Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-04-05
SELECT.
JACOBS INSURANCE.
From Atlantic Monthly for April, 1882.
1t resulted in a lawsuit.

1t resulted in a lawsuit.
The elimination was on the sixth
day of September, lSSl,-that strang'
yellow day that attracted so much at
tention i'll the Eastern and Middle
States,-and the place of the trial Was
Albany.
Jacobs farmhouse was near the
Cove, about seven miles below Albany
From his door he could look down or
the Hudson The Cove, by the old
landing, with its decayed houses, was
also visible. The cars racing along
the farther shore of the river were a
lively feature. A dozen miles lower
down the valley the river hides behind
the Catskills.
In the house thus picturesquely stu.
ated, Jacob and his ancestors had lived
for ninety years The family name
was an Inheritance.
Jacob was forty-two years old, tall,
blonde, with mobile face, and dash
of red in his cheeks.
On the seventeenth day of Septem-
Der, of the year previous to that of the
yellow day, Jacob was awakened in
the night. He heard his pigs squeal-
ing and ''bucking," as he termed it,
against his house He went out, half
dressed, and found the pig-pen a heap
of embers Mary, his wife, and Viii
liam, his boy, came out They found
all the pigs, but they were scorched
and knocking about, and one died in a
few minutes of his burns The family
went to bed again, but did not sleep
much.
In the morning Jacob got out his in
surance policy. and he and Mary and
Willie looked it over They did not
see anything about pig-pen in it, and
so he put it away again.
A week later Jacobs small barn,
four rods south of his house, burned.
1t was in the daytime, in the afternoon.
Jacob came back from Albany at five
o'clock, and saw only the vacancy.
Willie said that at three O'Clock it was
on fire. Some of the neighbors had
come, but nothing could be done. 1t
was of pine boards, thirty years old,
and empty.
The insurance policy had all about
the barns in it. Jacob therefore went
down to 'Silas's,' at the Cove, and
made an application for an award.
They had local insurance company
in town. They had seen enough of
large companies; the mutual affair at
home was better. Jacobs policy was
in the home company.
As soon as Jacob told his story,
Silas said it was all right.
The committee came next day
They awarded Jacoba hundred dollars.
1t was satisfactory.
Five days later Jacobs large barn.
farther away from the house and on
the other side, north towards Albany,
where all his hay and wagons and i'm
plements and crops were, suddenly
took fire and burned up.
1t was 'astonishngr What could
have caused it 1t was heavy loss
this time. Jacob had hard work to
get his horses out and save them; all
else was. consumed. 1t was very
mysterious fire ; all three OF the fires
had been mysterious This last fire
occurred in the edge Of the evening,
just as it was growing dark. Jacob
was at home in his house, and did not
know of the confagration until
woman came from the next house,
screaming.
Il didn't know you had any enemy,
Jacob, said old William RAINIER, just
after the fire.
Il didn't, either said Jacob gloom
lily.
There was comfort in the fact that
the property had been insured. The
day after the burning, Jacob went
again to the Cove and made his appli-
cation.
Something seems to be after you,
Jacob said Silas, eying him keenly.
Yes said Jacob sadly.
Slas wrote the required papers, and
said the committee would come up
soon The very next morning, at
nine o'clock, the committee were on
hand and examining the place where
the barn had stood. They were at it,
more than two hours. There was a
great deal of measuring and making
inquiries they said it was a heavy
loss. Besides the long examination of
the place where the large barn had
been, they had the curiosity to go and
look once more where the small barn
had been, and took some measurements
there, and they poked in the ashes of
the hog-pen, and walked about the
premises. One of them carried book,
and jotted down the measurements
and other items.
The committee delayed making any
award They said it was an import
ant matter, and they would take time.
After three days Jacob went down
to the Cove and inquired of Silas The
| answer was that the board would meet
before the end of the week. and that
then something would be done about
it. Some of Jacobs own immediate
friends and neighbors belonged to the
board. He spoke to them about it
they seemed reticent.
There was delay, and another visit
OF the committee, with more measur-
ing, and first and then a second meet
ing of the board. After about fifteen
days, however, Silas walked up from
: the Cove, distance of two miles, and
left letter with Mary for Jacob.
When Jacob came in to dinner he
got the letter 1t had the insurance
company heading, and said -
Mr. JACOB WILSON,
SIR,-In the case of the barn or
your premises, which burned on the
29th of September, 1880, it is decided
! in view of all the circumstances, tha
| M award will he made