The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-10-03
HOME FIRE INSURANCE.

No business in the United States has
grown with more vigor than that OF
fire insurance, It has come to be re.
gsrded as one of the first obligations OF
business to protect goods and property
against loss by Ere. 1t is commercial
necessity, and is taken into considera-
ton in the dealings of commerce as a
collateral security. 1t is one of the
safeguards demanded of business men
in the handling and storing OF goods, and
characteriges the trade of modern times
in all civilized countries. The great bene-
fits of fire insurance and its universal
adoption in business have been so fire.
quently demonstrated that the first
question now asked, on hearing CT
fire, is: What is the insurance." As
constituent is expressed if the reply
should be that there is none.
The necessity for every safeguard
being provided against fire losses in
business, is scarcely greater than that
the home and household goods of
every man should be protected from
such loss. Insurance of dwellings and
their contents in the Older States and
most of the Territories is almost uni
versal. 1t should be so quite.
There is no duty man
owes to himself and family more
important than to provide home, and
to throw around it such protection as to
prevent its inmates from suffering I'M
usual hardships or want. It takes the
savings of years of the common mans
earnings to secure house and to furn-
ism it comfortably for his family. These
savings are, to certain extent, always
in ieopardy-they may be swept away
in single hour, and the commonest
cause of such disaster is Ere. It is in
making good such losses that fire insur-
ance companies have gained their won
derful hold upon popular favor.
After the great fires of Chicago,
Boston and st. Johns, in which
thousand of homes were burned
to the ground end millions OF dollars of
goods destroyed, the ministry OF the
fire insurance companies was the most
effective in reyiving trade and rebuild
ing the habitations of the people.
While hundred companies were bank
rupied by the Chicago fire, their assets
went to the relief of the stricken peo-
pie and companies which survived,
draining their treasures of millions for
the same purpose.
In Utah there has been,
except in the principle cit
les and in business circles.
g prejudice against fire insurance. This
has been due mainly to the pastoral
simplicity of the people who mostly
occupy their own houses and to the
security felt against incendiarism or
of tenants. Yet there is
town or village in the Terri
tory but has had its fires. which have
Been more orless destructive.
With some, objection to taking out
IRE insurance policies, especially up q
dwellings, has been based on the indis.
position to pay premiums to foreign or
outside companies. They have argued
that in community like ours there
should be mutual protection and the idt
has been urged upon those acquainted
with the business to form a home com-
pany, which would save the accumuls-
ion Of premiums paid in the country
and afford opportunity for investments
upon which reasonable returns might
be anticipated. We are glad to chronicle |
The formation of och a company, and |
% note that it is based upon a sound |
business principle, with men and means |
it that ara guarantee of its
,oivency and success. Insurance is
worth nothing unless it insures; !