The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-01
DOWN THE PIKE WITH $4,000
4 Boys Drive That saved an Insurance
Company q Lawsuit.

| tOtlDbUs u LAWFUL
An insurance officer in New York who
| began as an Office boy in a Western agency
! forty years ago, said 10 one OF his associ-
ates with whom he had been exchanging
| experiences:
Il once paid ffty-thousa 1d-dollar loss
| for this company when | was an Office boy,
and that really gave me my start. II
was what was known then as a short term
| policy, at short rates Our agency con-
sisted Of five companies Of which this -
referring to the company OF which he is
| now an officer twas the leader.
The pork packing industry was a big
| one in the town. The head Of one Of the
| big concerns wanted the bulk OF his in
surance in this company, and sort of
| special dispensation was granted the agents
| by the home office to issue n Thousand
dollar policy for sixty days. Before the
! policy expired the establishment OF old
| Capt. H was total loss.
THE packing house was huge building
! about two miles out Of town. A general
agent OF the company was sent out TO adj
just. Old Capt. H was rated high
commercially and otherwise. His los~ was
total. There was no such thing as salvage.
The general agent adjusted promptly, and
recommended PROMPT payment.
Il do not recall what caused a delay,
but one occurred. and the time specified
for the payment dragged, causing old
Capt. H a good deal of worry. He
had erected a temporary Office near the
ruins OF his packing establishment where
he was recouping preparatory to going
ahead.
The delayed payment finally prompted
the old packer to threaten a lawsuit. He
was in that frame Of mind when the check
for $50 900 was received at our agency.
1T reached the agent about dark, one
wintry day. and just az the agent was
getting ready TO go TO some sort Of social
function. As soon az he opened the mail
that cont aimed the big check he said to me:
Here. jump in the buggy and drive
like Caesar heating tanbark to old Capt
rs Office and hand him this check
and get his receipt. lie notified mo to-
day ne was going 10 sue the company to-
morrow
.Of course the agent had confidence in
me, but did not realize how much until
he gave me that fny-thousand- dollar
check to deliver, after dark. at a place that
was al the end OF a long and ugly drive.
blity until | had got beyond the city and
was urging the little bay mare Dolly 10
get down 10 business on the tu'rp he.
1T was black all around, overhead, on
the sides and at the bottom. ! formed
some idea of the speed the little mare was
going by the sparks which few from her
shoes as they struck the CobblcstOnes.
Then began thinking. The things that
Tam O'Shanter saw in his ride were tame
10 what / saw Every rail in the long line
Of fences | passed was robber. III ever
PRAYED earnestly il was on that drive.
Il had to pas through tollgate, but
didn't stop that night In spite OF the chal-
lenge. Finally the surrey struck snag
and collapsed
Dolly. faithful little creature. stopped
still. picked myself up out az the ne Of
the pike and ielt for my check. IL was all
right.
Il unhitched Dolly. pulled the smashed
rig out Of the road, mounted the faithful
little steed and resumed my journey. When
] stopped before the shanty once OF old
Cap H---he came 10 the door with Ian
tern and asked what had broken loose;
i thrust the $50 900 check in his face,
and well. that was all ] remembered.
! went into unc,nsciousness. When my
senses returned old Cap. H was holding
my hand. and doctor vas doing some.
thing ] don't remember what but heard
him saw, He will come out Of Il all right.
And then old Cap H turned TO another
man and said.
You needn't file suit tomorrow
Il had headed OF the lawsuit and heard
Dolly whinnying out there on the pike.
Il was taken back 70 town and Ia my
home II was ten days before ] was out
again. When | went back TO the agency
nv salary had been increased.
Il have been in the service Of this com.
PAW ever since Sometimes I have heard
pleasant things said about why ] was ad-
vanced from time 20 time but the begin
ming was in that drive and ride down tho
pike, in tho DARK, with Charley Daven-
ports Dolly, and in my reaching my desti-
nation in time to heed of lawsuit.
And when hear men talking about how
they began without a dollar am reminded
that began on $4,000. Why shouldn't
have succeeded''