Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-05
Companies Promises Of
Prompt Payments,
ON PROOF IRREFRAGABLE.
Mutual Beneficial Associations VIII be Hit
Hardest-A Cambria County Order the
Heaviest-It Was Bad Place for Casu-
atty Gompanies-NIost Policies for Small
Amounts-Royal Arcanum Losses.

The feature of life insurance in connection
with the Johnstown horror is beginning to
push itself into prominence. as the sum to be
reali zed from this source will be quite large,
Just how large it is impossible to approximately
estimate. OF course so far as that on buildings
destr Dyed goes the flood will simply wipe out
the policies. The Equitable has announced
that it will give 80 days extension of time in
payment of premiums and that all death claims
caused by the calamity will be paid immedi-
ately on proof and identification.
AS at this point the rub was supposed to
come in, a call was made at the office of the
Equitable Life in this city. Mr.. w. P. Wool
bridge said that, of course, ample proof OF
death would be required, but he supposed the
disappearance of a person and all trace OF him
lost might in time constitute sufficient proof
would be conclusive of death. He hadn't
given the subject much thought. Many bodies
will probably never be found, and many found
Will Not be Identified,
some latitude must necessarily be allowed.
Mr.. Woodbridge referred to some structures
that big insurance companies had not con-
tributed to the relief fund, and said they were
unjust. He stated that stockholders had con-
tributed individually Dnt the oceTS % Resid sieir
he said, the companies would be Obliged to
contribute heavily anyhow in payment OF pol
icies. The Equitable has many and some
heavy risks in Johnstown, but how much he
could not tell. So far as reported, the losses
of that company only amount to about SlO, QUO.
A number of people insured and reported
drowned have since turned up, and tnose are
ones who held large policies. The working
people insured generally carried only small
It seems the casualties at Johnstown were so
great in former years that regular accident in
surance companies were generally driven out
of the field in time to escape this disaster. Mr..
81. X. Kohler, Secretary of the Peoples Mutual
Accident, of this city, says Johnstown was
panies years ago, and they consequently not
only made but little effort to get business, but
confined their risks largely to class that was
not in hazardous employment. Mr.. Kohler
states that the greatest loser will be the Cam
bria County Mutual Benefit Association. Said
he: ''Among outside companies the greatest
losers will probably be the Travellers, Fidelity
and Casualty, United States Mutual and our
selves (the People's), but our risks are mainly
among. the class that was not likely to be
caught to any great extent in this flood"
The Beneficial Societies
will probably be the heaviest losers. There
was large council of the Boyal Arcanum in
Johnstown, and it is said that nine Of its mem
bers are known to be victims, and there were
probably more. These, if fully insured, will
cost that organization $4,000.
1t was supposed that the A. o. q. W. would
be heavy loser, but Grand Recorder ], M.Mc-
Nair states that there was no organization of
the order in Johnstown though it Is likely there
were individual members living there, and some
of them in all probability were victims.
Mr.. William Fury, of the Berkshire, wrote
some accident policies in Johnstown but he
states that he had only gotten started to work
and the losses will be light.
From all that can be learned it is probable
that settlements will generally be quite prompt.
Where proofs of death and identification are
perfect, as though corporations may not be
abundantly blessed in the matter of soul, they
are human after all and sympathiZe more or
beside 1t is sound business policy in such cases
to pay promptly where payment is inevitable.
Grnveyarders Don't Suffer.
1t was supposed by some that those COIN
panies who operate on the verge, insuring in
fants liable to dissolution from the ills incl
dent to babyhood, dentition, collie, measles,
whooping cough, mumps, scarlet fever,
chickenpox, smallpox. diphtheria and the
thousand other ills that mar our initiation into
life; graveyard insurance, etc., would suffer
severely; but Mr.. Kohler points out that
cies they are generally for small amounts,
The Fidelity and Casualty Company of New
York announces elsewhere that it will imme-
diately on presentation of satisfactory proofs
to the examiner of claims, Mr.. Adrian Scharf,
who is in Johnstown now, pay all claims
promptly. Mr.. E. E. Clapp, Superintendent of
the company, was in this city last night and
stated there would be no delay where a case
was made out.
The insurance companies, while they may
feel the draft on their resources, have the
satisfaction of knowing that what it costs them
could not possibly otherwise be paid where it
would do as much good.
Identification will, of course, in many in
stances be impossible, and there may many
complications arise before the business is
closed.