Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-03-05
Fire Insurance.

NV OuOi tnOuS cOsIS Oi mrs lusuE'
ance to the country both by home
mutual and foreign companies. as
well as the failure Of some of them
to protect the policy holders in their
losses by fire, has attracted the at
tentioh of our legislators to devise q
safe and cheap plan of insurance.
Several bills have been introduced
to this end, but we believe the best
system proposed ia that by Hon. A.
X. Bushnell Of this county which
would dispense with the expenses of
offices and agencies, travelling agents,
all com missions on collections, pol.
icies, surveys, and tho like. The law
would not he compulsory, but per-
missiVe, and any school district, town
Or county might operate under it's
provisions. We suggest q careful
reading of Mr., BushnelI's BIZ, which
is as follows:
A BILL
To establish cheap and safe plan of insur-
I ance against loss OF damage by fire:
The people of the State of Wisconsin. repre-
sented IN Senate, and Assembly do enact as
follows:
Section |. The county board of supervisors
of any county may insure against loss by fire.
any dwelling house, barn, ware or store house,
mill, mandatory, shop, office, or other build :.
Ings situate IN said county, and the personal
property and goods kept therein, Exclusive
of living anlmals), but such board NAV confne
| its insurance TO certain descriptions OF build
Ings, 10 the exclusion of others, or insure
such buildings by enhancing the premium
according e the risk, and may reject or accep.
| such Application for insurance, it thinks
proper. But neither said board nor the
county shall ever be responsible or any
| contract OF insurance against loss by fire.
| beyond the amount of insurance premiums
| actually paid into the county treasury, aud
legally applicable TO the payment of such loss.
nee. :. In carrying out the provisions of
this act, such board OF supervisors may alopt
all needful bylaws, rules, regulations and
conditions, and the same shall be of no
validity until published In some weekly news
paper printed IN such county, for at least three
weeks successfully.
Sec. 3. The board of supervisors NAV
employ such agents and vest them with such
powers, not inconsistent with this act. as il
deems expedient. Bat the services of such
agents, aud all expenses incurred under the
same, shall be paid out of the insurance fund
n the county treasury, or by the persons
insured, according to the regulations Of the
board.
Sec. /. In case the county board has
| appointed no agent for the pun pose, applica-
4 TN lugu ko ~
IMAM OF the town board of supervisors, who,
together with the town assessor, shalI examine
| the building or bul dings so sought TO be
| insured, situate IN such town, and personal
| property kept therein. The party desiring
insurance shall make ont and sign a written
statement, responsive TO a.! inquiries which
may be required of hun, touching such insur-
ance. Such statement shalt set forth de-
| scrIptfOh OF the buildings insured, and the
and, lots or farm on which they are situated
land which are useG therein, and who is the
| owner OF said lots or land, and the incum-
! ORANGES thereon, If any. and such Other matters
as may be required BIZ the county board
| The agent OF the county board appointed for
that purpose, or IN default of such appoint
ment, the chairman of the town board and
assessor, It they accept such insurance, shall
endorse on, or annex 10 said statement, the
e-tlmated value of said building or buildings.
The amount insured on personal property or
gools 10 be Kept therein, the period of the
] insurance, the maximum premium beyond
winch Inc Insured nor his property shall be
liable, and the part or proportion thereof to be
| paid by the insured in advance, before the risk
| shall commence. And the agent or agents of
the county board shall further endorse on or
annex to said statement that the county board
lhsures the buildings and personal property
| mentioned IN statement for the period therein
1 II fha rnaIr
| applicant shall have paid the advance portion
OF The premium to the county treasury, and
received duplicate receipts therefor, and de-
lVeIed one OF them to the county clerk to be
| n led in bis office. The statement signed by
Tue applicant, and endorsed thereon by the
| agent OF the county, or town chairman or
assessor, shall be made out in the duplicates:
one OF which shall be retained by the appi-
cant, aud the other shall be delivered by the
| county agent 10 the clerk of the county 10 be
MED oy nun. But nothing herein contained
| shall preclude the county board from recurring
anu inserting m the statement and endorsement
oil acceptance aforesaid, any pertinent matter
| or stipulation not contrary TO this act And
IN case that new buildings are erected on the
| premises, or additions made to the buildings
thereon, already insured, or in case of any
alteration therein, the board, or its duly au-
thorizec agent, II il consents 10 continue the
insurance, may direct new statement TO be
made out and signed by the apple ant, or such
aHeIa tloh IN The former statement and endorse
Iheht as VIII express the contract between the
| board and the insured
oec. .. Ihe maximum insurance premiums
contracted to be paid Tor the insurance of any
building, acd The personal property, if any,
Kept therein, shall be a lien, as well upon said
building as the land or lots on which it is
situate, and described in the statements men,
| toned IN the preceding section. And no
personai property, TO be kept in any building,
| shdl De insured where the owner thereof Is
hot also the owner OF the building and The
land or lots on which it is situate, unless the
| owner OF the land or lots shall endorse his
! consent 10 The insurance on the statement
mentioned IN the preceding section, or annex
/ MS consent thereto, in which case the per-
sonal property, kept or 10 be kept in such
| building may be insured, and the premium
snail DE lien on the building and lots or
land on which 1t is situate, and the lien men,
TONED IN Tins section shall have preference
over any homestead right, or any mechanics
men, OF incnmbrlnce not perfected before the
insurance begius TO rua.
Sec. b. La case the county board NAV find
II necessary TO collect the insurance premiums,
or any part or per centage thereof, TO discharge
anu pay on losses or expenses, il may proceed
! by action 10 enforce the sum assessed against
tie real estate liable thereto, in the same
manner that mortgages or other liens uaon
lands are enforced Otherwise the said board
may proceed 10 collect such insurance assess
ment Oy ordering ITS clerk TO ms ert IN a
| separate column, In the assessment roll such
insurance assessment, opposite the lots or land
subject 10 IT'S hen; and where such land has
not been assessed and yaiuel separately, such
assessment shall be lien on the lots or and
| valued herewith, and belonging fo the "a mo
| owner. But where the lots or land described
IN The statement required by section 4, are
valued IN common win other land not belong
Ing 10 the same owner, the board shall direct
the clerk 10 separate such other land from the
premises subject 10 the insurance lien, and he
shall aPporuon the gross assessment between
them according 10 their respective values
aud The board may require this separation in
| all cases where the land subject 10 the nsur-
ance lien has beea valued BY the assessor in
common with other land, whether belonging
to Tue same owner or otherwise. And the
insurance assessment declared by this act TO
be lien upon any lots or tracts of land, shall