The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1913-07-03
URGES FIRE WARDEN
AS WASTE REMEDY.
Fire Loss in Missouri Last Year
Exceeded Eight Millions.

by Charles G. Revelle, insurance su-
perintendent, in his annual report to
Governor Major for the year 1912.
Insured property TO the value OF
S5,938, ,25O was destroyed by fire dur
ing the year 1912, The value OF un-
insured property destroyed can only
be estimated, but probably exceeded
S2,5OO,0O0, Supt. Revelle believes
two thirds OF the fires were preventable.
His predecessor, Frank Blake, also
discussed fire waste in his 1910 report
10 Governor HadIey. Blake gathered
figures showing that in 1910 $780,
100000 worth Of property was de-
stroyed by fire in the United States,
the per capita loss being five times as
great as in the European countries.
These figures are Of particular interest
in view Of the present controversy with
fire insurance companies which sus-
pended business on Missouri on April
IS OF this year.
The creation OF the Office Of state fire
warden and the enforcement Of more
stringent building requirements would
do much, Revelle believes, to prevent
fire waste in Missouri. Taking cogni-
zance OF the enormous fire waste in
the United States, several governors
began last year to issue fire e'prevention
proclamations, calling upon the people
10 look carefully to the safety Of their
buildings, remove trash and inaamable
debris and to examine wiring, iues,
etc.
The average per capita loss annually
in Missouri is $3.50, while in Europe
il is but 33 cents, the report says.
Berlin, with a population three times
as great as St. Louis, incurs a fire waste
Of not 10 exceed 100000 annually,
while St. Louis loss last year was
1,705,697 on insured property alone.
Frankfort, Germany, which is as large
as Kansas City, reports an average
loss Of not to exceed 100000, while
in Kansas City insured property TO the
value Of Sl,062,6 642 burned last } year.
Hundreds Of persons are killed and
thousands injured in preventable fires
throughout the United States.
Life insurance conditions in Missouri
are exceedingly satisfactory, according
to the report. The amount Of insur'
ance written in 1912 shows an increase
over the preceding year Of S2l, Gas, SOC
while the premiums collected increased
Sl,480, 0,844.
Revelle recommends that the mex
legislature invest the insurance super
intendent with broad discretionary
power in the licensing Of insurance
agents and the revocation Of those
licenses. The present laws give tC
the superintendent no discretion eithe
as 10 the issuance or revocation o
licenses.
Discussing the fire insurance SQUAD
bic in the report Mr.. Revelle says:
II Missouri stood alone or was al
tempting innovations in seeking II
apply the law Of competition to fir
insurance business. We might wei
pause and ask il we had not rendered
it impossible Tor companies 10 success
fully continue business in this state
but for sixteen years insurance com
panies operated in Missouri under
similar law and made NO complaint a
10 its provisions. The antitrust law
Of other states, if reasonably construe
and actually enforced, would, to tn
same extent, suppress the same prac
tices and place the business On tn
same competitive basis as the ne
antitrust statute Of Missouri, the ult
mate purpose Of all being identica
namely, the application Of the law
competition IN the matter Of iosursnC
rates.
1t vas never The intention CT Il
legislatur', and ii is not The spirit
the law, TO preclude insurance cor
panies from successfully and in a tu