New-York tribune., 1897-08-05
WON'T INSURE CLONDYKE MINERS.
LIFE AND ACCIDENT COMPANIES SAY THE
RISKS ARE TOO GREAT TO ISSUE poll
ICJES EVEN AT EXTRA RATES.

Concerning the refusal of life and accident IN
surance companies TO grant permits 20 theil POI.
icv-holders 10 visit the Clondyke mining region Vi
Alaska or to issue new policies OF insurance 'o
nersons intending to engage In mining I'm Alaska
thcre was much discussion in this city yesterday.
Tho general manager Of OF the largest local
life insurance companies said TO a Tribune re-
norter: I'VE decline. for the present. to take any
risks upon the lives OF persons VINO are going 10
the Yukon mining district because the severity OF
the climate and the prvations TO which they are
ukelv to be subjected seriously endanger human
no civilization Is In such backward state there
that the risk would be too great. There would De
70 magistrates before whom claims could oe ad-
ius;ed and If there were the cost OF adjustment
would far exceed the amount or many years
nrer1ums on account of the expensive ana IN
ferIor facilities for travel After a while. If the
oourtrv has a sufficient system of local govern
ment railroads and other methods of regular
TRANSFORMATION and men can be provided WIN
annie food medical attendance etc. we Will prob
ably do some business there
"Ve have refused the applications for Insurance
OF n considerable number of men who were going
10 the mines in Alaska and will issue no policies
even at extra rates. The field is new one and
No conservative life insurance company Is likely
TO enter 1T until sufficient statistics have been
gathered to provide trustworthy basis FOR the
esta blshmcnt Of rates. Miners are not large IN
snrers They are generally laboring men, and take
miners. who work only on the surface Of the
ground are insured at lower rates than quartz
miners who quarry and blast. Quartz miners In
our Western mining States have TO pay premium
Of onc-half OF per cent more than placer miners,
hut what the difference should be in Alaska we do
not know because have had no experience
there Miners are adventurous and speculative and
cannot be counted as permanent members of any
organization. either religious or secular They are
nomadic. and in such an undeveloped country as
Alaska II would be impossible to keep trace OF
ther, For these reasons think II readily be
seen that no cautious or conservative life insur-
ance company Is likely to seek or accept any busi-
ness there until conditions nave been radically
changed.
general manager of one of the large casualty in
surance companies said: we decline to write any
new policies to men who intend 10 80 to the Yukon
mining region or to grant permits for any of our
nolicy- holders 10 go there. The hazard was not
contemplated in our original policies. All accident
the assured persons while they are in Wild or un-
civilized countries. and classify the Yukon
mining district OF Alaska under that clause. Pol
icv-hoiders are insured against injuries sustained
~ ar unsettled country. and We have no sufficient
insurance statistics to justify us In writing accident
us but It seems to he improbable that either the
life or accident insurance business will he very
large In an Arctic region like Alaska. There may
be- perhaps. five thousand or ten thousand persons
wear. How many Will reach there how many
Will return survive or be exempt from acct
dental injuries cannot tell. Therefore. we'll
managed insurance company can afford. in justice
its other policy holders. to take such chances.
for II might be that nine out OF ten OF the ad-
venturers would succumb TO the rigors OF the ell
The officers Of several other life and accident in
surance companies expressed similar Views.