficulty is made known, for in temper and disposition, that class of Irishmen are regarded as neither fish, flesh or fowl, and the fear always is that in order to vent their spleen or gratify their animosity they would, as is believed, injure the whole world to effect an enemy, in feeling or in property.
In regards to Mr Woodwards Policy, if the Insurance which he has effected in other companies, does not cover the same property, upon which he has effected Insurance in this, then it is not necessary to endorse the fact upon our Policy, but if it does, then it is must be endorsed, and the amount Insured and the name of company insuring should be furnished to this office to be entered on our Policy Book.
The Bye Laws of our Company have never been printed,
they are all in manuscript, but are shortly to be revised prepatory to printing,
and it would take two weeks to copy them. Not being able to furnish you with a
Copy, I give on the next pages the names of the Companies from whose Bye Laws ours were Compiled, from the Officers of which
companies you can no doubt
[page 2]
obtain all the information desired --
"Richmond Fire Association" Mr. John H. Bosher Secretary
"Mechanical Fire
Company of Baltimore"
"Associated Firemans Insurance Company" of
Baltimore
"Baltimore United Fire Department of Baltimore. who the Officers
of the three last named Companies are I do not know.
If you will write to Mr Bosher he will no doubt furnish you with a Copy of the Bye Laws of his Company and give you all the information you may desire.
Your Obt Servt
C. T. Wills Asst. Scty
