The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-03-13
a MANS VALUE.
A. rstimated By Juries In Accident

battle OF life with a prospective fortune
OF Sl44,900. This estimate is based upon
thevaluations placed on the various por-
tions of the human anatomy by juries in
different states which have given dam
ages for the loss of limb or othe.
physical injuries.
IL is probable that not one person
In half n million would agree TO part
with his eyes for ten times $4,000, but
this amount being the legal valuation
IL follows that every man starts life
with a capital of $4,000 when he pos
sesses sound eyes.
To be born with eight sound fingers
and two sound thumbs means that S32,-
500 is to be added to the capital OF man.
In the performance OF his duty Brake
man Peavey, of Kansas City, had the
misfortune to be deprived of the thumb
and one finger of his right hand. He
promptly sued tie Kansas g. Pacific
Railroad company for damages, on the
ground that their negligence caused
the accident that deprived him OF his
digits. A jury decided that the value
of the missing members to the owner
was $4,000, and, although the company
appealed the case TO the supreme court,
they failed TO get this figure reduced.
AT this rate mans fingers and thumbs
represent a cash value OF So, 800, quite
Il small estimate when the importance
of the members is taken into considera-
ton.
Strange to say, the value OF the whole
ha,. tet. ~ n A a.
400 for the two, according to n jury that
decided the amount Of damages against
the Central railroad, when james We
de Bray, Georgia man, who was in
Jured in smashup, sued the company
for the loss of that member. Ii would
have been TO his interest had he lost
all his fingers, instead Of hand, could
that have been arranged; but as he lost
the whole hand, the jury decided that
he had been deprived of only S4,7O0
OF his natural life capital. For two
hands, the normal number allowed TO
q human being, the legal valuation
would therefore be $4,000.
In the cnsc of the loss OF the whole
arm, the dollar value, according to the
ruling of the courts, is even less than
that awarded for the hands alone Mrs.
Davidson, lady 81 years of age, was
deprived OF her right arm in railroad
collision, for which the Texas Railroad
company had TO foot the bill. A jury
decided that the loss meant about $4,000
worth of damage To- the injured lady,
but the supreme court overruled the de-
cision and reduced the amount to ST.
600. This places the value Of two arms
at $4,000.
Ribs are costly. Farmer Quinn, of
Long Island, who sued for damages
when he had three ribs broken in
Long Island railroad collision. recov-
cred damages to the extent Of $4,000.
This being the quotation for three ribs,
ii follows that every man with the nor
NAL allowance OF ribs Is possessed of
100000 in that portion of his frame.
Thigh bones are also valued at fancy
figures Charles Thompson had n thigh
bone broken in collision on the line
OF the Louisville Railroad company, and
n sympathetic jury came to the conclu-
sion, after learning that n leg had to
be sacrificed, that the injury 10 the
thigh was worth to Thompson SIS, 900.
A man with two sound thighs can,
therefore, congratulate himself on be-
ing worth $4,000 In those two mem-
bcrs.
Legs can be quoted at various prices,
according TO the position OF the break
that necessitates their removal. Thus
William Moore, who sued the Atchison
Railroad company for the loss OF leg
below the knee, got $4,000 damages to
repay him. The railroad company
thought that was a pretty high quota
ton for human legs and they took the
case 10 the supreme court. There IL |
was decided that a leg was worth $10,- |
600. Two legs will, therefore, be worth |
$4,000 TO their owner. The toes are |
valued at $1,000 apiece, or $4,000 for
ten toes. The 81 900 figure was the de-
cision arrived at by n jury in Norfolk,
Va, in the case OF David Burge against
the Norfolk e. West Virginia railroad
for passing over his foot.
The hearing OF man is valued at
81 900, which John Hamilton got from /
the Third avenue cable road for deaf
ness caused 10y being thrown from his
wagon in collision between the wagon
and n cable car. Two ears, $4,000.
Nerves are not valued at n high price.
Simpson Waldron managed TO secure
only $4,000 from the st. Paul Railroad
when he sued for damages on
account OF his shattered nervous sys-
TEN after n wreck, in which he was
badly shaken up. Most people would
bc glad TO part with their nerves for
less than this, but according 10 the
jury valuation this Is the figure at
which they should be quoted. The
lungs are priced at $4,000. James Hand
sued the Union Pacific Railroad com
pany for damages after an accident
that caused the weakening of his lungs.
and a jury concluded that lungs were
worth TO man the sum OF $1,000.
The value OF the whole anatomy OF