The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-10-02
MOST UNLUCKY MAN.
Had Five Accidents in Two Minutes,
Got Paid for Only One,

THE soulessness of corporations
is something to stun YOU" said the
man with the heavy mustache and
the bandage about his head, accord
ins to the Insurance Press. II am
myself a victim, and instead of being
man OF wealth and an honor to the
community, | am now relic of hui
mainly from the hands OF surgeon.
who made an earnest effort to re-
store me to the form in which |
grew while reaching manhoods estate
Let me tell you about 1t. carry
an accident insurance policy in which
it was agreed to pay me $25 a week
during such time as was pre-
vented from working because of an
accident
A week ago | went around on Sun
day morning to new house that is
being built for me- climbed the place
where the stairs will be when the
house is finished, and on the top floor
found a pile of bricks which were
not needed there Feeling industrious.
decided to remove the bricks. In
the elevator shaft was rome and
pulley. and On one end OF the rome
was barrel. pulled the barrel up
to the top, after walking down the
ladder. and then firmly fastened the
rope at the bottom. Then | climbed
the ladder again. five stories, mind
you, and united the rope to let the
barrel down.
THE barrel was heavier than I
was. and before had time to study
over the proposition ] was going up
choY
increasing every second. thought
about letting go of the rope. but be-
fore had decided to do so | was so
nigh that it seemed more dangerous
to let go than to hold on. SO held on.
Half way up the elevator shaft I
met the barrel of bricks coming down.
The encounter was brief, but spirited.
] got the worst of it and continued on
most of me went on. but much OF my
epidermis chung to the barrel and re-
turned to earth.
time that the barrel struck the cellar
The shock knocked the breath out of
me and the bottom out OF the barrel
Then | was heavier than the empty
barrel. and started down, while the
ce>AiSl otoilCu UP. we luSJ Ill Tue
middle OF our journey, and again the
barrel uppercut me, pounded my solar
pleXus, barked my shins, bruised my
body and skinned my face. When we
became untangled resumed my down.
ward journey and the barrel went
higher. ] was soon at the bottom.
stopped so suddenly thae l lost my
presence OF mind and let go the rope
This released the barrel that was at
the top OF the elevator shaft. and it
fell five stories and landed squarely on
top OF me. And it landed hard, too.
Now here is where the heartless-
ness of the insurance company comes
in. ] sustained five accidents within
two minutes. Once on my journey up
the shaft when l met the barrel of
bricks, the second when struck the
ROOF, the third when | was descend
ing and met the empty barrel, the
fourth when l struck the bottom and
the fifth when the barrel struck me.
One accident would entitle me to $25
week. Five accidents would entitle
me to 1925 week. and l figured that
by staying in bed ten weeks | would
the insurance man said it was but one
accident. and he would pay but $25
week. Argument of was of no avail,
and SO | remained in bed four days
and am now expecting check for
$14.2S. Now. isn't that a shame?"