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1^: '

HISTORY

OF THE

GORE FIRE INSURANCE CO.

FROM 1839 TO 189:).

BEING AN ADDRESS DELIVERED
BY THE

Hon. James Young,

President ok the Company,

In Moving the Adoption of the Report at the s6th ANNUAL
MEETING of the Company, held in their NEW HEAD
OFFICE, comer Main and Ainslie Streets, Gait,
on the 28th faniuiry, i8g$.

[published in ACCORDANCE WITH RESOLUTION PASSED
AT THE ANNUAL MEETING.]

GALT, ONT :
Jaffray Brox., Book and Job Printer h.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

• • • • •

Hon. James Young, Pkksident, - - - Galt.
Adam Warnock, Esy., Vice-President, - Galt.

Hugh McCulloch, Esg., Galt.

Hugh Cant, Esq., - ...... Galt.

Robert Scott, Esq., Galt.

Charles Magill, Esq., - . - . Hamilton.

John Watson, Esq., Ayr.

James Goldie, Esq., Guelph.

R S. Strong, Esq., Managing Director, Galt.

The History of the "Gore."

1839 TO 1895.

THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS.

Gentlemen : —

We are met together to-day, for the first lime, in the new
and handsome Head Office of the Company, which has never be-
fore possessed a building ot its own, aUhough now one of the old-
est and most successful institutions of its kind in Ontario.

The history of the Gore Fire Insurance Company is so closely
interwoven with the progress and development oi' our Province,
and associated with it at different periods were so many of its promi-
nent business men — now, alas! nearly all gone over to the " silent
majority" — whose vigorous bodies and active brains helped so
much to make Central Ontario the Garden of America which it is
to-day, it has been deemed fitting that, on an occasion so memor-
able in the Company's history, 1 should make a few observations
on its formation, and long and useful career.

With this object in view, 1 have carefully looked over the n in-
utes of each meeting of the different Boards , " Directors since
:839 — a period of fifty-six years - the subjects discussed, at least
those of early days, being all dead issues now, but of pressing and
vital importance then.

In making this review, nothing is more striking than the evi-
dence aff'orded of the great progress made by our Province in
population and wealth, and in the comforts and circumstances of
the people. In 1839, however, it was still

LITTLE BETTER THAN A WILDERNESS.

There was little business other than farming, and very few of the
newspapers, banks, insurance and kindred institutions still exist
which were in operation when the " Gore " began its career. Wheth-
er it is a case of *' the survival of the fittest " or not, it at least
must be admitted that this Company has survived nearly all its
early contemporaries, and it is not too much to say, that at no
period during its life of fifty-six years did it enjoy anything like so
large and successful a business as it does to-day.

The first steps to form the Company were taken in the then
little town, but now the ambitious City of Hamilton. The notice of
meeting requested " The freeholders of the Gore District to meet
at Plumer Burley's hotel, in the Town of Hamilton, on the 13th of

April, 1837, to form a Mutual I'^ire Insurance Company under the
provisions of the Act of William IV'., passed on the 20th April,
iS^f)." The notice was si^-ned by ten freeholders Messrs. John
VV. DownS; I'Vancis Ci. Stanton, Huj^Mi H. VVillson, Samuel Mills,
Alex. Carpenter, ICdward Jackson, James L. Wilson, Plumer Hur-
ley, Geo, S. TiiVany and Michael Aikman. These ^■entlemen have
all passed away, some oi them lonj^ years ago, but they were
among the most enterprising and successful citizens of Hamilton
and the Gore District at the time under consideration.

The meeting thus convened was entirely successful. The free-
holders assembled in goodly numbers, and were enthusiastic for
the establishment o( the new Conipany, the want of which was
universally felt. Michael Aikman, Ivsq., was elected chairman, and
Francis G. Stanton, Ksq., Secretary, and it was decided that the
names should be taken forthwith, of all those present who were
willing to become first insurers. The list of names is duly record-
ed in the minutes, and is sutViciently large and influential to indi-
cate that the meeting must have separated in perfect confidence
that "The Gore District Mutual Fire Insurance Company, Ham-
ilton," would soon be in operation.

As a matter of fact, however, not another public step was taken
to carry out the project for over two years thereafter ! This at
first sight may seem inexplicable, but the explanation is simple
when we remember that during this year

AN UNEXPECTED AND EXTRAORDINARY EVENT

occurred in Canadian history — the Mackenzie rebellion. During
the summer of 1837 the Province was in a constant whirl of politi-
cal excitement, and the following December occurred the famous
march on Toronto and the so-called battle of Gallow's Hill. The
" Men of Gore," which included a Company from Gait and Dum-
fries, were promptly called out under Sir Allan McNab, and march-
ed to the Niagara frontier to invest Navy Island, on which the
rebels had taken refuge. Amidst the disorder and excitement the
proposed Insurance Company seems to have been completely for-
gotten.

