White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-10-23
lBy B. r. MILLER.)
PART THlRTY-Slx

D..
not be uninteresting. During one OF
the county's periodic spells of dull
ness, when teaming and freightinp
might he classed as an occupation but
certainly not as a business, the writer
decided 10 tackle life insurance tn
keep the wolf from the door aud
after securing an agency for tha New
York Life Insurance Company
through its Salt Lake City branch
had Or. Hammond of Ely named as
medical examiner for the company
Patrick Bonner, well-known
miner and business man. friend OF
The writer's for over q score OF years
was the first applicant secured and
n strangely enough. his death was also
the first among the large number of
people insured throughout the coun-
~. Pat, as he was popularity known,
had just opened up a saloon at Lane
City. This. by the way. was the first
business building erected In that town
with the exception OF the Chairman
boarding house, built and operated
by J. p. McCommey for the accom-
mediation of the miners.
Pat was urged TO take out a 500
policy. IL being explained that the
New York Life was the only old-line
company that would issue a policy
on the life of a miner or saloonkeep-
er. Mr. Bonner believed that the pre-
MUM on the policy suggested would
be more than he could afford. but
agreed 10 take a 81 600 policy.
Just after filling out the applica-
tion Of Mr.. Bonner the writer went
up the hill where the miners from the
Chairman were taking their lunch
n.
heating coffee for their lunch, were
Phil MeKerDan. George Holmes
Charlie Gerboth and man by the
name OF Mcleod. who at that time
was unknown to the writer. II only
took few minutes to secure the sig
natures on the dotted line OF the first
three named. but Mcleod. who had a
wife and six children In Eureka. de-
clined TO take any insurance. saying
that his wife objected
The writer then invited the four
miners down the hill TO Bonner's sa-
loon for a cigar. and after a general
discussion of the necessity OF life in
suranee for men of family Mr.. Bonner
sbecame SO impressed that he decided
D. change his application and take
out the s2.500 policy as he had first
been asked to do He stipulated.
however. that arrangements should
be made for the payment of premiums
semi-annually rather than annually.
and this was easily arranged
After leaving Lane City the writer
returned 20 Ely. where he met W. n.
McGill. who had just come In from
his ranch and who was easily per-
suaded to take out s., 900 policy.
Billy Graham. at that time conduct
Ing store. was next visited and he
said that he was carrying a $4,000
policy in the Travellers Insurance
Company Being in poor health. he
believed that he could not secure any
more Insurance and when told that
II could be arranged at once he
agreed TO take out a 1900 policy
on condition that after its arrival
should II prove unsatisfactory. he
would not be obliged to keep II. How
ever, the policy more than met all OF
his expectations. and he at once asked
to secure an additional policy OF
$4,000.
Up to this time Mr. Graham had
been afflicted with stomach trouble
and had to make frequent trips to
San Francisco for treatment, these
facts being certified In his application
Tor insurance. When he learned
mat the medical examiners OF one OF
The greatest insuranc companies In
the world viewed his disease as OF
little consequence he at once took
more roseate view of life and from
that time. which was In the early
DOS, until the time of the writer's
departure from the state in 1904 Mr..
Graham, as far as the writer ever
learned, never had a sick day. AS
he repeatedly told me, the assurance
OF the Insurance company's eminent
medical men that his affiiction was
OF a trif'ng nature made a new man
Of him
After securing a few more appii-
cations around town in addition to
those noted. making perhaps ten or
dozen for the week, the writer left
shortly afterward for Salt Lake City
on business. Opening mp the mall
which awaited his arrival there .one
OF the first items to claim his atten-
tion was story In the columns OF the
white Pine News telling of a cavein
AZ the Chairman mine. in which
i50-pound rock had fallen on Mr..
Mcleod, killing him instantly.
inasmuch rs his adventures In the
NE insurance field had netted him
several hundred dollars. the writer,
who was called east on business. de-
cided to take his family along for the
Trip and tn stop for a short time at
the Omaha exposition. His mail had
oeen sent ahead to the home ONCE
ot the insurance company In New
,ork and on his arrival there one OF
.ne frst items to attract his atten-
uon was story In the News telling
y, the closing down of the Chairman
nine and incidentally mentioning
mat Pat Bonner had moved to Cherry
Creek, started a saloon there and
n'ed few weeks later OF pneumonia
One may imagine the feelings of the
writer writer on learning that his first ap-
r pncaht '.at Tor life Insurance had died
w,thin six months of the time that
mis- policy was issued.
When the matter was explained to
mr. clark. superintendent OF agen-
@ o,es, ana In whose department the
osse ieii. ne at once took me to the
'OfUCe OF PFaAiAaaA