Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 March 1898 — CHARGING WAR RATES. [ARTICLE]

CHARGING WAR RATES.

Insurance Companies Take Action Concerning Gulf Shipments. Insurance companies carrying risks on American breadstuffs for export are charging war rates. This applies to all shipments from the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico ports. One of the largest exporting firms in St. Louis has been endeavoring to secure an expression from the big insurance companies that insure exports, but was not successful until Monday, when it was wired that war rates were in effect. This is one-quarter of 1 per cent added to the regular rate covering loss from all ordinary causes. On parcel shipments this is an advance of 50 per cent. The regular cargo rate is five-eighths of 1 per cent from Atlantic and three-quarters of 1 per cent from gulf ports. The cause for the adoption of war rates is that in the event of hostilities any ship carrying the American flag would not be safe from attack by a Spanish war vessel.