Another curious circumstance in connection with the Company's
inception is this, that when the project was revived, it was in Brant-
ford and not in Hamilton. I fancy "thereby hangs a tale," but
avoiding idle speculations and following the official records, the
first meeting of the Gore District Mutual Fire Insurance Company
was announced to be held in the School House,

IN THE TOWN OF BRANTFORD, ON THE i8tH JUNE, 1839.

The meeting was well attended and the following gentlemen were
elected the first Board of Directors : — Messrs. William Richardson,
Richard Wilkins, Henry Moyle, John A. Wilkes, Allan Good,
Arunah Huntington, and Abraham Cook. These gentlemen elected

Mr. John A. VVilk.-s, President, and Mr. Wm. A. Walker, Secretary.

The Company was soon ready for business, and on the loth Jnly
instructed tiie Se rotary to publish a report of tlK'ir proceeding's in
the Hamilton y^-*// /'///// //;/r/ A'.v/>/'<.v.v, the Toronto Patriot and the
E.xnniith'f, all o{ which journals have lonj^' since disappeared.

This document is somewhat t>f a curiosity, judj^ed by the busi-
ness methods i>f ti)-day, and begins by thrmxinj;^ some li^'ht on the
somewhat mysterii>us chanj^^e friMn Hamilton to Hrantford. It ex-
plains that nothin}^ fuiihcr havinj; been done by the promoters at
Hamilton after obtaininj^ the names of certain j^enllemen as pro-
posed insurers, a Hrantford i^entleman (name not ^iven) p»'ocured
the list thereof and secured sulViciont additional Hrantford names to
start the Company ; that all preliminaries required by the Provin-
cial Insurance Act had been complied with ; and that the Company
was now in operation and ready lor business. Mr. Walker, the
Secretary, whose name is appended, was evidently determined that
the "Gore" shtnild have its full >liare of the insurance business of
the district, for he closes with the followinj;- stirrinj;' appeal :—

" Having goiu; tlintugli -ill tin* iitceHHaiy pn^liininary stagCK re(|niro(l by
tiie said Act f»f Incorporatinii, the Dijcctors art' now |)ifi)aiLMl to receive ai)|ilica
tioiis for insurance, and feel cf)ntident that the inlial>itanl.s of the " (i(»ie " dintrict
will Hhow to the Province that in no othci' district is the principle of saving nn)ney
better understood tiiau in this, and let oiir motto lie : '' Atm <>/ (fori' .' hr iiiiitnl,
ki'ij) your moiuy nf homi ami hi//) oiu' aiiuthir ! " (Laughter, )

But all was not smooth sailinjj;- yet. The August meeting of
the Directors appears to have been

"thrown into yLITfi A FLUTTER

on learning that the Hamilton people had called another meeting
for the 9th instant, to form a Company. Thus loomed up what
might become a dangerous rival, and the Secretary was authorized
to attend the meeting at Hamilton and make explanations.

It looks a little at this time of day as if the Brantfordians had
been smart enough to run ofT with the Hamilton plum. But " all's
well that ends well," and their action was doubtless legitimate
enough, inasmuch as the Hamilton meeting, over which the Hon.
Adam P'erguson presided, and Mr. Geo. S. Tiffany acted as Sec-
retary, came to this sensible decision : " That as it appeared that
a Mutual Fire Insurance Company had already been started in the
Gore District, the Board of Directors be requested to open Agency
Offices in the principal towns of the district as soon as possible."

Thus was the Gore District Mutual Fire Insurance Company,
now generally known as the " old Gore," started on its career. For
several years Mr. Walker seems to have comprised the whole office
staff, and the numerous and eHkient insurance employees of the
Province may be interested in knowing that his first salary as Sec-
retary and Treasurer was $300, and that when he was appointed
Travelling Agent, the Directors, in a rather reckless spirit of liber-

ality, decided that "the policy and survey fees should be consid-
ered the remuneration for his services!"

It was not until 1846 that Mr. Thomas Rich, of Gait, so long
afterwards connected with the Company, was appointed Travelling
Agent, and the following circumstances connected therewith are
worth noting, as showing the substantial business methods of those
pioneer days. Before Mr. Rich entered upon his duties he had to
furnish bonds himse. in ;^'iooo, and two sureties of ;^iooo each,
and he had to subscribe to a formidable list of instructions, one of
which was that in no case was he to insure more than ;;^2C)00 in
one risk ! He was also to balance his books with the Treasurer
once a month, and if any neglect occurred in this, it was stated in
blunt Anglo-Saxon "that you must expect the action of the Board
speedily to follow such neglect." Some of the instructions appear
rather antiquated now, but were mostly wise and good.

