The St. Louis Republic., 1904-04-26
Chief of Fair Fire Insurance De.
partment Says Protection
Is Adequate.
OBJECTS TO THE. HIGH RATE.
Castleman Believes That by Co
Operating With Exposition,
Companies May Be
Brought to Terms.

According to Humphrey Castlemar,
Chief of the Worlds Fair Fire Insurance
Department.. exhibitors at the Worlds Fair
! who are required to pay exorbitant pre-
miums on their insurance have only one
recourSe-that is. not to take out any in
surance. but to assume their own risks
and re-enforce the already extraordinary
precautions against fire taken by the Ex-
position Company.
Mr.. Castlsman says that there ia abso-
iutely no justification for the enormous
rates charged by the fire insurance COM
panies; that If exhibitors had combined to
| combat them the companies would not
| have persisted in charging them. and that
even now. IL they will refuse to take out
| insurance at these high rates. as the Ex-
position has refused, the rates will come
down.
More than $5O0.cO0 has been spent by
the. ENpe sition Company for the preven-
ton of fire within It's limlts,' says Mr.
Castlcman. rs this to count for nothing
IN the charges for IL surance? Think of a
charge of AZ per cent to insure the lum-
ter Used in inclosiny the River des Peres!
Every precaution made is ample pro,ec-
shamefully treated.
The card rates OF and per cent on
the contents of the buildings were of
exactirS by insurance companies of from
to 10 per cent for insuring the exhibits
Is akin to robhing the dead. There is no
] rea. on why such rates should nave been
eSacted. Tie insurance representatives in
81. Louis are familiar with the risk and
were willing to write all they could carry
at the card rates.
THE exaction Of the enormous charges
came from New York and London. where
at 80 great distance from the risk, no
doubt: such tales were circulated as to
0f fhA hos ordt hat Shn
companies would not write the insurance.
very improbable. Had the exhibitors re- e
card rate. all the insurance they needed
could have been had by them at card
rates; .!rsa risk 10 q good one and tho rom.
panies would have been glad to write it
at card rates. once they were convinced
that the exhibitors would not pay more
hazardous @ @ at V card ri rates, ,A and. n m in TACT fact.
not SO much as at exorbitant rates. The
precaution of every exhibitor is perfect
nd bfoae ase they ssoa 10 te 1ae
manded. every exhibitor should provide
his Individual exhibit with buckets and
barrels Of water. train all Of his attend
avoid being overcharged.
Mr. Castleman says that there never
was an exposition at which the fire pre-
and perfect than at st. Louis. With per-
fectiy equipped fire department on the
grounds. which at any time has available
aid it. and scores OF Jefferson Guards
trained in the special duty Of detecting
and fighting fire. there IS no reason, he
says. for the overcharging to which ex-
hibitors are being subjected by the COM
panies.
Early IN the stage OF the Exposition he
advised foreign exhibitors to obtain their
insurance at home. and they have done
this. leaving plenty Of insurance for do
mestic exhibitors at card rates.
were made in the interest Of the insur-
ance companies. and it can be depended
upon that the situation here was thor
oughly canvassed. and, too. that the rates
why pay more?'