The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-15

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John B. Mackee. 1891 395.OO 375.O9
Ruth Alderman. 1925 10000 282.75
9onas R Ra'sa 1da0 $4,000 499'30
NJ. B. Way IS So $500 6l165
The above belongs to the junior depart
ment; the following to the senior depart
mebt, which is of more recent establishment:
Paid to
Paid benefit Net over
Hf1f of RinF9d party % s f7 HGst
George D; Reeves 1000 212.oo 10000
Sally Phelps .--...---- $3.50 1900 1870
Who will say the above were not good in
vestments? viii Rough Notes tell where
better investment could have been made for
such small sums? The Excelsior cannot
make but fourteen assessments in the senior
and fifteen in the Junior department in one
year. A member can take pad-up certifi-
cate, al the end of any year, for all he has
paid, with per cent. interest, to be paid at
the death of the insured party. (The old
line companies promise but or per cent.
interest, and some of them pay but one
fourth OF l rer cent? The total cost for
death assessments for one year in the Ex-
celsior is $21 or $225 so per. thousand, accord
ing to the department. We take no risk
until thirty days after the certificate issues
so no death-rattle or graveyard insurance
can be saddled on L by COLLISION between a
dishonest agent and bene ficiary, and accept
no annual dues or death assessments until
after the thirty days have expired. Our re-
port shows two departments, distinct from
each other. The average age in one is thirty
six, in the other seventy-two, and in both
ffty-three years.
Rough Notes must have seen this
while compiling its statement, but did not
credit us with it. 1t states that the com
missions, salaries, ETC., were 1904 So" leaving
the impression that the agents and officers
IL, Il
and agents took, together, 1881. 9S and not
1904 60. And the salaries of officers amounted
to but $500. A part of the 1904. 63, amount
ing to $1S7, was in the reserve ($l6S.02 and
$l9) paid back to members 1t would have
been honest for Rough Notes to have said
that Sfs7 of the $904G3 went to members.
The average age of fifty-three years has in
it no element OF grave yard insurance. A
death-rate trifie over one a month is no
death-rattle A return of $2l3.9S for S24 So
is no fleeing of members, and no disgrace to
the State of Indiana or the officers OF the
Excelsior. With its bright" mathematics,
Rough Notes makes our insurance worth
81 cents on the dollar. The actual facts are
that $248 for fortv-one deaths brought
return of $2l398 each, not count
ing the A,23S.64 paid TO our sick and
disabled members Rough Notes modestly
calls itself "a bright little sheet devoted to
the interests of underwater" plain
EnSllSh, olu-llne companies IL IS "brlght'
in assertions, but its love of fair play is not
its cardinal virtue. If it were it would be
bright little daisy" Let me ask the Jour
nal, who is 1t that regularly assails mutual
aids? Not the members. 1t is in almost
all cases. the agents of old line companies,
selfappointed guardians like the bright
little sheet devoted to the interests of under
writer's" No one ever had a death claim
paid by the Excelsior but what they received
they Of
more than 1000 per cent profit. Rough
Notes may not know of our paid-up certifi-
Gates, as it speakes SO confidently of the
losses of members who quit paying We
guard against such loss, and the
Upright little sheet devoted to underwriters
would add to its BRIGHTNESS" by increasing
its knowledge, and it would not then bite
off more than it could chew" viii the
Rough Notes expend part of its surplus
brightness" in explaining away the follow
ing ugly facts about old-line companies One
writer says: 1--WE found that during twenty