The age-herald., 1898-02-25
AN INTERESTING
 MEETING
The Annual Gathering of the Mu- tual Reserve Fund Life As s0ciation of New
 York City.
From Frank Leslie's Weekly.

From Frank Lesles Weekly.
 The annual meeting of the Mutual Re- serve Fund Life association members was held in the stately Mutual Reserve build ing, at the corner of Broadway and Duane streets, New York, on Wednesday, Jan uary A, at l D. The attendance was very large, and the reports of President frederick A. Burnham and of the other officers were listened to with great atten- ton. The gathering was one of the most enthusiastic that the members of this asso- citation have ever held.
 The Mutual Reserve, as it's name implies, Is mutual company with mutual mem- bership. to which the management holds Itself strictly responsible. The eagerness with which the members listened to the eloquent words of President Burnham, and to his business-like statement of the pro- gresS of the association, showed the deep interest that is felt in its welfare and pros- perity. President Burnham reported that the change in premium paying methods had made it possible, for the first time in the history of the Mutual Reserve, to elimi- nate unpaid-for business from his report that the agency force had been more thor oughly organized and extended, and that It's work during the past year challenged the admiration and excited the wonder of all who knew the conditions under which that great work had been done.
 The Mutual Reserve Fund Life nSsocia- tion closes the year with more paid d-for business than 1t ever had before in it's his- tory, with a more efficient agency organi- zation, a larger premium income, and with its business on better foundation for the future than ever before. A brief resume of some of the strongest facts cu1led from the annual reports will fortify this state ment: First, consider the income and dis bursements. The income from all sources during the year 1897 was $6,0S1, ,SO9 ST. against 8, S5S 476.T in 1896, an increase of $222, ,S32. 90; making the total increase for the two years. 1896 and 1897, $506, ,02S31. The to- tai disbursements of the year have amounted to $5, ,963, .S7, the total payment to policy-holders being s4162, ,6O34S; an in crease for the year in return to policy holders over 1896 of $173, ,27S02
 The excess of cash income over cash disbursements of $118227 has been added to the cash and invested assets. Every loss of which the association had any notice whatever during the year, even though no proof of the loss was received, is included in the liabilities reported. There has also been added to this item the sum of $216, ,S53 to cover any possible depreciation in values. Thus the Mutual Reserve has been brought to bedrock, and 1t is better prepared than ever before to do business in a business like way and on sound business princi- ples
 The business received from the agency force during 1897 reached the enormous aggregate of over $71, 900. Ninetytw0 per cent. of the new business of the year was written on the new fve-year combina- tion option plan, the premiums on which will yield much larger revenue in future than the aggregate business written in any previous year of the association's history.
 The Mutual Reserve is no longer looked upon as small organization. It has taken itstand within recent years as one of the largest insurance companies in the world, and is in fact the largest of It's class in ex- istence. Its death payments in 1897 aggre- ta1 Tfc xwau s6 OOO, 900, and its total resources at the close of the year were over $10,0 900.
 These figures speak for themselves and they attest the supremacy of the Mutual Reserve in It's chosen field of operations. From small beginning 1t has developed