Hedging on Human Life.
N. B. McDowell, Ronceverte, W. Va.
In reply to your question in Watson’s Magazine of August: “Is it true that railroad corporations insure the lives of the railroad mail clerks?” I cannot speak for the railroad corporations, but it was developed in court here that the St. Lawrence Broom & Manufacturing Co., the largest corporation in this section, has the lives of its employes insured for its benefit. This company employs a large number of men and boys and has never made any provisions for their protection against the inclemency of the weather, or the many dangers of machinery that might be averted.
I was an employe of this company for fifteen years and have seen a number of men and boys mangled and maimed for life, but it was not known until quite recently that the corporation received insurance for every employe that got crippled. A boy got his hand cut off and sued the company for damages and it was clearly proven that the employes were insured for the benefit of the company.