The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-06-29
FIRE INSURANCE RATES,
Some Things Ordinary MOrtaIs Fail
TO Understand.


TO Understand.
If the ways of Providence are in
scrutable, the wisdom that governs in
surance companies and the accidents
that destroy our prope rty by fire are
all past finding out.
The "old line" insurance companies
seem to think that there is great dan
geraud great risk in tumble-down
town shacks and isolated farm houses,
and either refuse to issue policies on
such property or charge very high
rates.
The Abbeville- Greenwood Insur.
ance Company makes boast of issu'
ing little or no insurance except on
property that the "old line" compa.
nies refuse, and which property is
removed as far as possible from the
protection which is given by splen.
did organized and efficiently command
ed fire company with all the needed
water. The eAbbeville- Greenwood Com
pany takes all such risks at about one
third of the cost of Insuring in a reg
ular "old line" company.
To an outsider the Abbeville-G Green
wood Fire Insurance Company makes
a mistake in avoiding the protection
which good fire company gives, and
then we think it makes another mis-
take in not taking small risks on
town property.
Houses that are old, and having
many occupants are charged a high
premium, while the better class of
houses are regarded safer risks and
are charged much less premium
than the tumble-down houses.
Except in cases of incendiary origin,
fires are the result of accident or care
lessness, and fire started in a tumble
down house is not more certain de-
struction than fire in the finest house
in the town or city.
1t would seem therefore, that poor
old house should not pay higher rate
than good honse, which may be new.
Of course reference is had to houses in
the same isolated or contiguous rela-
tions. Where one house may set an
other on fire, of course higher rate
should be charged for both; but the
poor houses should not be rated for a
higher premium than the better
houses.
AS rule the class of houses which
are rated fer the higher premium are
less frequently burnt than the better
class Of houses.
For instance The Dendy corner
was large wooden house, in a tum-
ble-down' condition. Tenants were
crowded into it. After standing for
perhaps eighty or hundred years, it
had to be torn down: The insurance
rate was high.
The fine home of Thos. e. Perrin,
after standing for twenty or thirty
years was burned. The rate of insur-
ance was low.
The Miller Hotel which is a large
structure of wood has stood for more
y ffty years. 1t is and has been
- of occupants. The rate of insur-
ance is 1-2 per cent.
The elegant home of Gen. MCGOWAN
costing great stacks of money, after
standing for twenty or thirty years
was burned long ago. The rate of in
surance was low.
The fine dwelling house on Main
Street, which was built by w. J.
Lomax in 1860, and occupied by DR..
s. G. Thomson, was burnt about
twenty-five years after its erection.
The next house to it was originally
a log house. 1t was enlarged and
stood for about hundred yeats. 1t
refused to burn when DR.. Thom.on's
fine house was consumed, and was
torn down last week.
The Marshall House Hotel on the
public square was built in the fifties.
1t was large three story structure.
Less than thirty years after its erection
the flames consumed it, and neighbor-
ing wooden houses that were rotting
down with age, waited for the destruc-
tion of the hotel.
DR.. Marshall lived in a fine house
that was built in 1860. 1t was de-
stroyed long before the neighboring
cottage went up in flame and smoke.
The stately mansion in which J.
Foster Marshall lived was built in the
fifties. In less tnan thirty years it
was destroyed.
The old dwelling which was on the
opposite side Of the street was built
many years before the Marshall res
idence was built. 1t stood for many
years af:t I've destruction of the Mar
shall resiot-..A
Sixty years ago Hiram w. Lawson
built tin roof wooden house on the
east side of Main Street. 1t stood un-
til few weeks ago when its owner,
Mr.. L. #. Miller, tore It down to make
room for larger and better house.
The house on the opposite side of
the street, which Mr.. Lawson built
long after be built the tin roof house,