The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-10
GREAT FIRE WASTE.
Nearly ALI Big Insurance Com
panies Losing Money.
LEGAL REMEDY PROPOSED.
The Year 1891 the Worst Since the
chicago Fired. A. Spencer sug-
gegts Some Local Remedies.

Statistics compiled by the insurance
papers show. the year 1891 to have been
the worst for Are insurance companies since
1871, the year of the great Chicago fire.
Nearly ali the leading companies in the
United States have lost money, a table of
the years business of 10 leading compa-
MES showing only nineteen which have
made profits ranging from to per cent.
The average is about 2 per cent, and only
one company cleared as much as per
cent. All the other nInety-one companies
incurred loss on the years business
ranging from / to 70 per cent. This dis
astrous showing has caused eighty-one
companies, representing $40, 900, 900 of capi-
tai, to withdraw from the business. and
Others have been absorbed by the stronger
companies.
Another result has been a movement to
secure legislation, both national and local,
to prevent this enormous fire waste. d.
A. Spencer, manager of the Home Fire
Insurance Company, of this city, describes
what is desired in the following communi-
cation to the Posi-
The National Board of Fire Underwriters has
addressed a letter to the president calling his
attention to the necessity OF legislation to pre-
vent the enormous fire waste that is growing so
rapidly in the United States In 1880 it amounted
to s74,OO00o0, and in 1901 to over $4,000 o0o
The board states what 10 seif-evident fact, that
tbs actual destruction of property is only a por-
tion OF the less; that the los. of business, the
throwing out OF employment of so many
workers and other items incidental to large fires
add many millions to the actual fire waste
The National Board of Fire Underwriters sug-
sests that Congress should pass law requiring:
Flrst-lnyes'iSaticn as to the causes of all
nf
fraudule Lat cases.
Second-Better building laws.
Third-Adequate regulation as to special
hazards such as electricity, oils, explosives and
dangerous compounds.
Congress moves slowly and it is likely to be
MANY years before any adequate legislation can
be expected from that source, but each COM
munity can do something for its own protection
The National Board of Fire Underwriters has
shown us the immensely of the waste, and we
should do our part to lessen our portion of it.
The fire insurance companies do not, in the
long run, bear the loss, for they recoup them
selves from the premiums. On account of the
great losses of 1891 the rates being increased
In almost every portion of the United States,
only those sections escaping in which the loss
ratio has remained constantly low.
The chief OF our fire department reported last
month four fires of incendiary origin, and yet
doubt ii any investigation has been made by
In the heart OF the business section and but for
the prompt action OF the fire department would
have destroyed many thousand dollars worth
OF property. 1t was one of the plainest cases of
fncendiarism / have seen and should be most
carefully investigated by some official.
1t is this large percentage of incendiarism
that makes our rates so high. gentleman told
me short time since that woman OF respec;a-
Bile position told him that she had sold furni-
ture that cost her 5000 for $50, and that she
ought to have insured the furniture for $500 and
burned it. She did not feel that burning would
have been a crime, but simply that she had
used bad Judgment. large part of the com
munity seems to be of the opinion that it is not
wrong to ''einch" an insurance company. They
fail TO sec that it is not the company they get
the best OF, but those neighbors and friends who
pay the rates.
Another source OF waste is the almost criminal
carelessness of the average citizen. The alleys
and yards are often Uttered with iufammable
debris ready to be touched off by the carelessly
thrown match. lighted cigar or cigarette
Matches are not kept in tins, but strewn over
the premises. Kerosene Is used as il it were no
more inflammable than milk, and the cause of
fire given as, 1.-THE lamp must have exploded"
Rats or mice must have got at the matches" or
al nave not the slightest idea how the fire could
have started"
Can we do anything in Seattle to lessen this
about our own premises. We can cultivate the
thought that inceGoiarism is q crime, and help
when we can to bring about its punish
ment We can ms st that our city officials
shall to it that our alleys and
premises are kept clean and free from infiam-
mable refuse and our building ordinances en-
forced. These things can be done now, but we
should have official, appointed especially for
his fitness, who should investigate the causes of
all fires, Inspect and condemn all petroleum
products not up to the standard, inspect electric
wiring, examine stores where infiammabie mer-
chandise is kept for sale, and prevent the stor-
age OF quantities beyond the lawful limit. This
officer, if he did his duty faithfully. would save
his salary twenty times over in the reduction Of
insurance rates 10 the community.
To keep the office out of politics the nomina-
ton should be made by the local board of fire
Underwriters, which represents all shades of
political opinion. but would in of this
kind simply try to get a competent man.
/ trust some member of our city government
Will take up this matter and pursue it TO sue
eeSslul conclusion.