The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-12-28
Milwaukee Street Railway &
Light Co. Gives Notable
Christmas Present.
KENOsHA MEN TO HAVE PART
All Employees of the Allied Plants of
Great Company viii Be Paid Pen
sions After Twenty Years of Labor,
Without any Charge for the Benefits.

Kenosha employees of the Kenosha
Gas and Electric Company, which is
one OF the affiliated companies of the
Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light
company, got notable Christmas pres
ent, for late Saturday evening the
Milwaukee company announced that it
had arranged for the pensioning Of all
its employees after they had been in
the service of the company for twenty
years or over.
Any employee after Jan /, 1912, who
has been in the service of the company
twenty years or more will be taken
care Of in his old age when for disabili-
ty he has to retire from the service.
The old age pension system and loan
fund will be established by the com
pany without any expense to the en-
ployes. The benefit association is
something where the employees must
take the initiative. IF they desire
such an organization all they have to
do is to take steps to form an asso
citation.
The details Of all three plans are
nearly complete and will be ready for
into effect on Jan. /. The official bulle-
tin was posted Christmas morning in
the barns, shops and places where the
employees gather. It reads as follows
"The Milwaukee Electric Railway
and Light company, Milwaukee Light,
Heat and Traction Company, its asso
'ciated and controlled companies, in the
interest of its employees, as a recogni-
tion of their faithful service, will, ON
Jan. l, 1912, inaugurate the following:
81. A pension system which will
provide pensions for life for it's en-
ployes upon their retirement from the
service of the company, because of age
or incapacity for duty. Employees in
the service of the company twenty
years or more will be eligible to par
ticipate in the benefits of the pension
system, the pension allowance being
based on the time Of service and the
average annual wages received during
the employees last ten year period of
service.
n2. A loan fund, which will per-
nit worthy and deserving employees of
the companies, who may be temporarily
in need of money, to borrow it from
the company, on business basis. This
will enable them to meet emergency
demands caused by sickness death or
other misfortune.
"3. A mutual benefit association,
to provide free medical attendance for
members unable to work on account of
sickness, and to make payments of
specified sums of money to members
during their disability or sickness, and
in the event of their death to their
families.
In addition to necessary free
medical attendance there will be a sick
benefit Of 81 per day, subject to GER
tain restrictions and conditions, and
death benefit Of OF lessithan $500. The
initiation fee of the Mutual Benefit
association will be 81, dues so cents
per month.
''The companies will contribute to
the Mutual Benefit association, dollar
for dollar, an equal amount to that con-
by the employees, and will give
the services Of it's officials to assist in
the organization and administration of
the association provide all necessary
clerical help and defray all expenses
of conducting the association, except
fees of the association S physicians.
"The management Of the association
will be in the hands of board of trus-
tees, part Of whom will be elected an
nually by the employees and part APP
pointed by the companies.
The pension system as well as the
loan fund will be established by the
companies entirely independent of the
Mutual Benefit association.
All expenses incident to the pay
ment of pensions or of loaning money
to employees will be taken care of by
the companies, independent of the en-
ployes, without any expense to them.
ar. B. Stearns,
"Assistant General Manager. y
The associated companies, whose en-
ployes will participate in the benefits
offered by the company, are the Keno
sha Gas and Electric company, the Ra-
cine Gas Light company, the Watertown
Gas and Electric company, and the
Milwaukee Central Heating company.
The matter of an old age pension
system has been under consideration by
the Milwaukee Electric Railway and
Light company for some years. At the
instance of former President John I.
Beggs, Controller c. n. Duffy was
charged with an investigation of such
systems among leading companies and
plants throughout the
country, including the great railroad
systems. When J. D. Mortimer came
to the presidency he had similar plan