From its 'nception the " Gore " made steady progress for those
early times, especially in vvliat are now the counties of Wentworth,
Brant and Waterloo, and their chief towns,

HAMILTON, BRANTFORD AND GALF.

It evidently s-ipplied a long felt want. Five years after
starting, the Directors reported the total amount at risk to be
;^265,26o, the annual receipts ;^'2i62, and the losses ;^i788. The
success of the Company was considered to be assured, and a seat
on the Board of Directors began to be esteemed quite an honor.

This and other leasons led to a very brisk contest for seats on
the Board at the annual meeting held on the 13th June, 1844. There
was a large assemblage of the members of the Company from far
and near, and a lively time in the then little town of Brantford when
the voting was going on. As throwing light upon the men and the
times, I append the names of and votes recorded for the Directors
on this occasion : —

Mr. Edward Jackson, Hamilton fil2

" Allan Good, Brantford 493

'* Daniel Totten, Paris 377

•• Charles Watt, Hrantford 364

" James Coleman, Diindas 364

" Abraham Cook, Mount Pleasant .363

" John A. Wilkes, Brantford .3,59

" James Keith, Brantfon: ,354

" Andrew Elliott, Gait .354 .

" George Douglass ,352

" James K. Andrews, Gait 3,30

" William Walker, Brantford 330

Mr. Andrews and Mr. Walker being a tie, a seconJ* ballot
elected the fo-mer, and the official record informs us, without
throwing any light upon the cause, that at the first meeting of the
new Board, Mr. John A. Wilkes, who had been President since

: consid-

so long-
ravelling
with are

of those
e had to
X) each,
, one of
,2000 in
reasurer
tated in
e Board
i appear

3r those
tworth,

5 after
c to be
. The
a seat
nor.
ats on
There
)m far
I when
nd the
ectors

allot
hout
f the
ince

1839, resigned his Directorship, and that Mr. Abraham Cook was
thereupon unanimously elected President in his place. Three years
afterwards, in 1847, Mr. Walker was replaced as Secretary by Mr.
Allan Good, and the Company continued to be thus officered (the year
1862 excepted) with Mr. Cook as President, Mr. Good as Secretary,
and Mr. Rich, Travelling Agent, until the removal of the Head
Office from Brantford in 1863, a period of sixteen years.

For many years after this the business ot the Company con-
tinued to advance, and its popularity for a considerable period is
attested by the number of influential business men in the towns and
villages of Western Ontario who were at various times either Di-
rectors or members and insurers.

Among gentlemen not already mentioned, who in early days
acted for longer or shorter periods on the Board of Directors, were
the following :

Galt — Absalom Shade anil .Tolin Fleming.
Hamilton — Judge O'Reilly and the Hon. Samuel Mills.
Pakis —Norman Hamilton and Hiram C'apron.
Braxtford— James Wilkes, Andrew Higinbotham, John

\V. Downs and Alex. Hunnell.
Flamboro'— George Corbet t,
SiMCOK— Nathan C Fonl.
Dundas — John Quarrie.
Hamilton — William Turnbull.

The prominent business patrons of the Company throughout
the Province,

ABOUT HALF A CENTURY AGO,

were numerous. Among them are to be found such well remem-
bered names — honored landmarks in their several localities — as the
following :

Dundas — Robert Holt, John (iartshore, Robert Spence, Bernard

Collins, J. B. Kwart, Thomas H. McKenzic.
Paris — Hugh Finlayson, Robert MoCosh, John Irving.
Hamilton — Samuel B. Freeman; Buchanan, Harris & Co. ; Dennis

Moore, Daniel Dewey, C. & A. Magill, James Osborne,

Ebenezer Stimson, A. & T. C. Kerr.
London — Bishop Cronyn, H. C. R. Beecher.

Brantford — I. & T. Cockshutt, (Jeorge Bal)cock, Dr. Alfred Digby.
WooDiiiLL— Hon. Adam Ferguson

Flamboro' — Dr. James Hamilton, Andrew T. Kirby, William Miller.
Stratford— John C. Daly, Thos. M. Daly.
Haldimand— David Thompson.
Oakville — Smith & Chisholm.
Woodstock — John Douglass, H. Finkle.
C\LEDONiA — Ronald McKinnon.
Ancaster— James Walker.

