; To Insurance Commissioner Herbert S. Denenberg today praised the insurance industry ~ for its efforts in responding to the victims of Tropical Storm Agnes. Citing a comprehensive In- surance Department report, Mr. Denenberg said insurance companies were ‘‘pulling out all the stops’ in an effort to give that ‘‘the insurance industry was mobilizing the resources it needed to do the job.and it was waiving normal procedures to get the job done quickly.” Several companies, the report says, had their own offices own radio communications system in Wilkes-Barre when the area’s telephone system was out of service. The report also commends insurance ' companies for adopting ‘‘a flexible attitude’ on whether or not a vehicle should be considered a total loss. Many different criteria were used and ‘‘generally no hard and fast rules were found. Often the consumer had the final say.” The report suggests that the the primary goal of the in- dustry. It is. a fine tribute to the industry that it would process over 10,000 claims as. ex-. peditiously as it did with very few people actually recording complaints with the Insurance Department.” Mr. Denenberg said that the report was prompted by fears To Greetings Add a fresh touch ‘to holiday greetings. When Christmas cards are being written to distant friends and relatives, slip a little something extra into the envelope. Enclose a family news letter. It’s fun for the whole year. This includes ge ad- dition of a newborng grandchild, that long- awaited trip that was taken, marriages, graduations, promotions, awards and in- rl am a | ened jo er x ar ee insurance industry could be of being related to him: that: in- teresting future plans, - in (8K : The report praises the speed great assistance to state gurance companies were ac-: Friends will look forward a The report was based on an at which claims were being governments in future disasters ,a1)y profiteering as a result of to an “across-the-miles” 25 examination and survey con- settled. Areview of actual cases by providing a “‘checklist of he flood crisis through salvage synopsis that keeps them 0 ducted in July of claims paid on flood damaged motor vehicles in the Commonwealth. Motor vehicles constitute by far the largest area of insured losses. Companies writing 90 percent of the motor vehicle policies in Pennsylvania responded to the survey. Noting the difficult conditions under which many of the companies themselves were operating, the report comments closed in the first two weeks after the flood indicated the average time taken to settle and issue a check was only 6.4 days from the date of first notice of claim, less than the non-flood average of 10 days or more. According to the report, in- surance companies paid claims on damaged motor vehicles totalling $14.7 million to 11,892 policyholders. The average payout was $1,231. problem areas and possible action.” “During this disaster,” the report concludes, ‘‘the in- dividual insured came first. In a great many cases, we believe it fair to assume that many people who lost vehicles also lost a lot of other things that were not covered by insurance. Therefore, getting some money into people’s hands and fast was in our view quite appropriately The ‘‘season to be jolly’ is also the season for Penn- sylvanians to be extremely careful around the home, warns the Insurance Information Institute. The 1,503 accidental deaths that occurred in Pennsylvania ~ homes last year are negative proof that the home can be a dangerous place year-around, - said the Institute. But the Christmas season is potentially the worst season for accidents. Some of the reasons ~ are obvious. Cold weather and shorter days keep more people indoors. More flames are present -- the furnace for heating, the stove for cooking, candles and fireplaces for atmosphere; and more electric current is used in = problem at Christmas. The parable non-holiday periods. : 2 : Wr ! . : appliances. United ' States Public Health Highway deaths are higher mL the ‘condi: Loe Daryn Dive po Hs hot all bad... Light - 2.92 ) ; - There are special dangers as Service estimates that toys during the winter than other tion of the road made by Mr CE Ga Dark - well - spark-emitting Christ- : mas tree lights, flammable year. than 750 Americans have died : ; : ; SR yn ) 2 3 : : ; voir Drive residents could not = Said Mrs. Kunigonis: ‘If they : x Yis ones a Jeemations: ay The Food and Drug Ad- Quting the Christmas period | 1, substantiated by the Post. pave this road it will:become a1 ABITIBA Mornin g Gold $4.98 ( 3 Dpitg an Tapping ministration recently banned 30 62Ch year since.1964.in.motor.” my. owner of the vast major- busy highway, and will ruin the “ SEA SCAPE- 1 ; ye ( { ebris that accumulates and garages. Home Fires Kill 5,700 Fires in the home killed 5,700 people last year. An even worse death toll of 10,000 was at- tributed to falls, most of the victims over the age of 65. Many houses tend to be overly ~ cluttered during the holiday period. Christmas toys, gift- wrappings, chairs, footstools, and rugs left haphazardly in walking areas can easily trip and seriously injure a person, says the Institute. Rugs which “slip’’ under a person’s weight; barely visible bulges caused by extension cords hidden under carpets; unlighted stairways, entrances, and exits, and icy walks are . common hazards around the The Christmas tree that is the source of joy to the household can also be a source of tragedy. Win valuable prizes in ~ Daring’s Market’s First Baby of The Institute advises that you choose a tree that is not dried or shedding needles. Keep it fresh with a sturdy, water-holding stand. Keep it away from heat sources (radiator, hot air duct, fireplace) which may dry it out and contribute to a fire. Spray it with a fire resistant solution and decorate it with flame-proof materials such as glass or metal, not cotton or paper. Test Tree Lights Test your tree lights for defects that could cause them to spark. Look for frayed wires and loose or faulty sockets. Turn the tree off before retiring. Discard the tree, outside the house, when needles begin to fall. Certain toys present a special injure 700,000 children every toys from the consumer market on grounds they were hazardous