Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-06-25
An INSURANCE LICENSE
Legislative Insurance lnvesti-
CATION May Recommend
Such a Law
PROVIDE FOR EXAMINATION
Mon Who Engage in Insurance Bust
mess May be Compelled to Know
Something About the Work = Big
Increase in Gross Earnings of the
Iowa Railroads.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times lRepubican,
Des Moines, June 25.--'The Legislative
insurance investigation commission
may decide to recommend to the legis-
lature law prohibiting anyone from
unless he can show that he has some
knowledge of insurance sufficient to
warrant being in charge of such a bus
mess, and providing for an examina-
| ton just as lawyers and doctors and
| school teachers are given as to their
proficiency ind their professions The
commission has now begun TO get
| deeply into the problem and has had
a number of witnesses and leading in
| surance men before it who have been
questioned as to what they knew about
| insurance. Some of the smaller insur-
ance companies have been on the car
pet, and the commission is coming TO
believe that the custom in Iowa has
been for people to start Insurance
companies proniscuousy whether they
have any knowledge of the business or
not, and in quite number of cases the
sole reason for starting the company
they believe has been the belief IN the
mind of the person starting such COM
pany that there is lots of money In
insurance"
Assessment insurance especially is
giving the commission considerable oc-
casion for thought. After having Off
Gals of one such before the commits
sion Saturday. Senator Jamison gave
expression to the idea that an exam
nation should be made of the eff.
ciencY and insurance knowledge Of
those proposing to engage in insurance
business, especially the assessment
plan insurance the belief being that
large number of such companies are
sure to run out" in a few years and
be compelled to quit business The
commission at the session Saturday
adjourned to meet again this afternoon
at 2 o'clock, at which time 1t was ex-
pected that Henry Pyle. till recently
president of the National Life Associ-
alton. would appear before the COM
mission. Senator Jamison returned
home Saturday and did not expect to
be back to the city before tomorrow.
The other members of the commission
were all expected to be here today.
$50
The totals and averages for the
steam roads of Iowa have been made
up by the secretary of the executive
council. and show an increase of over
S5,O00,000 in the gross earnings of the
steam roads of Iowa and of nearly $4,-
100000 in the net earnings The mile
age of the roads remains about sta
tionary. the mileage reported being
about three miles less than last year.
the deficiency being in the reports as
to mileage Of main and second track
in the state Last year there was re-
ported 9,so4.92 miles of main trade in
the state and 1896 of second track.
This year there is reported 9,sO1.33 of
main track and 721.05 of second track.
Here are the other main figures as
shown by the totals and averages mada
by the secretary of the council for the
steam roads:
Gross earnings 1905. s62. 7S3, 500.4 AZ
Gross earnings 1904...... 57396,S4S.59
Increase ............... $5,3S6,651.S3
Gross earnings per mile 1905. .$6,4l235
Gross earnings per mile 1904. 5,S57.69
Increase $5b4.66
Net earnings, 1905 ......S19, 261 ,S69.14
Net earnings, 1904 $3.50. 15.345,574.S2
Increase -. ........... 3,916,294.32
Net earnings per mile, 1905. $1,967.30
Net earnings per mile, 1904. 1,566.16
Increase -. ...............$ 401.14
OF the twenty-nine lines enumerated
in the report, two, the Sioux City
Bridge Company and the Sioux City
Stock Yards Company, have failed to
report. no report having ever been re-
ceived from them. Of the other TWEEN
ty-seven lines that have made reports
eight of them comprise all but 702
miles of the mileage in the state, and
all but about $3,7O0,OOO of the gross
earnings. The systems that comprise
the great bulk of the railroad proper
ty in the state are as follows:
Mileage. Gross Earnings
Burlington . . 1857 S 1882 2O9