The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-05-16
AREN'T THEY KIND2
Insurance Companies Won't Raise To-
peIza Rates More.

The fire insurance companies seem
to think that the rates in Topeka are
as high as the pressure will stand for
their agents in the city are unit in
the declaration that there will be no
raise in the rateszthat is the judg-
ment which they venture.
The only increase which is expected
in the cities over the country as a re-
suit of the heavy losses sustained by
the insurance companies in their risks
in San Francisco is in the congested
districts of the large cities.
A conference has been on in Chicago
among the leading fire insurance com
panies for the past several days in
which this question of a raise in rates
has been under consideration. AS the
result of the Parkhurst-Davis fire in
1904 the local rates were boosted away
up and they haven't settled down to a
normal figure even yet. notwithstand-
ing that there have been some decided
Improvements in the fire department
service and in the fire pressure main
tanned by the waterw orks department,
costing upwards of $4,000.
The probabilities are that there will
be an increase in rates of fire insurance
in the congested districts of the large
cities but I don't look for anything Of
the sort out here, said G. S. Bailey
don't think any Of the fire insurance
companies would stand for it. The
stockholders, personally have been
making a fair profit and I don't think
they should attempt to REIN burSe their
losses by raising the rates all over the
country. They should dig down into
their own pockets and apply some of
this profit now towards making up the
losses. Ten per cent is a pretty fair
profit. There is scarcely any liability
that there will be an increase except
in those parts of the large cities which
I have mentioned"
81 don't think Topeka viii be affect
ed said H. c. Bowman. Il haven't
heard yet from the head offices and it
will take probably 80 days yet before
this raise in rates is finally adjusted.
If any raise would come to Topeka it
would only come to the business dis
trict, like Kansas avenue from Seventh
to Eighth or from Sixth to Eighth ave-
nues, on the west side of the street.
On this side there are number of
rather bad blocks, the walls are thin
and there is an immense amount OF
Manageable property. The stocks have
been reduced some since that Park
hurst--Davis fire 1 think the raise
Will have to do only with the congested
areas in the large cities
I'VE would be very much disappOint-
ed if there would be any raise in the
rates." said C. S. Elliott. 1.-THE only
raise that we might be liable to expect
is in the case of the special hazards,
but outside from this we are not ex-
pecting anything. The special hazards
would have to do only with particular
inStances.''
E. E. Roudebush, one of the local
agents for foreign fire insurance COM
panies, said: There ought not be
raise. I don't think there is any oc-
casion to raise the rates here at all.
There is no reason why we should be
made to pay for the losses incurred in
San Francisco If anything of that
sort is to take place they should raise
them where the losses occurred
The Shawnee Fire Insurance company
through Walter D. Goodwin stated that
no raise in rates in Topeka were antici-
pated Il think the raise in rates only
applies to the congested districts of the
large cities said Mr.. Goodwin.