to children because they had sharp points and edges and dangerous removable parts. In a ‘‘safe-Christmas’ drive last year, the FDA banned 187 toys. But many potentially lethal toys are still on the store shelves, and one FDA official conceded that “no regulatory program can protect a child from all Accordingly, the Institute advises that parents recognize: grills can inflict serious burns; that sheet metal toys such as model gas station kits may have razor-sharp edges; that loud caps used in some toy pistols can impair hearing; that toys with long cords can strangle; that plug-in toys can cause shock and burns, and that the sharp removeable hair pins, wires, and spikes frequently used to hold together stuffed animals and dolls can cause blindness or death. figures list suffocation. as the major cause of accidental death in the home to children less than one year old. The Institute warns that new baby clothes, soft plastic or rubber gifts, such materials given as Christmas presents, may smother or choke a child. Parents should match toys with a child’s age level and interests. They should look for toys with the Underwriters’ Laboratories Inc. Safety label. They should supervise the use of toys, and discard or replace those badly damaged. Drive Carefully Data shows that more driving accidents occur during the holidays then during com- seasons. An average of more vehicle accidents. The = Institute motorists that drinking is in- way accidents. Because visiting season, homeowners are ad- vised to serve non-alcoholic drinks to guests making the rounds. You can still keep in the spirit of things by serving eggnog without spirits. Eggnog never killed anyone. Beware of Plants In a final word of warning, the Institute points out that even the traditional Christmas plants can be dangerous and should be kept away from children. Certain parts of holly, Jerusalem cherry and Poin- settia can cause illness when ingested. The berries of the romantic mistletoe can cause acute stomach and intestinal irritation, and people have died from ‘tea’ made from them. operations or otherwise. It had also been reported’ that -in- surance companies were taking advantage of the plight of people by settling on a take-it- or-leave-it basis or ‘by not paying sales tax when settling claims. None of these’ reports were found to be true, Mr. Denenberg said, but he urged any flood victim who feels he contact the: Insurance Depart- ment. : (continued from PAGE ONE) According to Mr. Garris, the federal engineer was much im- pressed with the road restora- tion and called it a “real nice job’ before signing the release which provided federal funds for the project and stipulated that all work had been done according to specification. During the past two. months; men have been sent out ‘‘every two weeks to fill pot holes when they wash out,” Mr. said. And the person who travels the road most frequent- ly—Police Chief Ray Titus— claims he ‘never has any pro- The chief pointed out that he drives over the road 10 to 15 times a day in the course of his Jones on behalf of other Reser- Drive is the Pennsylvania: Gas and Water Company, which owns an estimated 90 percent of the land on either side of the drive, property which is tax- free. stretch of Reservoir Drive, only two other homes front the dirt road—those "of “Chester Kuni- gonis and James ‘Pop’ West. Said Mrs. Kunigonis when contacted by the Post: ‘I don’t want you to think I'm against Mr. Jones, but I can honestly say. they’re doing a wonderful job keeping this road open. We don’t have any complaints.” And Mr. West’s daughter, complained that mud always presented the biggest problem along the road. “When the snow melts, the mud is something to contend with— especially where the water drains off the hills.’’ She did not suggest that the road depart- ment was responsible for the road’s muddy condition, and in- dicated. only that a ‘firmer with their: father’s prize, are left to right: Patricia, Katie, Y/5 £1 Tree. “The tax collector tells you what to do with the money you have already done something with.” base’’ might alleviate the | abreast of the family’s turn of events. And it’s easy .to put a newsy letter together. Just collect the information and the member it concerns. To reproduce it in the shops that offer such serv- ice inexpensively. ; They will be able#h print as many copies as you need. They should be in a posi- tion to do your “Family Letter” on green or Christ- mas red paper to heighten the news-greeting. y pell, Roger Boston, Fred Boston. problem: Mr. West suggested that the unpaved portion of Center Hill Road: from the Brokenshire farm to Reservoir Drive is in worse shape than the drive: it- contract to blacktop that section was awarded months ago to the American | ‘Asphalt Company» Garris=nor is it a project the residents want undertaken. beauty I moved out here to enjoy.” “We’d have to double the width. of the road if. we paved according to state specifica: tions,’ Mr. Garris observed. “This would ‘mean timbering, moving utility poles, reditching the entire length of the road— even changing the slopes of the road banks. It. could cost a million dollars easily.” In conclusion, Mr. Garris de- | clared it’s a costly proposition keeping that read in condition— no doubt about it. But it is a dirt road—and there’s just so much that can be done to it, and the borough is doing all that can be New in the neighborhood? The Welcome Wagon hostess will IL helsl done already.” 24 Hour Call Call today “287-4467 ater PANELI Paneling Vinyl Clad Panels 4x8-3$7.98 to 8.99 17 Patterns to choose fr Self Service 1586 SANS SOUCI PARKWAY, CASH & CARRY NG SALE 4'X8' Panel — — — ——— —— — — i o—— — om WILKES BARRE, PA. 18702 PHONE 822-2145 a eam So a a Ra Ny” RN i na Rg 477-5067 the Year Contest. Starts next Guard Against " week in The Dallas Post--look Suffocation : for the big ad! National Safety Council : TIMEX Watches Mens & Ladies $9.” TO $15. AT 9 5 EACH a RE + pe Pact 7 Ia i / A NTS ~ SF 7 i : " é CHILDREN'S A marvelous gift . . . a joy to own! WAIST WATCHES L. ROBERTS grabs ilers 2 lyn : ® @ Personalize your stationery, note ; WESTCLOX FROM BRADLEY i ; paper, envelopes. 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers