The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-01-21
FIRE LOSSES.
Risks Increased by Negligence and Dis.
honesty-The Immense Yearly Waste.

Risks Increased by Negligence and Dis
honesty-The Immense Yearly Waste.
CateacO Tribune.
Some alarm is being excited by the
growth Of the losses by fire. one-tenth Of
the annual savings OF the Nation is burn
ed up every year. Our savings are calcu.
lated at 81 ,OOO,O0O,OOO year, and the fire
losses are at least Sl00,0OO,OOO. The fire
loss was but sG4, 6so,OOO in 1876, and it has
been getting larger ever since. The pay
ments by the insurance companies have
been doubled in ten years, and now
mount up to about $50 ,OO0,0OOa year. The
fire tax on the country is nearly twice
what is paid by the Government for the
interest on the debt, or for pensions, or
for the maintenance OF the army and navy
together. BY means OF the insurance conf
panies half CT the 100 millions burned
every year is paid over to losers by the
contributions OF those who have been
moro careful, more fortunate, or more
honest. But the loss is the same; it is not
diminished by this reimbursement. The
community as a whole loses all that is de-
stroyed by fire, whether it is insured or
not. =
There can be little doubt that there is
far more loss by fire with insurance COM
panies to make good the damage TO indi-
viduals than there would be il there was
no insurance. Builders do not build so
wisely and tenants and owners are not so
careful. One OF the most unpleasant
disclosures OF the statistics OF fre-insur-
ancc is that the number OF fires and the
amount OF losses grow more as the times
grow harder. II there is any other expfa-
nation OF this than that there is certain
proportion OF business men who when
they cannot sell out to tho public will
sell out to the insurance companies, 1t has
not been pointed out by any interested
students ofihsurance companies. tits not
easy torcsist the conclusion that our sis
TEN OF fire-insurance as now pursued
tends 10 encourage carelessness in build
ing and dishonesty when business troubles
invite the insured OF easy virtue to put
the torch to their property. The truth
that insurance is but species OF volun-
tary Communism; that 1t produces moth
ing and actually adds something to the
the forces OF destruction, and that 1t aug
ments tho losses by fires by the amount Of
money that has TO DO paid out to keep the
insurance companies going, with their
high-priced buildings, and actuaries and
officials; that it is, in fact, only a device
for assessing on the pockets oil a cooper
alive body Of policy holders the deficits OF
those who arc reckless, criminal or unfor-
tunatc, is too often lost sight Of.
OF course the benefits OF insurance in
the long run outweigh the disadvantages
OF It, or else it would not be continued in
public favor; but it is matter Of public
concern that the economic waste Of the
system and the moral evils that spring up
out Of It should be reduced to the mimi
mum. thought to be made impossible for
any swindling holder of an insurance
policy to tax the companies-which are
really his fellow-holders of insurance
pay him for the goods which he has burn
ed up. Every man who is insured should
be compelled to carry part Of his own in.
surancc. An arrangement should be made
by which in no case should more than,
saw, thrce-quarters OF loss by fire be paid
to the holder Of a policy. II the COM
panies fail to contrive common and
binding plan for this the State should take
1t up. II is OF as much Importance TO look
after this as the accounts Of the companies,
which are now under State supervision.