The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-02
FUSS OVER INSURANCE.
school Board Think That they Are
Paying Too Much.


The first meeting OF the school board
for the year 1906 was ushered in with a
discussion of the insurance Of the city
school buildings which has been before
the board most of last year. This was
really the sole topic OF discussion ana
the conversation resulted in little more
than similar discussions In the past,
excepting that a committee consisting OF
David Williams and N. Council, TWO
web known contractors was appointed
to visit the various school buildings
with the building committee and report
on the accuracy of the building commit
tee as shown by their report
There has been a. contention Tor some
time past that the school buildings OF
the city are over Insured and this has
been the matter -vhich has consumed SO
much of the time of the school board
during the past year. The report OF
the building committee shows that there
are four buildings in the CITY Wn1ch
are over insured. 4rom ~ 70 1ze ~
cent. These buildings are among the
oldest in the city and the insurance was
placed. on them. years ago and at thar
time the buildings were much more
Valuable than at present. since tHep
they have Differentiated in value until they
are insured for more than they are
worth On the other hand there are
five school buildings that are only IN
sured at from 20 to % -er cent OF tnelE
value, and they are of the newer ana
more recently .EOllSLA uNLEN 4yAAAAAAA4esRF
Fhe school buildings OF the city are
CARRYING an insurance amounting 10
So per cent of their cost and TINS cost
is based. on the cost of construction,
which in nearly every instance mas
been very recent
This discussion" said Mr.. Hardy,
who is chairman of this insurance com
mittee was preeipitated at this time
on account of d proposition Whlcn was
made last night TO reduce the lnsur-
ance on the new high school phllQllS
and on the manual training school 10
25 per cent of their value. Last year
a little more than three thousand dol
lars was paid by the school board Tor
insurance, and while it happened 10
fall due at about the same time. it
did not represent one year S insurance
at all.
ance was taken out on the quincy
school in North Topeka and the Man
ual Training building This additional
insurance added to the annual
premium being paid on the otner
buildings brought the bill up to this
amount and the insurance is for I'VE
years While the bill for insurance
for this year amounted to over S5,OUO
the fact of the matter Is that me
school board is paying but $1,46S.43
per year for insurance amounting to
$35O,650 on buildings which are estl-
mated to worth S642,5OO.
The real trouble with the insurance on
the school buildings is that it should be
redistributed and not reduced, as the
buildings are now only insured for Sc per
cent of their valuation as returned by
the building committee There should be
at least so per cent insurance carried on
the assessed valuation of the buildings.
The building fund is badly overdrawn
now and if one OF these buildings ShOuld
be burned at this time it would be very
serious matter with the school board In
stead of decreasing the insurance 1t
hat + II
buildings of the city would be insured for
at least so per cent of their value.