Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-10-10
Some Interesting Statistics Showing
Losses Il did 70 Be- Of lncen-
diary Origin.


to the fire Insurance men,. Especially Is
this true in states like Iowa, where there
is no fire marshal law. In ouch states
the burden OF proof Of incendiarlsm is
placed on the Insurance companies. The
almost utter imposeibility Of procuring
sufficient proof to convict Of the crime
makes arrests very dangerous to the
companies. An important action wae re-
Gently brought by arrested persons In
Pittsburg againet the Allemania on this
very account; This hazard many insur-
ance companies can not afford to take,
and therefore are left at the mercy OF in
ceadiaries. without help.
1t is OF great interest to insurance in
Sterests OF Iowa, especially. to- know that
plans are being made to introduce fire
marshal laws into the legislatures OF
many states at their first sessions. Pos
IDLY Iowa will be one Of them, altho the
present legislature, which will sit in 1902
III the Titus amendment carries was
hostile last winter to all insurance in
terests
The Insurance World says: This
burning problem SCENE to be no nearer
solution now than years ago. and one
comes back to the conclusion that the
only way to make the punishment meet
the crime Is to readjust rates common.
surate with the hazard.
The Insurance Review says
It is surprising to contrast the alac-
rtty uEually displayed by state legisla-
lures when they are passing bills which
are distinctly hostile to the business Of
fire insurance (and. therefore. injurious
in the long run to the interests OF prop
erty owners in generaO with the apathy
and indifference exhibited by these same
bodies of lawmakers when such meas
ure is brought forward for their consid-
Grafton as the estab lishment OF fire
marshal s0fiice. The recently pub ished
annual report Of Fire Marshal Whit
comb, Of Massac husetts. would be a very
useful supplement to the sound argu-!
ment advanced by the advocates OF so
wise and beneficial proposition az that
referred to-. "A careful perusal Of that
report would well repay the small
amount OF time and study spent on 1t.
II one and all Of the sapient legislators
in those states which have no fire mar
shall would only take the trouble to look
into the matter with a view to the bene-s
fit OF their constituents. These men have
the power to do an immense amount Of
good to the commonwealth-Or they can
do harm.
The Office Of fire marshal in Massa-
Ichusetts has been in good working order
there six years: the report to which ref
iIerence has been made tabulates the
various causes of fires. as we'll as their
number and the total property loss and
that OF the insurance companies con-
|cerned. One OF the chief duties Of that
official consists in making searching
inquiry into the origin and surrounding
circumstances OF each and every fire,
making special investigation az TO
whether such fire was the result Of care
lessnese. negligence or design. The
crime Of incendiarism has diminished in
Massachusetts under Mr.. Whitcomb's
Vigorous administration OF the duties Of
his Office to about one third OF the ex-
tent (two-thirds orr to which 1t pre-
vailed before his appointment. We have
not the space here to refer to other ex-
cellent results OF the good work done by
that official over and above the afore-
said decline OF the crime OF arson. II
the example set by MASSACHUSETTS, and
some other states that could be men,
TONED in this connection were followed
generally turnout the union, the ma
tion's ash-heap would be very much
smaller than 1t Is at prevent
FIRE LOSSES INCREASE.
The IRE Losses for the hrst nine
months OF the year. asfcompared with
those OF 1898 and 1899, are as follows:
1898. 1899. 1900.