The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-09-07
WaterwOrth & Hess Back
Down on Reduction of Fire
insurance Rates.
PROPOSE TO PROBATE
DECREASE Is TO 10
Counselor Says Breaks Promise
to Him, Mayor and Public
For Reduction.

panles in their promise that the repeal
of the $25 occupation tax on the fire
companies would automatically knock
down the insurance rate Is cents per
500 valuation on commercial risks,
last night were made before the City
Council in q letter written by City
Counselor Oscar A. Knehans.
Knehans' letter was reply to Z
communication which Mayor Rage re
ceived from the Missouri Inspection
Bureau in which a proposal was set
forth to reduce the lucent insurance
rate in the same proportion that The
council reduced the insurance tax from
$25 year against the companies to
SO year against the individual
agents for each company that he rep
resents.
The scheme that they proposed
would reduce the lucent item in the
rate on commercial risks in the Cape
to 6 cents on the 500 valuation.
The letter which was written by
James A. Waterworth and Harold VI.
Hess, managers of the Missouri In
spection Bureau, declares that under
the ordinance, the insurance agents in
the Cape, instead of paying the SO IL
cense fee for each company himself,
will automatically charge the $40 to
his company.
The effect of this is to lower the &C.
cupation tax from S25 to SO. The LEI
ter declares and as consequence the
offset in the insurance rate should be
made in the same proportion.
Mayor Rage turned the letter owe
to knehans, and in his reply Knehans
declares that the Insurance company's
proposal is a complete abrogation Of
the promises made by Waterworth and
Hess when in the Cape last spring on
q fire prevention excursion.
at is further evidence that the pun
lie car place no confidence in the state
mcnts made by insurance companies
or their managers" lie wrote.
knehans calls upon Mayor Rage and
the audience in the Park Theater to
subst&ntiate the proposition that the
decrease in rate was promised on Tic
repeal of the insurance tax.
Tho Mayor remembers the promise
he said and "if 4 man after
reaching the age of responsibility docs
not transact business with him fairly
and honestly, and carry cut his prom
Uses, he is Just as severe and ready
to treat such people with contempt, as
he is fair to those who do business or
the square"
"When you called at my Office, tool,
for granted l was talking to business
men who would keep their words.
cannot understand how such men as
the managers of the Missouri Tnspec-
ton Bureau would so utterly disregard
their promises"
Knehans declares that the inspection
bureau began to hedge in former cor
respondence and he said an the last
analysis, a fair-minded man is i'm
pelled to the conclusion that YOU are
not dealing fairly with the City Of |
Cape Girradeau, and if you do not in
tend to comply with your promise, the
City Council will have the right to !
place a license tax on the fire insur-
ance companies again.
at will be up to you, whether or
not you want to do business in q bust
ness-like manner and make your ae
lions square your words"
The council Immediately approved .
hnehans' letter after hearing the cor
read, and allowed the fire
insurance tax situation to remain I'M
touched until a reply is received from
The inspection bureau.
The regular monthly bills and Off
sers' reports were approved. IN The
list Of bills, the statement for fire hose
purchased last winter by the donations
If Cape business men was approved
and the men who gave to that fund
will be reimbursed.
A report also was made on the con-
lition Of the new West End sewer in
which it was said that the city coun-
'elor soon will have to settle a ques-
ion of liability for damages in getting
he sewer to the river. Plans for the
'utlet of the sewer provide that it
hall run over land outside the city
limits.