Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-07
| STATE HOUSE.
What Commissioner Carr Says
About Insurance Matters.
franohi:c Taxes on Corporations
Continue % Come to Treasury.
Portrait Of Late Gov, coburn ADDER; T.,
State Collection.

lmnary report of Hon. S. w Carr
insurance commissioner of Maine pub
lished by the Journal n few days ago
the following deductions made by III,
commissioner are here given;
The risks written by fire insurance
companies OF other states and countric:
on Maine PROPERTY and reported to thi.
department for the year ending De
C. mber 3lst last amounted TO $l3S.-
543, 1915 and is s., 35I. 1850 in excess o
the amount written during the year
1909 and the largest volume of business
ever transacted in this State by that
class of corporations. The pre-
miums on these risks aggregated 81
s40.632.Si an increas" of s61a31.e2 over
these collected during the previous
year.
Il exceedingly regret to be obliged tC
chronicle the fact that during the year
Just closed these corporations paid 70
, the property owners of this State more
for losses than they had ever been re-
CURED to pay in q single year, such
payments amounting 10 81 ,2o4,SI4, o.
| 1885 per cent. Of the premiums re-
| ceived This is the highest ratio since
| 1856. when on account of the conf7a-
grations ct Pennington and PASSPORT
the companies paid slG3 for every 500
received.
The abnormal loss ratio last year
vas occasionod by conflagrations ut
Lisbon Falls and Old Town and by q
ingle IRE in the city Of POI tIan1. whici,
alone resulted in a property loss Of
mere than $2sO.000.
The loss ratio during Ia0i vas large
y in excess Of that of the previous year
and represents Il heavy loss tn the fire
insurance companies, as it is generally
conceded that about 80 per cent. Of the
premiums are used in the payment of
commissions and expenses incident to
the business But the State of Maine
has not heen the only unprofita bic
field. as it is apparent from returns
received that very large majority of
,he companies sustained a loss on their
SntiEe underwriting account and the
income from their invested assets hhs
hcen their only source of profit.
'DurinE the year nineteen compa MES
Withdrew from the State. The capital
stock Of these companies amount to
$3.50. 900 and this loss will be severely
|felt by our citizens who are today un-
aNle to procure sufficient Insurance IN
authorized companies
The Property loss from first last
year reached the enormous sum %
81, 40, 024. IN increase of s2S3,424 over
the pre-. ioas year. The Insurance loss
or the same WIS only sl.352. PAP leaving
a direct loss. to the property owners Of
more than $500, 600. Any plan whereby
the. destruction Of this vast amount Of
property can be checked or decreased
Is worthy Of considerations
THE total number OF fires reported
foI. the year ending December Sist last
was 1857. of which 25 We're of incendiary
origin. against IS for the year pre-
v:cus. The slight increase In the per-
ccntage of unknown fires may be at
tr:buted to the fact that all fires for
| which definite cause cannot be as
signed are classified as unknown"
defective chimneys and flues were
Responsible for 90 fires. exposing
property to the value of $5Si.972. dam
aging the same to the amount Of $685.
32s. These figures show a decrease dur
| inE the past year and great credit
Is due the inspectors of buildings in
several Of the cities aud towns for their
faithful and efficient services.
| In my last report I recommended
that the law relating to the inspection
/ % buildings and accumulation of COM
/ bustible ma terial be amended to apply
II all municipalities Of one thousand
! inr abitants and that penalty be pro-
| vidcd which would compel all cities
4 and towns, to which the law applied,
4 to require the inspector of buildings
! to perform the duties imposed by this
st,tute In view of the fact that the
present law provides no penalty for
failure to comply with the provisions
1 thereof and that no one is charged
| with the enforcement Of tho same IL
has become dead letter In many Of
| the municipalities 10 which ii was
intended to apply.
-"I think ii Nill he generally conceded
that many Of the fires now charged TO
dsfective Chltnneys and fiues are really
the fault of "defectiv. construction
and that a large percentage of the fires
whi>h have originated from this cause
Curing the past few years might have
been avoided.
This statute was designed to pro-
vide against defective construction in
I
items to remedy iiilamma ble conditions
III those already constructed and 10
prevent the accumulation Of COM
tbustible material near furnaces and
heating apparatus and at other points
iwhere It was liable IL endauger the
property and no doubt would accom-
inlish It's purpose if 1t was enforced and
I therefore again earnestly recommend
such amendment Of this statute as viii
put il i'll practical working effect. be-
lieving that 1t will reduce the losses ir
Maine and eventually the premiums.
AL the time the Senate Chamber wa!
newly decorated a little more thar
three years ago, the glass put into tn,
windows was dark-hued and give
the chamber q dark and sombre ap
pearance. During the session of tn
Legislature. last winter. Senator Bucl
Of Orland. introduced an order iookin;
:, to n change that would result in pro
I ducing more natural light from the out
side. II vas contended that the dar!
glass hindered the sun from penetrat
ing the chamber and that artificial lign
was too often required In the day time