The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1915-10-27
May fight THE
INSURANCE CO.
Farmers Of This County Holding Hail
Insurance Policies in Oes Moines
Concern Up in Arms.
200 ATTEND MEETING sAruR0A>
Say They Were Promised Insurance
at Not More Than SIS Per Thous-
and-Many Cases for Less

III the nClSnDOrnOOu Ol TWO uunuIc.
Crawford county farmers who heit
hail insurance policies in the Fedora
Mutual Insurance company Of De-
Moines met in the assembly room O
the county superintendent office il
the court house Saturday afternoon
for the purpose OF deciding on some
action to be taken in regard to the
assessment made by the company
Scores Of policies were taken out IN
this insurance company against loss
of crops or damage by hail. An agent
thoroughly worked this territory anG
1t is said. promised prospective policy
holders that their assessments would
not be over $500 per thousand and
in some cases it was promised tia,
the assessment would not be owe: $500
per thousand. Farmers who took on,
policies on their crops on the repre-
scntatiOns made by the agent of the
Federal Insurance company were w
in arms when they received notlilca'
ton from the head Offices IN Des
Moines that their assessments would
be $1,000 on every thousand taken
out. Some of our prominent farmers
took the matter up at once and called
a meeting of those who had taken out
policies, and it was soon disclosed that
the agent had made numerous prom
ises. A general meeting was held IN
Denison Saturday. October 10th. when
one hundred policy holders were In
attendance to decide upon some ac'
ton. An executive committee com
posed OF August Lochmiller, OF East
Boyer township: l.. Hannah, OF Vail,
and Albert Stegeman, OF Buck Grove,
was appointed to take up the matter
with the company and make inyestiga'
lions. The secretary was asked TO
notify the Federal Mutual Insurance
company of the protest made by the
Crawford county farmers and ask for
a detailed statement Of the amount OF
individual losses and expenses OF the
head office.
The Saturday. afternoon meeting
was called to order at 2:30 O'Clock BY
Mr.. Chas. Speck, the chairman. me
attendance was SO large that many
we're standing. Mr.. Speck. asked Tor
the report Of the executive committee:
A report by the committee was made
which was rather indefinite. Mr.. VIM.
C. Norton, secretary of the Federal
Mutual Insurance company, was pres.
ent to make the report that had been
asked for BY theipolicy holders IN this
territory. Mr.. Norton made a most
complete statement of the affairs OF
the company, giving list OF the ON
GERS, together with the salaries they
receive. items of expense in operating.
In explaining the amount oftcommls'
sicns paid agents he disclosed the fact
that the agents cost the company SIS
for every $1,000 worth OF insurance
written. The loss by hail and the en-
penses Of the company for the past
year amounted to 100000. with the
estimated income from members mold
ing policies placed at s91.S0O. After
making his report number Of ques'
tiOps wore asked him.by the policy
holders.
On a showing OF hands nearly every
policy holder testified that lie had
been promised this insurance. would.
not cost him more than s15 per th0us''
and. and IN some cases 1t was as low
as 50. per thousand. while the assess
mcnt made by the company was SCI
per thousand. ~
Attorney W. f. kahler briefly nd.
dressed the meeting. explaining the,
law rotating to agents and employers.
On motion the policy holders decided
to make UP fund to fight the collec'
tion of the assessment OF $27 per
thousand as made by the company. II
in the Judgment OF the executive COM
mIttee. it should be done.
One hundred policy holders donated
ono dollar each and it is expected that
one hundred dollars will be
raised within the next few days.