The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-07-22
INSURANCE BY The STATE.
The State Insurance Law and
How it Works.

Columbia, July 13.-The sinking
fund commission, which has charge
of the special State insurance fund,
recently provided for. by the Legisla-
ture, had an interesting case before
them at their last meeting.
The Legislature passed an Act on
February 10, 1900, to provide for State
insurance on public buildings, and this
Act went into effect in January 1901.
The Act provides: "That beginning on
the first day of January, 1901, Or on
the expiration of such policies as may
expire after the 1sG of January, 1901.
there shall be paid annually to the
commissioners of the sinking fund,
by each county in this State, two
thirds the amount paid annually in
premiums for insurnce on its public
buildings, for the purpose Of creating
an insurance sinking fund, which mon
ey, when received by said commission
ers of the sinking fund, shall be held
and invested by them as other funds
in their hands, for the purposes herein
after provided for.
The law requires county supervisors
to insure all public buildings Of the
county with the commissioners OF the
sinking fund, and at the expiration Of
the policy to forward to the State
Treasurer the premiums for renewals
Any county supervisor failing or re-
fus;ng to comply with the provisions
of the Act shall be guilty of q mis-
demeanor, and, upon conviction there
of, he shall be fined in a sum of not
less than fifty dollars nor more than
one hundred dollars, or Imprisoned not
less than twenty nor more than thirty
days.
On the 9Th of June, 1902, the coun-
ty supervisor Of one of the counties
in the State obtained from the sinking
fund a policy insuring the county jail,
seven aims houses and Jail kitchen,
for the amount of 500.
The policy issued to the county su-
pervisor, both upon it's face and In the
endorsement on the back, gave notice
to the supervisors that the policy ex-
pired on the 9Th of June, and cited
| the Act requiring him to renew the
policy before that day.
The county supervior did not send
him the renewal on the 9TH of June,
but on the Doth of the same month
wrote a letter to the State Treasurer,
inclosing check for the premium:
| The Tresurer was also notified that
the kitchen in the jail was burned on
the night of the 18th of June, and
was asked that three appraisers be ap
pointed to fix the amount Of the dam
/ age, so that the policy could be collect
/ ed.
| The matter was reported to the com
missioners of the sinking fund, who
4 took the position that, as the property
! had been destroyed after the expira-
tion of the policy, they we're in no wise
| responsible for the 500 loss.
The case is of especial interest tc
/ the county supervisors, who have been
very careless in the renewals of co1nty
insurance.
This fund now has to its credit in the
State treasury So, 1876. 50, of which
Sc, GOO, has been loaned out to Marion
County. Since the Inauguration Of
this plan of State insurance there has
been only one loss land that was in
Newberry County for s844. This Act
provides that the State colleges and al
State property shall be insured in
this fund, but on account of the small
capital on hand the authorities OF
these institutions have been allowed
to carry their insurance in the re-
gular way.