Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-18
MILLIONS BURNED UP
Nearly $1OO,OOO,OOO Worth
of Property Destroyed
by Fire Annually.
AN INDEX TO PROSPERITY.
Insurance Commissioner Luper Look
ing After Illegal Insurers.
WATCHING WILDCAT CONCERNS.
Colonel James Andrews Returns From .
Trip to North Cape.
WATCHING WILDCAT CONCERNS.
Colonel James Andrews Returns From
Trip to North Cape.
A VERY LOW GRADE OF CIVILIZATION


Illegal insuring in Lawrence and Jefferson
counties. Mr.. Luper is master of his
department, and he takes pride in the state
ment that so far as he knows not an illegal
insurance company is at work in the State
Pennsylvania was never as free from the
raids of insurance sharks as at present
Nh. Luper looks little like Mckinley,
though he is a taller and handsomer man
than the Ohio Governor. Tine appellation
of Little Napoleon" could not be applied
to him. In speaking of the insurance busi-
ness last evening he said: ''Times have been
very bad with the companies for several
years, but fortunately for them business
has improved in the last 20 months. The
fire losses have been on an average from
$50, 600, 900 to 500, 100000 per year for the
United States, but in 1891 the figures went
up to 500, OOO, 600.
ADrain on the Country.
"This represents fearful drain on the
country, and few people stop to realize it.
Indeed, the fire losses for the first five
months Of this year were heavier than In
1891, and if the rate had kept up many CON-
panies would have been forced into bank
ruptcy. Happily for us all, the fires have
not been so numerous lately, and the in
surance men have had time to recover their
breath. PENNSYLVANIA has its share of fires.
1 suppose in proportion to size Pittsburg
leads in fire losses IN the State, but Phila-
delphia has had some big CONGREGATIONS
also
THE losses among the farmers of the
country have been so large in recent years
that a number of the companies won't in
sure farm property at all. The time was
when agricultural risks were considered the
cream, but that day is passed. Companies
used TO argue that farm property was iso-
lated, and the danger from fire was much
less than in the cities Still there are
companies that won't take any other than
agricultural risks, as some concerns only
insure dwelling houses and others confne
themselves to manufactures
Not So Good After AL
'It is surprising how insurance companies
get caught when they think they have a
safe risk. Not long ago an agent for the
Western insured stone house in Buffalo.
1t was a fine building. and removed from
other houseE The agent in sending in his
return congratulated himself because, as he
thought he had secured the best risk in the
city, and the other agents had competed
very lively for it. He thought he had a |
sure thing, but it wasn't long before the |
company had to pay fire loss on the house |
Of SO, 000 1t is the unexpected that al |
wavs happens, and such things almost make |
men timid of living.
"The trouble with tine fire companies has
been that rates were too low. They were
advanced lately, and while the people OBJ
jected 1t was q question whether they
wanted solvent insurance companies, or to
continue the old rates and force them into
The insurance organizations
Of Pittsburg are in good condition, but they
Gave had to pay some heavy losses on COM
Detitive business. The rates were entirely |
too low. The advance was about 20 per |
rent in Philadelphia
Il think" continued Mr.. Luper, "that |
.he insurance losses are an index to the |
of the country. For example, |
in coming through Crawford county the |
'ther day saw where two farmhouses had |
1een burned down.
The Temptation of Heavy Insurance.
Zone of the farmers was living in a |
ichoOlhOuse and the other b ad gone back to |
he old building that he occupied before |
le built his new on E. These men were not |
-ehuilding l do not mean to say that |
armers are anv more dishonest than other
people, but when crops are bad and a !
granger is hard pressed for money an in
surance of s., 500 on a 81, 600 house is big
temptation to burn it down. This might |
explain the action of some companies in
putting agricultural risks on the excluded
-isks
"No, I haven't thought much of q possi-
bic cholera scourge in connection with the
life insurance companies OF course the
osses on lives annually are much heavier
han from fire. In spite of the ravages of
contagious diseases at times the average of
osses is maintained from year to year. The
ite insurance laws of all the States are so
trict that the danger of an old line COM
any breaking up is very small. They
must be provided with a surplus fixed bv
aw to meet emergencies, and 1 can say that
he regular companies are in good condition.
{ Is the wildcat schemes that rob the pub
ic and must be guarded against. The pri-
ale endowment system must go, and in
end to make this recommendation to the
legislature next January.
An Example of a Bad System.
''The Iron Hall is an example of this sys-
EN-. 1t was the best, and vet it only lasted
even years. The Iron Hall is bankrupt
nd can't be saved. Such orders as the A.
> L. ". and the Royal Arcanum are all
light. They furnish insurance at cost, |
men is legitimate. l belong to the A. O. |
J. W. myself, and l know all about il.
he order Insures for little less than cost,
Ut It is done in such a way that if the
Dcietv should 60 to pieces To- morrow we
Ould all be Unidentified. We have no
sws In this State TO meet the worthless en-
owment schemes. When bill is intro
uced proyiSo IS sure 20 be tackled on that
enders the law useless. 1t is
ertalnly q pretty state of affairs
hen we can't reach frauds that are appa--
Mt When regulations are suggested TO
he Legislature these people raise the cry
nat the old line insurance companies !
re trying to crowd them out, and they even
lcceed IN pulling the wool over the ewes
the 4. o. q. w. and Royal Arcanum.
ut the members of these orders are begin q
ing to have their eyes opened, and won't 5
e hoodwinked again.
Insurance Men in the Lobby,
''Why / know that insurance companies .
md men TO Harrisburg to lobby in their in
,rests. Not long ago I discovered on the
Doks OF company where $50 had been !
aid TO lawyer for this kind of work. I
his is what makes 1T hard to secure the
ST insurance laws for the protection of the
7ople However the endowment 9
aze has passed over PenusrI. S
ana and is now raging in the +
estern States. 1t is in full blast where /
as recently, and some are sure to lose
oney as many did In this State. We are
ee from these schemes now but it won't
st long, Some new form Of bogus insur- Il