The '* Gore " was popular in Gait from its comn>encement, and
after Mr. Rich's appointment, who resided in the village, most of
our earlier business men insured in it. Among the first to take out

policies in the Company were the followinj^- gentlemen, whose names
will recall to our older citizens many pleasing- and sad recollections:

T. S. Treadwell, Thos (i. Chapniiin, (Jeorgo Leu, Tlios. Blacklock, Francis
Mcllroy, Henry McCruni, James Cmvan. Oliver 1*. Knox, John Uavidson. Atlani
Ainslie, ("lias. 15rown, Alex. Addison, Dr. Robert Miller, James Harris, Walter
H. IJenn, Duncan Shepherd, Ro))ert Wyllie, John Young, James Fraser, John
Barraclough, Robert Wallace ami Nathan Coy.

No apologj' is necessary for recording the names, and thus
helping to preserve the memory of these early patrons of the
"Gore.' I was a lad at school when most of them were in the
prime of their vigorous manhood, but I was afterwards privileged
to see or know many of them in Hamilton, Brantford and other
places, as well as Gait,

AND A GRANDER LOT OF MEN

than they and the other early pioneers of this section of Ontario, physi-
cally and intellectually, I have never known and never expect to see.
They are, alas ! nearly all silent now, but Ontario would not be the
splendid province it is to-day, but for the heroic courage, industry,
enterprise and perseverance which they displayed in the days of its
early settlement. (Applause.)

It would take too long and lead us too far afield, to follow
closely the vicissitudes which attended the Company until the re-
moval to Gait. The annual report of 1859, twenty years after
starting business, gives the amount of property at risk at $2,018,281,
and the value ot the premium notes held as $181,947. The receipts
for the same year, less discounted paper, were $17,162, and the
payments $13,324. For several years, however, the Company had
sustained very heavy losses, and had gradually drifted into a very
unsatisfactory position. It would serve no good purpose to raise
the curtain at this late date, now over thirty years since the circum-
stances took place. Suffice it to say that dark clouds had appeared
on the Company's horizon, which threatened its future. These
steadily grew more ominous until 1863, when a crisis occurred in
its affairs, which ended in the members deciding upon a complete
change in the Board of Directors and management.

This occurred at the annual meeting held at Brantford on the
I St June, 11^03. For at least the first ten years, Hamilton was the
principal d itre of the Company's business, Brantford being second,
and Gait third. But Gait and neighborhood had gradually attained
to the foremost place, and when the difficulties of the Company be-
came aggravated and long continued, a movement was started to
solve them by remodelling the Board of Directors and removing
the Head Office to Gait. It was completely successful, and the
annual meeting of 1863, after a somewhat stormy and excited dis-

se names
llections:

k, Francis
son. Adam
s, Walter
tser, Jolin

nd thus

of the

in the

ivileged

d other

cussiotj, resulted in the election of u new Board, composed of the
followinj^ gfentlemen :

», physi-
to see.
t be the
dustry,
^s of its

follow
the re-
s after
18,281,
eceipts
md the
ny had
a very

raise
ircum-
peared
These
red in
nplete

3n the
as the
scond,
:ained
ly be-
ted to
oving
d the

1 dis-

Hamilton — Milton Davis, R. Mc^akins.
(iALT — -lohn Davidson, Janu's Cronil)it!, Hiiliaril
Morris C. Lutz, John Flcmini,', Kicluud I'lliiin
liUANTFOKi) — Charles Watt, .Jolm (.'oiufrford.
DuNDAS — James Coleman.

Strong,

Immediately after the meeliiii^^ Icrminatcd, the Directors met
for ori^anization. This was done by olcctinj;- Jolin Davidson, Esq.,
of Gait, as President, and Mr. Thomas Rich, the Travellini,'- Aijent,
as Secretary and Treasurer, pro /on. At the next meotini^, held in
Brantford on .the 15th June, a By-Law was passed in accordance
with the Consolidated Statutes of Upper Canada, chapter 52,
changing the Head Office to Gait, and providing for its removal on
the 1st of July ensuing.

The first office occupied in Gait was in the second story of the
Cotnmercial Buildings, immediately above the lower Hat jusi vacat-
ed, one or other of which was occupied for over thirty-otie years.
There the new Board, which was strong in business talent and linan-
cial strength, went to work with

CHARACTERISTIC ENKRGV AND ENTLRl'lMSE

to extricate the Company from its difficulties and restore it
to a sound financial basis. The President, Mr. Davidson, and
Messrs. Fleming and Strong, may be mentioned as having given
especial attention to its affairs, and with the aid of the other Di-
rectors promptly introduced sound business methods, which gradu-
ally secured a return of the confidence of the insuring public.

