Originally these unions collected assessments to meet death or disability claims after the occurrence of the death or disability. Considerable delay was thus entailed in the final settlement. All of them, with the exception of the Engineers, now hold reserve funds for the payment of claims. The Conductors took the initiative by providing in the constitution of 1881 that the grand secretary-treasurer, on paying a claim, should levy the regular assessment upon each member to be held in reserve to pay the next claim.[74] This was followed in 1885 by a regulation of the Trainmen which required all members to pay in advance one death assessment. This was repealed by the convention of 1886; but the convention of 1888 re-enacted the law. The Firemen provided in 1888[75] that the subordinate lodges should collect all dues quarterly in advance. [Footnote 74: Constitution, 1903 (Pittsburg, 1903), pp. 80, 86.] [Footnote 75: Constitution, 1888 (Terre Haute, 1888), secs. 50, 52, 53.] In determining the amount of insurance offered, the organizations have had necessarily to consider what their members can afford to pay. Only a certain per cent. of earnings can be set aside for insurance purposes, and that amount has been determined only by the long experience of the organizations. Again, the insurance must be in an amount which accords with the idea of the workmen of what constitutes a satisfactory provision against death or disability. The amount offered must for this reason be comparable with that offered by insurance companies. The following table shows the minimum and the maximum amounts paid by the several brotherhoods: Minimum Maximum Brotherhoods. Amount. Amount. Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers ... $1500 $4500 Order of Railway Conductors ........... 1000 3000 Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen ..... 1500 3000 Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen ...... 500 1350 Order of Railroad Telegraphers ........ 300 1000 Switchmen's Union ..................... 600 1200 Maintenance-of-Way Employees .......... 500 1000 Letter Carriers' Association[76] ...... 1000 3000 [Footnote 76: Under a unique system, known as the "Post Mortem Deduction" scheme, the actual value of a certificate of the Letter Carriers' Association at date of issue is fifteen per cent. less than its face value plus the amount of one assessment, and the value of the certificate does not become equal to its face value until the member has paid assessments equal to fifteen per cent. of the face amount (Constitution, 1904, pp. 67-68).]