The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1910-12-15
fla,.s If! Ill >jajL
i,I;"&C:!:E FLiHS ca; 81 Gi.h.:T
....,..l o.. 'I..::i:l;.
S,:.:c Timely Words OF C:it!r::.:l and
S.lr.rstioEs From !nsu;..ncc Co:n-
lniSs;uner NcMEster.

-IllnS1UHSI .AS.h<.otSi'
Maybe Nero would enjoy It, but
a mln who realizes the labor and
time that it has taken South Carolina
10 produce S2,500,000 Is distressed
wien be knows that so much was
burned up In less than one year,
Commissioner F. II. McMaSter Will
say. In making to Governor Ansel
and the general assembly the third
annual report for the State depart
ment Of insurance..
The reported are Insurance losses
Of South Carolina for the II months
ending December !, 1910, we've
$ee7,5e5.17. Says the commission
er:
THE actual Losses, reported and
unreported, we're probably three
times that much" The losses by
months were, as reported:
January. s26,6ss.94; February,
$10O,330.24: March, s113,S8S.36:
April, s131, III S.74; May, s76.520.02;
June. s33,l54.77; July, s1s4,214.sl;
August, sG5.739.93; September,
S54,O49.10; October, sS7,1s2.02;
November. $S4,Os7.1S.
The largest losses in the State for
the year we're: The Charleston con-
ilagration, 8 firms, total loss s215,-
.49, insurance loss, $189.757; the
n. W. Alderman & Sons lumber
Plant. Alcolu, loss s53.600; the San
tee River Cyress Lumber company
plant at Ferguson, loss s5s,42o;
Sumter, firms. loes $4,000; Tim
monsvllle, 7 firms, loss s13,500.
Out Of 1919 flres, 867 were OF un-
known origin, sparks on roofs caused
SO and lightning Is hell responsible
for rs, while / are set down as In
cendIary. Defective chimneys or ;fues
caused 80 fires. In 29 cases the ex-
plosion of lamp wrought the havoc.
Along this line, the commissioner
has some words of criticism and sug-
gestion:
1T must be kept in mind that not
cniy are the uninsured losses loss to
the :tate, but that the insured losses
merely represent premiums collected
from all Of the people and paid TO
those who suffered. If these losses
conll be cut in half, premium re-
ceIpts could be cut in hale relatively,
and would remain in the pockets OF
thoaa who now pay them.
1T will lie noted that 25 fires were
traced directly to rats and matches.
Among the CT fires from unknown
carses a very large percentage Of
them were supposed to have orisinat-
ed from friction matches by one
means or another. 1t Is believed that
it would be profitable for the State,
or for municipalities to forbid the
sale Of the ordinary friction match.
"E!ghty-nine fires came from de-
fe ctive tlues. These may be charged
to the incompetence of the brlcklay-
ers who made these nues. II the old
English system Of guilds was recog-
nized and enforced by law, and no
rue permitted to build q chimney
Until he had served his apprentice
ship, the people Of the State would
| be sareI many dollars.
'Twenty-eight fires we're caused by
sparks from chmneys. Nlnety-three
more by sparks on roof--121 fires
clargeab!e to wooden shingles. All
tt these could have been saved, and
:ower insurance rates would have
Deen paid IL metal, slate or compost
ton roofing had been used. These
elements, together with the extra
time needed to put on shIngle Roof,
makes this the most expensive roof
ing material. besides being a constant
menace In extending fires from house
to house"