Two years later, in 1865, important changes took place in the
management. Mr. Rich resigred, having served nineteen years,
and Mr. Thomas M. Simons, of Hamilton, was appointed Secre-
tary and Treasurer in his place. Shortly afterwards Mr. Robert
McLean, for many years past the respected Secretary of the Toron-
to Fire Underwriters Association, became Inspector of the "Gore,"
and in this capacity got his first pointers in the Insurance business.
In 1866 the Board for the first time elected a Vice-President in the
person of Mr. Strong. But after this the business management
underwent very little change till 1877 —a period of 11 years— except
that in 1869 Mr. Fleming was elected President in place of Mr.
Davidson, who requested to be relieved.

During this period many valuable changes were made in the
mode of assessment and the conditions aii<! rates of Insurance.
The most important of these was the introduction, in 1868, of the
Cash System, thus giving those requiring Insurance the choice of
either the Cash or the Mutual plans.

The present organization oi' the Board and .;tafT of the " Gore "
may be said to date from 1877, and it .seems but as yesterday, so

swiltly does time fly. The chanyfes came about in this way. In
the month of May, Mr. McLean resigned to accept a more lucrative
position, and the hile Mr. James McFeiggan was appointed to the
vacant Inspectorship. In August

THE SlinnEN DE.\TH OF MR. FLEMING,

then M. 1'. P. for South Waterloo, startled the town and
left the Presidency vacant. Mr. Strong was thereupon elected
President, and Mr. James Young, Vice-President. Shortly after-
wards, Mr. Simons resigned the office of Secretary and Treasurer,
when the Directors, after careful consideration, finally reorganized
the officers of the Company as follows :

I'kksidknt — Mr. .Jaiiies Young.
V'ick-I'kksidknt —Mr. Adam Warnock.
MAN.\(;iN(i DiKKcTOK — .Mr. R. S. Strong.
Insi'kctok- Mr. Jaines McFeiggan.

Mr. John Mackendrick became Inspector in 1887 on the
lamented death of Mr. McFeiggan, but with this exception, the busi-
ness organization of the "Gore" has continued since 1877 — a
period oi' seventeen years— almost without a break and entirely
without a jar, to which circumstances, in no small degree, it doubt-
less owes its present strong and fortunate position.

The striking progress and success which have attended the
Company since the time mentioned, is clearly attested by the large
increase in the amount of property covered by its policies and in
its Cash and Total assets. In 1879 the total amount under risk
was $4,019,780. At the :lose of 1894 it was $1 1,886,801, an in-
crease of nearly 300 per cen'. The Cash and Total assets, the
latter including the unassessed balance of premium notes, have in-
creased as follows :

Year.

Cash Assets.

Total Assets.

1877 * 9,S77 « 98,908

1878 10,188 99,34.3

1879 14,956 10.3,776

1880 27,958 123,140

1881 44,0.Vi 142,687

1882 49,608 142.209

1883 ,io,6l6 153,285

1884 74,571 189,926

1885 92,847 218,896

1886 98,673 238,294

1887 109,156 256,280

1888 108,552 259,822

1889 125.499 281,172

1890

1891

1892

1893*

1894*

* Including Real Estate.

145,305 314,126

151, .337 .341,282

158,872 351,122

165,093 .357,253

176,495 .349,938

1 !

US way. In
lore lucrative
ointed to the

town and

jpon elected

hortly after-

d Treasurer,

reorganized

^87 on the
3n, thebusi-
ice 1877 — a
ind entirely
-e, itdoubt-

ttended the
y the large
ciea and in
under risk
801, an in-
issets, the
s, have in-

ssets.

)0S

It is not too much to say, that these figures constitute ;i record
of which any Company of like character might justly feel proud, and
it is only proper to add that, whilst the amount of property cover-
ed has nearly tripled since 1877, our Cash assets increased from
$9,877 to $176,495, and our Total assets from $98,908 to the large
amount of $349,938, the working expenses connected with the Head
Office are not materially higher than they were twenty years ago. Tak-
ing the items of officers' salaries, directors' fees, law costs aiid current
expenses, in fact, every dollar of expense incurred, except for re-
insurance, agents' commissions and bonuses, returned premiums
and government fees, the annual expenses have been as follows :

Year. Amount.

1874 $11,117

1875 11,643

1876 10,673

1877 10,24")

1878 7,530

1879 6,54')

1880 6.690

1881 7,579

1882 7,700

1883 S,006

1884 7,877

Amount.

