258 



Farmers' Mutual Insurance. 



Vol. IV. 



the subscribers, do therefore associate toge- 

 ther under the name and title of " The Farni' 

 ers' Mutual Insurance Society of * * * *," 

 for the purpose of mutually insuring each 

 other ag-ainst loss from the destruction of 

 property by fire. And for the accomplish- 

 ment of the same, we do hereby mutually 

 bind, and severally obligate ourselves each 

 unto the others for the full and faithful per- 

 formance of our duties as members thereof, 

 agreeably to the following 



ARTICLES. 



Article 1» — Any person residing and hold- 

 ing property in the township of * * * * 

 may become a member by signing this Con- 

 stitution — paying twenty-five cents into the 

 treasury — and otherwise complying with its 

 rules and regulations. But any member may 

 be expelled for non-compliance. 



Article 2. — The officers of the society shall 

 be a President, Secretary, Treasurer, three 

 Managers, and six Appraisers, who shall 

 severally perform the duties usually apper- 

 taining to their offices, and such other ser- 

 vices as it may direct. 



The President and Secretary shall be ex 

 officio President and Secretary of the Board 

 of Managers. 



The Managers and Appraisers shall each 

 .have power to fill vacancies in their respec- 

 tive Boards. 



Article 3. — The members shall enter their 

 property to be insured with a valuation there 

 of, on the books of the society — and when 

 any property so entered shall be destroyed by 

 fire, such valuation shall be made the basis 

 of a tax to remunerate the loss. Provided, 

 That when property is exposed to inordinate 

 risk, the society shall have power to impose 

 an additional tax in proportion to its increased 

 liability. 



Article 4. — In all cases of damage from 

 fire, the Appraisers shall determine the 

 amount of loss actually sustained — but the 

 society will in no case pay more tiian the 

 insured value of the property destroyed. 



Article .5. — The insurance shall be consi- 

 dered perpetual, only subject to adjustment 

 when either the managers or owners shall 

 desire it. 



■' Any one may withdraw from the society at 

 the end of the year — not being in arrears. 



Article 6. — The society shall meet annu- 

 ally on the second seventh day in the fourtii 

 month, at which time the ofiicers shall be 

 elected. 



The Managers may call special meetings 

 when necessary. 



Article 7. — The society may make any 

 By-Laws, Rules and Regulations for its own 

 government, not inconsistent with this in- 

 Btrument 



Article 8. — This Constitution may be al- 

 tered or amended with the consent of any 

 annual meeting — Provided, such alterations 

 and amendments shall have been minuted 

 and referred thereto by a previous annual 

 meeting. 



Done at , this day of 



the month, one thousand eight 



hundred and , and sio-ned 

 by 



The foregoing Constitution is intended 

 briefly to declare the principles, and to con- 

 fer the powers of the society. The execution 

 of them must be governed by something like 

 the following 



BY-LAWS. 



1. The members may enter any or all of 

 their buildings, either with or without the 

 contents. A landlord may enter the build- 

 ings — a tenant the property contamed in 

 them. 



2. All property shall be classed and consi- 

 dered either ordinary or hazardous, accord- 

 ing to its liability to fire. 



First. — Ordinary. — This class shall in- 

 clude all common farm buildings, such as 

 houses, barns, carriage houses, granaries, &c. 

 Provided, That barns unprotected by liffht- 

 ning rods shall be subject to an additional 

 tax of 25 per cent. 



Second. — Hazardous. — This shall include 

 mills and manufactories, malt stories, brew- 

 eries, mechanics' shops, stores, &c. — all of 

 which to be subject to extra taxation,according 

 to the following scale. 

 (This must be fixed by each local society.) 



3. In all cases where the rate of taxation 

 is not determined, the Managers shall have 

 power to settle the terms of admission. 



4. The managers shall provide suitable 

 books wherein the Secretary shall enter the 

 names of the members, with a specification 

 of their property, designating each building 

 and contents, and the respective values at 

 which they are insured. 



When subject to extra taxation, the rate 

 thereof shall also be entered, and the equiva- 

 lent taxable value carried out. 



An entry of the withdrawal or expulsion 

 of a member shall also be made on the book. 



The Secretary shall fiirnish each member 

 with a transcript of his entry if demanded. 



5. The liabilities of the members shall 

 conmience and determine at twelve o'clock 

 at noon, on the day when their names are 

 entered, withdrawn, or erased. 



0. The minutes of the Board of Managers, 

 and a, statement of the Treasurer's accounts, 

 shall be submitted to each annual meeting. 



7. When any member sustains a loss from 

 fire it shall be his duty to give immediate no- 



