, 1875-04-18
FIRE INSURANCE.

While there 1a perhaps no H1steu VI p11ucPAes
Incorporated in the commerce of every city that
affords more interesting study to othinking busl-
ness-mon than the theory Of fire insurance, there
is nothing in commerce that more Ee11ousy al
fects the interests Of the uniformed, as well as
of the intelligent classcs Of tho community, than
the moral and financial character Of those COM,
pauies aud agencies Whoso relation to
the community is tho protection of
property Accordingly, ali local questions,
tealousiess projudicos, and considerations for
eign to the matter Of resl protection, are lost
4 commercial rivalry between cities may rise tc
g1eat earucatness and violence without preju~
d;cng the interchange between the iso OF the
benefits incident to honest and reliable 1nB1r-
ance. Thus the conflict Of mercantile interests
between St. Louis and Chicago has been found
bv experiment to be without bearing upon the
interests Of insurance !; aud when three OF tho
Oldest companies of the former city we're intro
duced before this community two yesrs
ago, through the agency OF nn old
citizen Of that place, Mr- L. ii. Pottle,
the patronage then and since extended
to the agency indicated the simple and single
consideration OF indemnify, upafectad by the
local sentiment Of rivalry applicable to the Or
dina1y departments OF commerce. The patron
age OF local companies, too, is measured, not BY
persopal association and the influence OF pres
ance. but BY the public faith In the integrity,
strength, md character Of the company. Peo-
ple do not care By whom they aro protected 30
they are sure Of protection.
There ia perhaps no safer general guidance
for q community forming an estimate OF the
commercial character OF the insurance COM
nanies supposed to protect its interests than IN
Intelligent study OF the swsrn statements OF
those companies, notwithstanding tie figures
contaiue ed in them have been sometimes found to
iie,. below will be found nbbreviaton Of state
ments: forming an incomplete list Of reputable
compnnies recognized by4he weli-informed ele-
ment Of the business community as worthy OF
general confidence and patronage:
Tia arencies Of l. J. Lewis, 118 and 118 La-
sal1e street, comprise the Atlas Insurance Com
pany. Of Hartford. Conn, the Bnn1lo German
Insurance Company, OF Buffalo, N. L.. and the
Detroit Fire and Marine insurance Company.
Though The youngest company that the old IN
snrnnca community Of Hartford has placed before
the country, being nov in the second year OF its
hietory. the statement OF the Atlas Insurance
.0ompany exhibits. rs tho result OF its business,
snd its general Pla9@ @ Ct dI 1neq6anee t msGanens
beinc 5000, 600. The assets OF s5oo .o4219 IN
einde I, 095 shares National Bank stock; cash IN
han1. s7Q. .357.42; cash N course OF coIlectaon
from agents. 961, ,9n.77. United States bonds,
7n4n9 MORTGAGE OF IEs&1 Enhhto. GILL VI 0tCNn
colIa.eraIs, State and city bonds, etc. father
remarkable exhibit -, u;.., :.
Tie Buffalo German, With cash caplsa a o. Of
ea00. GOO. Elbows cssh surplus Of S355, Las
With sssetg Of f555. s99 46 including United
ststes s bonds, s2o6, LED; cash On hand and in
h.nks. sI11,8N28; call losns, 923,G5Q; Estna
insurance Company stock, S10, oo = LAKE M shofe @
4 Michigan Southern Raiiroad bonds. w, eo
cit- bonds aud interest, 328. .6o3b9: and other
similar itema! Liabilities, 7s'857'of; feansu1-
ance fund, $40, s5458. <,1..
: The Detroit Fire and Marine Insurance CON,
na1v. oreanized in 1865, .ehoTs subscribed
ccanitaI Of s350,000; caah capital Yl5o,ooo
csaf surplus, $245, 1l6.N. The assea laoove
1;shisea OF 81, 4,854.41 are $s9o, 26l 6s eomp1s- @ q
mo cash on hand and in bank $5l, 2ss:si
M T9ted States bonds, e64,35o; bills rece1yanle'
ala 95G. IS mortgages On h!s:-class c1ty p5gP
erty worth doabls tha amount loaned *z41'o0o'
md other itena-
sr rou1s AdENCE5-M. l. PoI1IE
The agencies Of H. T. Pottle 1o2 Eaeane
.+raat eonsist OF tho three oldest companies
of the Gty Of St. Louis said to represent cun,
siderable proportion Of the insurance Gapt,ea ~
and strength Of that plaos, the Citizens % ae
Frankin. and the St. Louis insurance 1o1n~
nanies. al Of st. Louis. Tbs Franklin u tga agan
fsed in 1855, p1eaentsa state1nent wh'en sn9"s -
cash ospti Of a2oo. .0oQ With eeah aasess g az ..
E288 s08.59 inns dapoAaA n hAnks. yi9s.I9 !
;Ssx3T & If3i IL nA3t f1& ft1if8 tdt90t2nee IT,