572

^'e:lr.

18S5 i?

1886 9,7SS

1887 10,629

18HS 9,089

1889 9,389

18W .... 10,597

1891 10,988

1892 11,223

1893 11,985

1894 12.846

Before making a brief reference to our new Head Office, lot
me perform a pleasing duty in referring to a few of the veteran
insurers and agents who still remain connected with the Company.
The policy marked No. 1 on the register for 1839 was issued to
John A. Wilkes & Son, Brantford, for j(^,\~^oo, and among the old-
est patrons or their des«'endants still insured in the '* Gore " are the
following:

George L. Beardmore, Toronto, and John Winer, Hamilton, 1S39.
Robert Forbes, Guelph, 1840.
James Cowan, Craigie Lea, (ialt , 1 S40.
Andrew Malcolm, (ialt, 1846.
R. S. Strong, Gait 1847.

Jacob Sovereign, Delhi, Charles Magill, Hamilton, John Watson,
Ayr, and Peter JafFray, Cialt, 1848.

For half a century, through good and through bad report,
these gentlemen or their descendants have stood loyally by the old
'* Gore," and in one case, I believe, never caused the Company a
dollar of loss through fire.

We have now about 120 agents, and of this number the follow-
ing gentlemen, favorably known and respected in their several local-
ities, have acted for over a quarter of a century :

Mr. Wm. Clegg, Mitchell ; Mr. John Wyllie, Ayr ; Mr. William Watson,
Soaforth ; Mr. Wuliam Panton, Milton ; Mr. C. L. lieard, Woodstock ; Mr.
Seneca Jones, Hamilton; Mr. W. A. Husband, Preston; Mr. David Abel,
Port Dover; Mr. S. Phillips, Georgetown; Mr. William Key, Paris; Mr.
Robert Cunningham, Guelph ; Mr. P. J- Allison, Strathroy ; Mr. John S.
Bosweil, Peterooro' ; Mr. William Sharpe, Simcoe ; Mr. A. J. Brewster,

Hespeler; Mr. K. U. Dickey, Forest; Mr. John Ridout, Clinton ; Mr. W. C.
Head, Morriciivillo ; Mi. I). IliicIvlHiriougli, Waterloo; Mr. A. M. William.s,
Kincardine; Mr U \V F(;rgusson, Ingensoll ; Mr. -J L. Irwin, i'ort Hope;
.Mr. Cha.s. Morris, Harrie ; Mr \V. (!. lletiiorington, Millhrook ; Mr. John A,
Leitch, |{rantfoi(l.

Not a few of our most active Ayfonts have .served from ten to
fifteen years, and it alTords me pleasure to say that, taken as a
whole, few Companies ha\e a more elficient, honorable and pains-
taking^ start" of Ollicers and Agents than has the "Gore" at the
present time.

Before concludinj^- this reference it should be mentioned that
six of the present iioard oi' Directors have served continuously

lOK OVER .\ gUARTKK OF A CENTURY,

theyearin which each memberwashrst elected having- been asfoliovvs:
Mr. R. S. Strong-, 1.S63 ; Mr. john Watson, 1865 ; Mr. Adam
Warnock, 1866; Mr. Charles Magill, 1867; McssVs. Hugh Mc-
Culloch and James Young, 1868; Mr. James Goldie, 1873; Mr.
Hugh Cant, 1877 ; and Mr. Robert Scott, 1885.

Although the " Gore " existed longer without a Head Ofiice of
its own than the Children oi' Israel wandered in the wilderness, it
must not be supposed that the project is a new one. As a matter
of fact, it is over fifty-four years since it was first mooted. At the
very first annual meeting, held in June, 1840. the members of the
Company decided lliat a lot should be purchased by the Directors,
and an ofiice erected du*'ing the ensuing year. The subsequent
proceedings throw an interesting side fight on the vicissitudes of
the '* Gore s " early days, and are in brief as follows :

In 1840, Messrs. Cook, Wilkins and Walker were appointed
to select a site and plan. On June 3rd, 1841, the Directors report-
ed that they had bought Lot 1 2 on the north side of Colborne
street, Brantford, for ;^"b los., but on account of heavy losses, had
deferred building. At the annual meeting in 1844, the members
again instructed the Directors to build an ofiice on the Company's
lot, and at their August meeting following, the Board decided to
consider at its next meeting; the advisability of exchang-ing- Lot 12
for the west half of Lot 25 on the south side of Colborne street.
The motion, however, does not seem to have been acted upon ; in-
deed, notwithstanding repeated resolutions,

THE ERECTION OF AN OFFICE

always hung .Ire, Finally, in 1846, the Board instructed
Mr. William Mathews, auctioneer, to sell their lot, which he
promptly did for ;^i3i 5s., and thus ended the first efforts to equip
the "Gore " with a Head Ofiice of its own.

