68 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



The safety of keepers is a subject which is of prime importance 

 and in the New York Zoological Park it is and ever shall be so 

 treated. 



THE PENSION FUND. 



The long-desired pension fund for the employees of the Zoo- 

 logical Park is an accomplished fact — thanks to the enterprising 

 initiative of Chairman Madison Grant and the never-ending gen- 

 erosity and human-kindness of Mr. Andrew Carnegie. Instead 

 of a long campaign for subscriptions, conducted at an unpro- 

 pitious period for securing them, Mr. Carnegie's splendid gift 

 of $100,000 brought the pension idea to a state of full bloom, 

 actually in a moment. 



It is only the men and women who have worked hard — and 

 lived hard — on small salaries, out of which nothing worth while 

 can be saved, who can understand fully what this pension sys- 

 tem means to our force. Without the prospect of a pension as 

 a safe shield against calamity, every head of a family without 

 an imperishable income knows no such thing as freedom from 

 worry regarding the consequences to his wife and his children 

 of his disablement or death, and a total loss of income. 



For at least ten years the Zoological Society has been pay- 

 ing pensions to certain superannuated employees, and widows 

 of employees, and nothing has been said about it. The help had 

 to be given; and the City could not give it. Although salaries 

 in the Park always have been low, the Society has made that 

 condition less hard by taking a practical interest in the welfare 

 of its employees, at least as far as its means would allow. No 

 person who is injured on duty, either through his own fault or 

 no fault, ever is required to get well at his own expense. In 

 several cases, the efforts and the expenses of the Society have 

 saved the lives of employees. 



The status of the pension system can be stated in a few 

 words. 



The Carnegie Pension Fund yields an annual income of 

 $4,360. 



The employees of the Park pay into the General Pension 

 Fund two per cent of their salaries. 



The Zoological Society makes to the General Pension Fund 

 an annual subscription (from its Income Account) of about 

 $3,500, or whatever sum proves to be necessary to pay pensions. 



