The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-10-11
RAISE A PROTEST.
Insurance Agents Declare That Fire.
Department is Receiving all
That is its Due.
FACTS PROVEN BY FIGURES.
h. French, a Leading AGENT Shows the
Departments Error and States That
the Companies do pay the City.

The insurance agents of the city
have risen in body to protest against
the statements given out by the trus-
tees of the Fire Department in regard
to the action of certain factories in the
city placing their insurance with out
of-town companies in order to avoid
the payment of the per cent. tax
levied by the state law. The agents
in the city are unanimous in their
statement that the promises assumed
by the trustees are false ones, and
their position on the matter is backed
by figures which have been gathered
with a great deal of trouble and ex-
pense.
| The facts of the matter were summed
up this morning by Arthur H. French,
one of the leading agents of the city,
and one who has control of nearly all
the factory insurance, who said that
the howl which was being raised was
altogether wind. According to the
statements made by Mr.. French the
entire loss to the department in a year
would not amount to a ten dollar bill.
Mr.. French said: "The trustees are
1aboring under a misrepresentation
THERE'S not an agent in the city but
will state that the premiums on in
surance in 'Kenosha have been greatly
reduced in the last ten years. The
statement of the trustees of the fire
department that the percentum paid
the department is less now than it was
ten years ago, is perfectly correct. but
this is no fault of the agents making
proper returns to the city, but it is the
result of a general reduction of rates
of insurance. In ten years the insur-
ance business in Kenosha has more
than doubled, but at the same time the
rates for the insurance have been so
reduced that the amount of premiums
is less today than it was ten years ago.
The introduction of automatic fire
protection has. done a great deal to re-
duce rates and four of the largest con-
Germs in the city are fully protected by
policies written under the "sprink1ing"
system. All of these facts have not
been taken into consideration by the
trustees, and if they are they will find
that the; department is receiving all
that is due it from the agents. OF
course there may be an exception or
two, but the entire amount that would
come to the city from these exceptions
would not exceed $40.
The two factories in the city which
do not place their insurance with local
agents are reported to have paid the
premiums to the city, and beyond this
there can be little loss.
There has.been a great deal said in
regard to the Western Factory associa-
ton, and it should be known that every
policy of this association or syndicate
is written by a local agent who is
complying with the laws of the state.
The books of the treasurer of the de-
partment shows that this premium has
all been listed and that the percentum
I due the city has been paid. The agents
cannot see the point that is being
made by the department in this howl.
1t seems that it is based entirely on a
reduction of the amount received, but
this is fully explained by the reduction
of rates of insurance on the risks
assumed. Of course it is no matter to
the insurance agents, but the agents
have special interest in seeing that
the fire department is properly sup
ported. good department means a
lower rate and lower rate means
more business.
The same sentiments were expressed
by other agents seen. After consider
able trouble the following infor-
nation was CLEANED in regard to the
policies written by the Kenosha agents
and by companies not doing business
in the state. The following factories
are insured by policies written by
Kenosha agents on which the full tax
to the fire department has been paid:
The Balm Wagon Works.
The Chicago Brass Company.
The Badger Brass Company.
The Windsor Spring Company.
The Sterling Bicycle Works.
The A. D. Miselbach plant.
Two companies are represented to a
small amount in other out-of-state
companies.
The Chtcago-Rockford Hosiery Works
Most of the insurance of this COM
pany is. carried by local agents but
they also carry about 100000 in the
New'England Mutual companies which
does not pay tax in Wisconsin.
The Kenosha Crib Company
This company carries the bulk of its
insurance with companies doing bust
ness in Wisconsin but it has one policy
of $4,000 in an outside Mutual Com
pany.
Two" other factories, placing insur-
ance to the amount of 81, 100000 do not
place a dollar with the local agents,
but all is placed with the New England
Mutual company, these are:
The Simmons Manufacturing Co.,
The N. r. Allen Sons Tannery.
However both of these factories have
arranged for the two percent tax for