The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-07-24
MILLION HAIL LOSSES
CLAIMED IN THE STATE
Fifty Thousand Apply for Losses, Elk.
GLIDING Last Weeks Heavy
Losses.

BlSmarck.-LOSSe to the number
of 5-152, with claims for indemnity
averaging 5000 in each case, or a total
Of 1890 400, have already been re-
ported to the hail department Of In
surance Commissioner Olsness' office,
and nothing yet has been heard from
Grand Forks, Ramsey and Barnes
county, which have suffered seriously
thru disastrous hail storms of the last
week.
1t was originally estimated that 3d.
100000 acres of arabic land were SUBJ
ject to the provisions of the state hail
insurance act and liable to the fiat
tax of three cents an acre, from which
there is no escape under the law, and
which is expected to yield 100000
for the hail insurance fund.
Of course the arabic land, probably
eighteen million acres, is under cult
walton and liable to assessment. APP
proximately so per cent of this land
has been withdrawn from the assess
ment feature of the act, leaving nine
million acres upon which to levy a
further tax, which cannot exceed SO
cents per acre from which the hail in
IDENTITIES will be paid.
North Dakota is now in the midst
of the hail season. Inasmuch, how
ever, as the crop is comparatively
light in one of the heaviest hail areas
the region west of the Missouri
it is believed safe to presume that
20 per cent of the aggregate hail loss
es have already been reported. In
this event, the total loss for the year,
so far as the state fund is concerned,
would not exceed $5,0O0,000. Pro-rat-
ed over 100000 acres of land, and
taking into consideration the 100000
derived from the flat tax of 3 cents
an acre, the total assessment, including
the cost of operating the department,
should not exceed SO cents an acre
Such an assessment would furnish the
department with total of S. 100000
from which to pay hail losses, cost of
adjusting and other expenses.
1t is not, of course, safe to conjec-
ture at this period what the losses of
the next six weeks may be. Should
they be unusually high the maximum
assessment of so cents an acre might
not suffice to meet the demands of
the fund, and it would be necessary
for the department to issue warrants
against 1920 revenues. Had all own
ers Of arabic land remained under the
act, there would have been available
under the maximum assessment, plus
the 100000 derived from the three
cent per acre tax, possible aggregate
of $9,900,000 from which to pay hail
losses.
The hail law as it now stands is adj
mittedly imperfect. Farmers gen
orally object to the early date limit
on Withdrawals, declaring that this
feature Of the act is chiefly response
BILE for the large percentage of with
drawals. June Is is the last date up
on which notices of withdrawal may
be filed with county auditors. At that
time, farmers assert, it is impossible
to determine in many instances
whether there is to be any crop to in
sure. The farmers are inclined to ia
vor July as a more reasonable with
drawal date limit. Should there be a
special session next winter it is prob
able that the act will be amended in
several particulars and that this fea-
ture will receive special attention.