Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-05
THE g|A|E My insure
Board Of Control Considering
ACCESSIBILITY Of Insuring the
State Institutions.
An Investigation Into the Matter
OF Insurance Rates Now
Being Made.
States Policy Heretofore Has
Been to Garry Its Own
Risks.

| Des Moines, Nov. 5.-The state board
of control has under consideration the
placing of insurance on all the state
| institutions, and to that end recently
addressed a letter to Rate Maker Ben
nett asking him for rates and data on
| the subject in order that the. board may
| be able to submit the same TO the gov
| ernor in its report which is to be ISSUED
by November Is. Following more ex-
| tended investigation the board will sub
nit the result of it's investigation, to-
gether with recommendations, to the
general assembly this winter.
Mr.. Benefits reply to the queries
propounded by the board OF control was
received yesterday, but was not maze
public. The recent fires at Iowa City
and Ames have paved the way for the
consideration Of the insurance project.
The question upon which will depend
the outcome of the new proposal is
whether it is cheaper for the state to
pay a heavy rate on fifteen institutions,
or assume the risk itself and meet the
loss with the construction of new build
ings which shall be absolutely fire
proof. The institutions upon which in
surance would be placed in the event
the general assembly so decides. are as
follows:
The Iowa Soldiers Home at Mar
shalltown.
Hospital for the Insane at Indepen-
dence.
Hospital for the Insane at Mount Pleas
ant.
College for the Blind at vinton.
College for the Deaf at Council Bluffs.
Institute for Feeble Minded at Glen
wood.
Iowa Soldiers Orphans Home at
Davenport.
Industrial Home for the Blind at
Knoxville
Industrial School for Boys at Eldora.
Industrial School for Girls at Mitch
ellville.
Psnitentiary at Auamosa.
Penitentiary at Fort Madison.
State University at Iowa City.
Agricultural College at Ames.
State Normal School at Cedar Falls.
The list does not include the new fire.
proof buildings at Clarinda and Chero-
kee. In the event the new project meets
with favorable consideration by the
board of control, and later with the gem
eral assembly, blanket policy Will
doubtless be secured, covering all the
institutions. AS the valuation OF the
state institutions exceeds S7,000,g00, a
rate of per cent would mean yearly
expenditure of $4,000. Whether the as
sembly will feel justified in the expendi-
ture remains to be seen. IN the event
any one of the buildings should be vis-
tied by fire, the blanket policy would
cover the loss. With this money the
state would be able to construct another
building.
The matter resolves itself into Ales-
tion as to whether the state shall pro-
vide against q loss By fire by placing
insurance on all the state institutions
and have the insurance companies adj
just the losses, or whether the state can
dispense with the yearly payment of
large premium and devote the amount
thus saved to the construction Of fire.
proof buildings. Members of the board
of control are said to be unfavorable
to the insurance. They commenced col
lecring data some time ago with the end
in view Of satisfying themselves as to
the ACCESSIBILITY of the scheme, and the
evidence at hand up to date, is said to
have impressed the members that the
Issuing of a blanket policy would be a
serious burden to the state. The inves-
legations, however, will be continued,
and the board will collect all the data
bearing upon quality and quantity of
risks, rates, ETC., making an exhaustive
research A recapitulation Of the same
will be made and incorporated in the
annual report, together with the rec
concentrations OF the board.