For forty-six years the project was never revived. Although
frequently mentioned of late years at Board and annual meetings,
it was not until near the close of 1892 that the Directors came to
the conclusion that the time had fully come when the erection of a

ten to
:en as a
I pains-

at the

Head Office, especially adapted (or Insurance business, was not
only warranted, hut absoluteh required to accommodate our larj^e
and increasini;- business. The decision, once made, was acted up-
on with customary promptitude. The Ellis and Oddfellows' pro-
perties on the corner of Main and Ainslie streets were purchased in
January followiiii^, the old wooden buildinij;-s relics of (ialt's early
days — promptl)- removed, and prizes offered to Architects for a
substantial and suitabl • plan. Out of

SEVEN COMPEirriVE DESIGNS,

the Board, aided by Henry Lan^ley, Ivsq., Architect, Toronto, un-
animously decided in favor of the one with the motto "Cromlech."
This proved to be the plan submitted by our own townsman, Mr,
Fred, W, Mellish, and after the sp-.'cilications and details had been
prepared, the contract was let to the lowest tenderers, Messrs. W.
& F. A, Scott, with Mr, VV'm. lulmonds as sub-contractor for the
stone and brick work.

With the exception of a portion of the tower, the building has
now been completed, and the "Gore" entered into its new home
during- Christmas week. Mr. Mellish has kindly furnished me with
the following- description :

" The style of the Imilding is of ;i Kninaiiescjuc clumicter, and is huilt with a
Connecticut brown stone rock-taccd base ii|i to the first storey window sills ; above
this it is faced with brown pressed brick, tooled I'orta^'e Kiiti'y stone trimniings
and Terra Cotta carvings. The cornel' on Main and Ainslie stieets is rounil,
built with tooled stonework from the base to the second storey windows, having
over the main entrance a heavily moulded arch supported on two Doric columns,
and over the arch the Company's Uiune is carved in nu'dia'val lettei's. 'J'his round
corner is continued up above the I'oof, forming a round tower roofed witii Span-
ish tiles and terminating in a columned and octagon lantern, with ogee top and
Hag statt The height from the sidewalk to the base of tin; Hag staH' is about
eighty tMo feet."

The building fully realizes expectations. I only voice public
opinion in describing it as a substantial, convenient and handsome
structure, fitted up internally with hot water heating, gas and elec-
tric light, and all necessary modern Insurance appliances. It re-
flects much credit upon the architect and contractors, and in con-
junction with the ornate building of Mr. R. G. Struthers, adjoin-
ing, makes up a business block which is justly reg'arded as an orna-
ment to the town.

I cannot conclude this review of the inception of the "Gore"
and its long career, without congratulating its members on its pres-
ent fortunate position. The lucid statements of its affairs at the
close of 1894, just submitted to the meeting, as well as the statis-
tics I have given, amply testify to its

GRE.\T PROGRESS .AND PROSPERITY.

Our members have not only enjoyed cheap insurance, but the marage-
ment have been enabled, after providing for every liability, to accum-

Jll'^^en-^n'r" ^"k"^ Of over $,00,000, and during the past tour years
to return to members nearly $40,000, or 17;^% annually of all as-
sessments paid by them. ^

I shall not dwell further, ^-entlemen, upon these facts. They

speak for themselves. But It is probabl/ due to the Company^

ff?' •'^' v."" ""y *'""^^ Directors, and especially to our honored

and efijcent Manaj^^er, Mr. Strong, that I should not close v^"hout

tTat the"'"? '.r'" ''h ' ?7f T^"^ '■^^-"^ ^»^ovv for several years past

hat the Gore has held the strongest financial position of any Fire

Insurance Company of its class in Canada, and that at no p^eriod

ot ts long and chequered career was it anything like so prosperous

^i'd%"p1au".:; '-^ ""^ ^' ''' '^^'""'"^' "^'^^ ^^'^^"'^ ha'lf ce'ntury.

III

^ ?'*---'-

List of Agents of the " Gore."

Alton— Robert Algie.

Afpin— G. C. Elliott.

Arthur— Wellington Pinder.

Aylmer — J. A. Summers.

AVR— John Wyllie.

Baden — Erbach & Liersch.

