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INDIANA UNIVERSITY 



To a much less extent the wives of the quarrymen become mem- 

 bers of similar societies. The character of these societies varies 

 from those in which the social or fraternal feature predominates 

 to those in which the element of insurance is prominent. The 

 prominence of these societies perhaps helps to explain why the 

 ' unions in the Bedford district have not developed the social side 

 of their organizations to any considerable degree. 



Relations of Employers and Employees. The business of 

 quarrying- is one in which the workmen are peculiarly liable to 

 injury by accidents. For the most part these accidents are such 

 as do not admit of prevention by safety appliances of any sort, 

 but which only constant care may prevent. No accurate record 

 is kept of these accidents, either by the producing companies or 

 by public officials. Of twenty-seven suits filed in Monroe County 

 praying for damages for personal injuries sustained in the quar- 

 ries in the five years from 1900 to 1904, eleven were the outcome 

 of serious injuries and six of fatal injuries, while in ten cases 

 the nature of the injuries could not be learned. This takes no 

 account of cases compromised out of court. 



Employers generally carry accident insurance on their work- 

 men, though there are a few producers who prefer to carry" their 

 own insurance. Such a system of insurance is thought by some 

 lawyers to be contrary to public policy, and its benefit may well 

 be questioned. The policies generally provide for payment of in- 

 demnity to the producer only after he has been defeated in the 

 courts, and thus the possibility of compromise is lessened. More- 

 over a suit in court means both expense and delay to the plain- 

 tiff, who can ill afford it. It is thought, too, that producers are 

 less careful of their men where the indemnity for injury is to 

 be paid by a third party, and that on this account the number of 

 accidents is much greater than it otherwise would be. 



The experience of the few companies who do not carry in- 

 surance gives some support to the contention frequently made 

 that such insurance is after all unprofitable to the insured. These 

 self-insured companies have had as a rule fewer accidents than 

 have the others, but many of the smaller companies might be 

 swamped by the necessity of paying damages on account of an 

 accident wholly beyond their power to prevent. Hence, from the 

 point of view of the financial interest of the insured, the carry- 

 ing of insurance is in the long run profitable. 



Only incomplete data can be had on the question of compen- 



