Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-05-02
CHEAP INSURANCE.
Why the Rates Are So Low on Svaa..
Risks.

Why the Rates Are So Low on Swea;s,.
Risks.
While Mr.. w. w. Thomas. Jr.. vos
United States Minister to Sweden ond
Midway he had occasion to insure his
household goods in Stockholm. Tho
amount of the policy was ten thousand
crowns, and he was astonished to find
the premium one year-only five
crowns. That was but one-twentiatbN
of one per cent. There must be soma
mistake. he thought as he had been ac.
customed to pay twenty times as much
in the United States, although his fur.
niture there was in a ''irst-rate bricb
building" On inquiry, however, hid
found that there was no mistake butS
thatthe agent was charging him the uni
form Swedish rate for such a risk.
Furthermore, Mr.. Thomas found thai
for seventeen dollars and fifty cents n
thousand he could insure tirst-cass
house foreyer-the house then standing
and any that might be built on the
same site to replace it. In other words,
a premium of one and three-quarterJ
per cent once paid, will insure Stock
holm house to the end of time.
Why is this? Mir. Thomas asks. Stock.
holm has an excellent fire department.
but so have New York, Chicago, Bos,
ton, and all respectable American cities
American firemen are the best in thd
world. They ought to be, Mr. Thomas
remarks; they have the most practice.
Stockholm has a good system Of
water works, and is situated near great
bodies of water But the same is trudX
Of Chicago and Boston and Portland
three cities that have been swept by
awful CONGREGATIONS.
Stockholm owes it's exemption from
destructive fires to it's building regula'
tons and the strictness with which
they are carried out Some of the prinI
cipal of these regulations are as fol-
lows:
/. First-class houses must be built Of
stone or brick.
2. The stairs Of every house must I'D
of stone or iron, laid in stone walls al
least one foot thick from cellar to attic
3. The cellar must be built of massive
arches of stone laid in mortar or ceX
ment, and supporting the ground floor
This floor generally has beams of iron
with the spaces between filled will
broken brick, gravel, clay, and mortar
and is thus practically fire-proof.
4. The attic floor must be Of tire-proo
masonry, not only filled in between thS
beams but the upper surface must ba
built of brick or tiles laid in mortar Of
cement, and form one continuous soliQ
floor on top Of the beams.
5. Iron doors set in stone doorway
shall be used to close both attic and Gel
lar, and these doors are locked at nigh
and whenever not in use.
6. Where elevators are permitted thN
elevator shaft shall be Of solid masonry
and all doors opening out Of it shall bl
iron.
T. The roof must be covered witt
tiles, slate, or sheets of metal.
S. There must be fire-proof walls :
foot or more in thickness on each sid
of the house.
8. The height of no dwelling hous
shall much exceed the width Of TIL
street. In no event shall it exceed
siXty-eight feet.
10. Only two-thirds of a lot may b
built upon, except in the case of col
ner lots, on which the house may cove
three-fourths Of the area.
IL. All fues and chimneys must be d
ample size, and must be regularl
swept and officially inspected.