Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-06-26
Experiences Of the Farmers Mutual
Insurance Companies.

An enormous fire waste that can with cel
tainty and comparatively little cost be reduce
TO almost nothing is that from lightning
Incidental TO this saving Of property wouil
be saving Of lives.
The number Of buildings fred by Lightning
last year was l64 and the loss on then
$262, AT.
For years the violence Of thunderbolts has
been increasing, not because Of there being
greater number Of storms, bat because of oul
decorating Natures face with high barns and
ct the same time removing her lightning rods
the forest trees. In ten years the lightning
loss In Maine increased from $26,030 Il
$l23, O94. In many Southern States there
has been as great an increase.
However, the number Of buildings 90 fred
In Ohio 10 less than three-fourths as large in
1907 90 In 1905.
This reduction might be credited to the
number Of rods up having been increased
by the efforts OF the farm mutual companies
or the fact that ''old line' companies are
likely to make charge for the lightning
clause in policies on unrodded buildings, be-
cause they have been paying out more than
the premiums on barns or Dy the hre mar,
shall having shown, through the kindness Of
the neWspapers, that q quarter OF a million
dollars would be saved each summer If build
ings were rodded.
THE NUMBER OF STORMS.
1 But the fact 10 that there were, as shown
by the weather bureau records, electrical
storms reported on 1903 days in 1905 and on
but SO days In 1907. However, the number OF
buildings destroyed dropped ~ per cent and
the storms but l6 per cent.
The farm mutuals which are now carrying
ATS millions Of insurance on Ohio buildings
find that their losses from lightning in the
summer are two-thirds 90 great as from all
other causes in the whole year. In Michigan
the farmers mutual companies lost In 1906
more than three millions from this cause.
The last annual reports Of the Ill Iowa
mutual companies show that rs per cent Of
their losses are from lightning. The Indiana
State Association year ago discussed Q plan
for assessing properly rodded buildings at
lesh rate. In the forty odd companie, repre-
sented In this meeting none had had loss on
q rodded building. A committee from the
Nebraska State Association reported that
properly rodded buildings never were struck g.
In that State two-thirds of the FIRE loss on
farm buildings Ii from lightning.
A NEW PLAN.
In paper before the Ohio Association,
Mr. Culver, Secretary of the Union Mutua
100 per cent. Of whose losses have been b.
lightning J, SAID. 1.-TWO 0OllAtb ana h-nhl
was the only money this company ever paid
for damage to building that was rodded
since Its organization in 1873, but it was con.
csded that the rod was not properly put up. '
Mr.. Culver told of The Lightning Rod Mutu-
al Fire Protective Association Of Seville,
Ohio, which began with half million al
risk In July last now has $l,200,000 and
has not paid one cent for lightning losses
He insisted that mutual companies must make
q less assessment where buildings are rodded
or lose the cream Of their business TO com
panies which insure rodded buildings only.
The increased demand for rods In this State
90 increased the number Of local agents last
summer that competition has probably made
tho price on rods fair. There is no rod now
offered In Ohio that is not effective.
The prejudice against lightning rods which
grew out of the practice Of the travelling
agents who thirty-odd years ago covered the
country with ineffective rods, end written
contracts which were often altogether too
effective, 10 being removed. Now the agent
10 resident Of the same neighborhood as hii
customers or, at farthest, an adjoining coun-
ty and must play fair or quit the business.
II an agent should offer q tricky contract
In Ohio or rod which would not be eRec-
tive, the newspapers would print bulletin
OF this department which would stop Ia
sale within week.
ID. 3. DREAMER,
State Fire Marshal.