The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1900-12-01
CLERKS INSURANCE.
sseeessfal Operation of Dspartme nt-
al Ala Association in Govern-
meBt Omces.


"a few years ago." said the secretsr,
of departmental aid association, re
ports the Washington Star, zone of tn,
abuses of departmental life was the al
most constant passing around Of the
hat for collections to aid the widow and
family Of q clerk who had died in serv.
ice.
"Very often the deceased had been
for many years In the service Of the
government and at his death IL would
be found that he left scarcely enough
TO bury him, and sometimes not that.
And this would be true of clerks In the
higher grades. 1t made clerk appear
mean to refuse 10 contribute with the
others, though he may have had but
speaking acquaintance with the de-
ceased. To those on the outside It
would not seem that these contribu-
tions would be made sufficiently often
TO amount to drain, but they were,
and have known of three clerks dying
within a month in one large division
recall the chief clerk Of bureau dying
suddenly, and his widow did not have
enough money to pay for his laying
out. The word was passed around in
the bureau that the chief expected the
clerks to contribute literally, and most
of them handed in from 50 to IS, but
there was a strong undercurrent of
kicking.
I'm all of the depar tmentSthe solicit
ing of money for any purpose is strict
ly forbidden now All have their own
benevolent associations, which are en-
couraged by the chiefs. These asso-
Citations have bylaws, constitutions
and officers. Their object is TO furnish
to the clerks who are members an in
surance which will be Immediately
available on death. In fact, the money
is turned over 20 the heirs on the same
day that the association is notified of
the death Of the member, and this
ready money is often all that the
widow or the heirs have in the world
"The Pension Bureau association
publishes a complete pamphlet report
annually; others render report to the
board Of directors only The annual
receipts from the assessments Of the
Pension Bureau association are about
$4,000, and $3.50 is paid on death to the
beneficiary. Last year IL lost about
rs members, and $36. 900 has been dis
bursed since its formation in 1891. The
assessment is % cents, and the MEM
hership is 1900. Clerks do not lose their
membership in these associations il
they retire from their respective de-
partments, voluntarily or involuntar
lily, as long as they pay their assess
ments. The assessments range from
Is cents 10 81
in the post Office department the as
sessment is 80 cents, and the amount
paid varies from $500 to 1915, according
TO the number Of members.
"The treasury department has two
aid associations, one Of which pays
$3.50 on the death of member and the
assessment is 81.
THE interior departments nssocia,
tion numbers about 900, ami IL was or
ganIzed in 1895. About 100 members
have since died. each, receiving at death
5000, while over $4,000 has been dis,
bursed-
sThe benefcial ASSOCIATION OF the
war department has recently been re-
having been III existence u
years. IL has membership OF 4S0, the
assessment IS 81, the amount paid at
heath $3.50. and about g, 600 has already
been disuursed."