Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-11-10
WILL DETERMINE
STATUS OF Law
OHIO SUPREME COURT TO DECIDE
ON LIABILITY LAW PASSED
SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
TO review CLEVELAND RULING
Wide Interest Is Being Aroused and
Court Will Go To- Limit in
Making Test.

Western Union Newspaper News Service.
Columbus.-By its action in granting
motions to certify records in a case
styled Antonio Verducci vs. the Cas-
ualty Company of America the Su
preme Court determined upon a review
of the decision of the Cuyahoga Coun-
ty Court of Appeals. The case tests
the law passed few years ago by
which the rights of employers under
employers liability statutes were to be
safeguarded to employees for the pay
ment Of judgments for personal in
juries. The case will be of much i'm
portance il the ruling of Judge Frank
Taggart, state superintendent of insur-
ance, is allowed to remain in force,
This insurance ruling authorized the
writing of employers indemnity insur-
ance in cases both of violation of the
law and of "wi1ful act which resulted
in injury.
The law says that an employe who
has suffered injury because of negli-
gence of the employer shall be subro-
gated to all the rights of the employer
under any contract or policy of insur-
ance, ETC." The Appellate Court of
Cuyahoga county said that the con-
tracts of insurance had been artfully
drawn as to amount to practical eva
sion Of the statute and wholly de-
feat" it; and, while it was admitted
this may work hardship, it is stated
by the judges of the Court of Appeals,
@but we do not see how this conclu-
sion can be denied as long as the right
of private control is allowed"
The court will review this question
and construe the law. The mere fact
that the cases are certified is an in
dication that the court considers there
is a large public interest and there is
| sufficient ground for further inquiry as
to whether the lower court correctly
interpreted the law.
MarshaPs Department Makes Survey.
Among the recent innovations o.
the State Fire Marshars Department
has been the survey of the freight
ing facilities of the state, enumeratins
the fire departments, men engaged
equipment, apparatus, ordinances, etc
There has been no previous compila
ton of this nature. The work is beinI
done by the deputy and assistant fir,
marshals in the 20 subdivisions of TIL
state. Practically the entire state ha
been covered, although the survey i
not quite complete In all 336 fire de
partments have been surveyed, reveal
ing data as follows: Number of pai
departments, 49; number of part-pai
departments, II: number of voluntee
departments, 1873; number of pai
men, 3,276; number of part-paid mer
1,179: number of volunteer men, $3.50
number of engine houses, 488; numbe
of municipalities having waterwork:
1856; number of municipalities witt
! out waterworks, 139; number G
waterworks owned by municipa
ity, 1853; number of waterwork
owned privately, 27; number {
departments motorized or part motto
lied. 68: number of municipalities ha'
ing building code, 45; number of mi
inequalities having fire limit ordinanc
1902: number of municipalities havin
roofing ordinance, %; number of M
inequalities having gasoline ordinanc
IS. The salaries of fire chiefs rane
from nothing to $4,000, Cincinnati b
ing the only city where this sum
paid. In some localities firemen al
paid so much a f.e-