The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-01-10
TO HELP EMPLOYEES.
Benefit Association F0stered ~ .
Rapid Transit Company.

Benefit Association Fostered ~ .
Rapid Transit Company.
During the sixty days ending June
Is a concession will be made to the
employees Of the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit company who have not yet al
lied themselves with the Brooklyn Rap
Id Transit Employees Benefit associa-
ton. This organization, founded In
1902, has today a membership of $3.50
men, about one-half the whole number
employed by the company. The adj
vantages of membership are such that
the officers Of the company expect only
q short time to elapse before practical
" all of the company employees are
enrolled in an association organized
and governed by their fellow EN-.
ployees.
At a recent meeting of the board Of
trustees of the benefit association it
was decided to suspend the usual mi.
tiation fee Of 81 for period Of sixty
days as an inducement to nOnmembers.
The only expense will be the payment
of a months dues of so cents, to be de-
Quoted from the salary of the new
member on the last week of each
month. In return for so cents a month
an engraved certificate of membership
In the Benefit association will be Is
sued, emitting the holder to club house
privileges at the nearest club building,
including the use Of billiard tables,
bowling alleys, gymnasium, shower
baths. reading room, musical entertain
ments band instruction and educa ton
al classes in many practical branches.
Membership also permits of participa-
ton in summer excursions to Coney
Island and Rockaway Beach.
But the benefit association is as tru-
~ mutual insurance society as any
fraternal organization in the country.
The associa tons physician is paid a
liberal salary to give his services ex-
clusively to the members who receive
free medical attendance during any
period of sickness. Any member who
has been incapacitated from his work
by illness for as many as fourteen con-
secutive days is entitled to a benefit
VI pei udy, VIA eAS
eighth day of sickness. He profits also
from a reduction In prices on med
cines from some thirty druggists who
fill the association physicians prescrip-
tons. In the event Of death a benefit
Of $3.50 is paid to the members family.
and this sum has often suficed to
bridge over a period of special ex-
penseS.
During the year ending March 81.
1906, the Brooklyn Rapid Transit EN-
ployees' Benefit association paid out
over $4,000 to members or their fami-
lies in sick and death benefits. During
1905, 525 members received sick and
death benefits amounting to $14.777.
OF this amount $1,000 was paid to the
families of fOrty-seven members who
had died. These figures do not ade
quately represent the protection afford
ed by the associations medical pro-
visions, for the $50 members amount
to only % per cent of the number of
members given free medical treatment
by the associations physician during
the year. Notwithstanding these dis
bursements, it had on hand on March
81 over $25, 900 in cash to meet its OBJ
legations.
The officials Of the company are 40
thoroughly convinced of the advan-
tages to their men of the association.
which they have fostered through the
uncertain years of infancy to its pres
ent assured position. that they recent
~ issued a circular letter urging their
employees to accept the special terms
in force for sixty days. The response
to this by the employees who have not
yet Joined will probably add another
thousand members to the roll. thus en-
abling the association to provide more
clubhouses, of which there are now
nine scattered over the borough Of
Brooklyn. The headquarters at ia
maica avenue. known as the Railroad
Mems building, is a center Of radiating
Influences.