South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-01-24
CITY PROPERTY IS
ONLY INSURED FOR
$4,000, is CLAIM
More Than Half Million Dol
lars Worth Insured Ito
Its Actual Value.

More than % quarter Of million /
dollars OF insurable property belong /
nE 20 the city or Mishawaka Is In |
-ured for anly S56.UOo.
Tens Of thousands OF dollars worth |
of fire hghtinR equiDment IS not in Z
-ured an all when o. leaves the fire
houses.
The latest Americau-La France
wck which cost the taxpayers about
$50 600. 10 burned or destroyed by
p fire. would be "a dead loss 20 the
.itv and mo- insurance could be col
lccted
The North side FIRE station carries
no insurance of any kind
The new South side 'rc station
accepted and dedicated by the pre-
cedinz administration carries no in
surance IT, cost -he taxpayers In
excess OF $4,000 and II destroyed
0y fire today would Doe a total loss
70 the city
The city has no inventory Of its
property since 1919 The board Of
works and the city council do not
know what the city owns The in
eentorv Of 1914 Is obsolete.
These and other startling defects
TN the condition of the city's insur-
able property were brought out yes
rerday at a meeting Of the board OF
public works. All mem ers OF the
board were present
Emergency Policy Taken.
PENDING "A correction of this glar-
Ing and unaccountable neglect. c. T.
Iukenbach. city controller. was au-
fhorlzed 20 get a temporary policy
immediately covering the new South
side station.
Mayor w w. Dodge brought this
amazing situation 20 the attention OF
the board OF works It developed
that there is "a total OF $56,650 In
surauce on all the city property
above foundation level which. to-
rether with tho S0Cc insurance clause
would leave the city practically no
chance to collect I'm case Of fire
City Could Not Collect.
Under the terms OF the present in
surance which was written In 1914
End never amended or changed, the
city would have a hard time TO col
lect 40 all. This is due TO technical
clauses ion the rulings OF the state
Board OF Accounts Changes in the
Insurance laws and new rulings
which have been promulgated dur
ing the past seven years have not
been studied BY the former city con-
roller and as a result the city OF
Mishawaka has about S200.000 OF
iusurabIe property. all subject TO de-
struction los fire. all OF which is COW
cred by only S56.OO0 of insurance.
Tho only insurance on most Of thS
city's a.rr lighting equipment is on q
lew trucks which are covered only
when they are inside of the centra
fire station
With view OF remedying and cor
rectiug these evils Mayor Dodge
asked for the appointment of a com
mittee 90 call I'm two or more con
tractors of recognized standing u
make an appraisal of all city prop
erty
Compile Inventory.
Eaca department head viii com
nile am inventory of all property IL
his department $50 that The city con
uoller may have a complete and up
to-date inventory of all city prop
erty.
Upon the completion of the ap
praisaL which is expected TO be II
excess of 100000. the state Boar
OF Accounts viii be asked TO approv'
the valuation Of the insurable prop
ertv which viii be in the neighbor
hood OF S25o. ooe or more.
10 fl then planned 20 have thi
propcrt, covered ry "a three year IN
surauCe contract by which means tn
city viii save SIX months premiums