Barrie— Clias. Morris, l?:2 Crawford St. ,

Toronto.
Barton Township — Amos Burkholder,

Hamilton P. O,
Bayfield— John Esson.
Berlin — J. M. Staebler.
Blenheim — Robert Appleford.
Bradford— H. S. Broughton.
Brampton — A. Morton.
Brantford— J. A. Leitch.
Brighton — J. H. Morrow.
Burlington — James Allen.
Cannington — R. H. Shipman.
CAYUciA — J. VV. Shepherd.
Caledon East — P. C. Campbell.
Campden— F. H. Moyer.
Chatsworth — R. Ewens,
Chatham — W. E. Rispin.
Clinton — John Ridout
Colborne— G. E. R. Wilson.
CooKSTOWN — W. J. Phillips.
Corinth— John Davy.
Delhi— J. H. Ferguson.
Dundas— P. D. Suter.
Embro — James Munro.
Essex — W. D. Beaman.
Exeter— Charles Snell.
Flesherton — R. J. Sproule.
Florence — Samuel Harris.
Forest — R. R. Dickie.
Galt — T. MoGiverin.
Georgetown — H. W. Kennedy.
GoDERiCH — Thomas Gundry.
Grand Valley — Marshall & Simpson.
Grand Valley — J. W. Rounding.
GuELPH — R. Cunningham.
Hamilton — Routh & Payne.
Hespeler — A. J. Brewster.
HiGHGATE — E. Harland.
Ingersoll— C. W. Fergusson.
Kincardine — A. M. Williamson.
KiNTORE— D R. Calder.
Kingston— W. J. B. White.
Lakefield— John Hull.
LiNWooD— A. Boomer.
LiSTOWEL — C. Tabberner.
Lindsay— T. A. Middleton & Son.
London— R. Butler & Son.
LowviLLE — S. Nixon.

Maple — John T. Saigeon.

Meaford — James .Stewart.

MiLLBROoK— W. G. Hetherington.

Milton — William Panton.

Mimosa- John H. Reed.

Mitchell— William Clegg.

Mount Fore.st — (ieorge Colcleugh.

Mt. Brydges — Thomas Pearce.

Napanee — J. VV. Metzler.

Nashville— Matthew East.

Newmarket- I). Lloyd.

Newmarket — L. Lehman.

New Hamburg — Louis Peine.

Norwich— D. S. Butt«rfield.

Norwood — T. J. Drain.

Oakville — Thomas Howarth.

Omemee — Samuel Grandy.

OsHAWA — F. E Dingle.

Owen Sound — Miller & Horton.

Palmerston — J. R. Hamilton.

Paris — William Key.

Parkkill — Williani Dickson,

Peterborough — John S. Boswell.

Preston — W. A. Husband.

Port Dover — David Abel.

Port Hope —John L. Irwin.

Port Perry — C. J. Pearse.

RocKTON — David Bell.

Sarnia — M. A. Sanders.

Seaforth — James Watson.

Shelburne — Thomas McKim.

SiMcoE— William Sharpe.

Stouffville— VV. J. Stark.

Stratford — Wm. Jeffrey,

Strathroy — P. J. Alison.

South Woodslee— W. S. Cummiford.

St. Mary's— E. Long.

St. Thomas— N. W. Ford.

St. Thomas— Geo. T. Claris.

Tara— C. E. Start.

Tiusonburg— E. McMehan.

Toronto— J. Carl Reed, 10 Wellington

Street East.
Tottenham — Henry Stone.
Uxbrid<je — H. A. Crosby.
ViTTORiA — H. W. Mabee.
V/alkerton — Norman Robertson.
Waterford — W. Messacer.
Waterloo — Buckberrough & Bechtel.
Welland— John F. Hill.
Westover — Thoa. McNichol.
Whitby — Burns & Howden.
VVixdsor — R. M. Morton.
Woodstock — C. L. Beard.

3) THE

Gore

DOES BUSINESS

Officers OF THE GdY. f

,-|onJamesYoung.pre5ident (

/\DAMWARNOCt< EsQ. Vict President.

R SS''"^^^^ ESP..MaNA6ING [llRECTOR.

p]R.JOHN |\) f^C|^ENDRICK g./\ .Inspector

- ^ ^-

/"^

Assets of the (oY

Cash Assets. Deposits. Mortgages, etc. | 176. 495.
Total Assets available to meet Losses, !) 349, 938.

the'Gore'has paid $1.5 70. 312 in losses.

i=2_

-'■'#--

9--

Dunqq 1891. 1892 aqd 1893. the^ QORE retuqded iq casfi20%,
aqd durinq 1894 aqd 18.95 10% of all preniiurris
paid bq its fT]err]bers. . ■

Address* 1\. S. STKONG, Manager

Galt.