Rensselaer Journal, Volume 10, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 May 1901 — Queer Business in Turkey. [ARTICLE]

Queer Business in Turkey.

The sultan of Turkey has given instructions to the police of Constantinople that they are to stop the fires, which have become much too frequent lately. The police have thought the matter over and have come to the conclusion that fires are the result of insurance, and therefore insurance must be stopped. With this object they go round from house to house in the poorer quarters and tell the unfortunate householder that unless the next day he brings a letter from the company annulling his insurance he will be put in prison. The result is that many of them are begging the companies to cancel their insurances. The police offer, as an alternative, to accept a guarantee of several thousand pounds that no fire will break out in the house In question, or nmj of the nix adjoining ones.