The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-18
MORE MOTOR THEFTS'
IN OTHER CITIES
Statistics Show Chicago Away
at Top Of "Bad
Eminence."
BOSTON rs LEAST WICKED

New York does not appear to have
been the centre Of activity Of the motor
car thief in 1914. TO Judge from COM
plation OF figures on this subjec, made
by Insurance Field In its automobile
edition. The returns from I59 cities
show that 1851 cars we're stolen In the
course OF the year. Between 20 and IS
per cent OF these thefts were reported
from one city alone. Chicago There
l.il5 cars were stolen. Detroit with
S9s cars comes next after Chicago. Los
Angeles Is third with $50 etealings.
spokane. Wash. and San Francisco re-
port $50 thefts each, coming right after
Cleveland with 375.
Minneapolis had 3I1. Philadelphia c73.
and then comes New York with 260.
Denver 10, Salt Lake City 1872. Kansas
city los and Washington. u. c.. 100.
are others in the three figure list. Bos-
ton appears TO be very honest COM
murlty, because only 27 cars wcr. re-
ported stolen in the year. Providence
had IS and Council Bluffs. st. Paul
and Grand Rapids all had more than
that.
The statistics on some other points
gathered by the insurance publication
are interesting. For Instance, more than
s7.J0O.o00 was collected in premiums
issued by fire and marine companies
on cars. and the foriy-nine companies
which did this business paid out about
s3,70o,o0o in losses in the year. Casu-
atty companies collected moro than S.
900. 900 for property damage insurance
premiums. The reutrns for liability IN
surance. a most expensive category. have
not been collected. hut this would hardly
he less than for f're insurance. Just
to show what may be expected the arti-
Gle quoted says: That tho business
Is susceptible OF great development Is
proved. in that last year license fees
alone amounted to sll.o25.295. Pre-
miums should total many times that
iigure."
Motorists certainly pay high for mo-
tor car insurance. Rates run away M,
and there appears to he little relief In
sight. II is true that In the early part
OF last year some companies In order
to help along their business made con-
| cessions in rates. but this was choked
of after a fight that cut into some OF
them seriously. There Is Just "A chance
that this spring will see another rate
war. This comes about, the insurance
publication says, because during the
late fail charges were frequently made
that various companies were offering
reduced rates and the records os those
states wherein the fling of rates are re-
quired show that certain companies have
broken away from the agreement and
are at this time writing at reduced rates
The various forms Of Inducements seem
/ to have been eliminated. however, and
| 1t is hoped that the new rates. issued
nv the Workmen's Compensation Ser
ice Bureau AS OF March !, 1915, In so
far as new business Is concerned. and
OF April !. 1915. as to renewals will be
generally observed
J.. There seems to be somewhat 81 an
uuderCurr-n, OF fear on the part OF
/ various underwriters shat there will be
a repetition of the rate war during the
year 1915 in view OF the fact that sew
/ cral companies are.at this time quoting
Z rates loss than the original rates adopted
MAY :. 1914. aud also AT variance with
the new rates promulgated by the Work
mems Compensation Service Bureau
based upon the experience Of the closing
OF business 1914"