Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-03-25
THE PROGRESS OF A
NATIONAL INSTITUTION
Enormous Figures Dealt in BY the Pru-
Dental of Newark-Long List of
High Grade Assets.

The 29th annual statement of the
Prudential of Newark, N J., which is
published on another page, shows the
company to be stronger financially and
in public confidence than ever before.
The year 1904 is reported TO have been
one of unusual gains in every depart
ment of the compauy's business. The
company issued and paid for in new
insurance during the year over 312
million dollars, which the largest of
any single years results in the COM
panys history. The number of poll
cies in force has been increased by
over 100000, bringing the total num-
Der of policies in force up TO nearly six
millions. The total amount of insur-
ance at risk is over one billion dol
lars. In payments TO pOlicyholders the
Prudential has maintained and surpass-
ed it's records for liberality. During
the year the Prudential paid to policy
holders over Is million dollars, while
since the organization of the company
the total payment to its policyhOlders
has been over 90 million dollars. One
interesting feature brought out in the
statement is the fact that in cash div
idendS and other concessions, not Stip-
ulated in original contracts, the Pru-
Dental has paid TO holders of old poll
cies over five million dollars. When
changes are made in policy contracts
or rates which result in increased lib
erality to the insured, the Prudential
always makes such changes retroac-
tive, wherever it is practicable to do
SO, and the above payment is the result
of this well-defined policy on the part
of the company
The financial statement itself is I'M
usually clear and convincing. The
company's assets have increased over
16 million dollars, making total amount
of assets over SO million dollars. The
analysis given in the statement shows
these assets to be of the highest grade;
for instance, SIS, 100000 has been loan
ed on $500 first liens on property val
ued at over 40 million dollars. The
company owns over II million dollars
of real estate; over 81 million dollars
of railroad bonds; over 10 million dol
lars of municipal and miscellaneous
bonds and United States government
bonds, and over four million dollars of
national bank and trust company
stocks. The total cost of all the bonds
and stocks was S40,697, 570.44, and as
these now have a market value of
SAP, 12S, 567.S7, it is shown that they
have increased in value since their
purchase by more than 81, 100000. Over
$6,S0O,00 cash was held Jan. in 259
banks and trust companies throughout
the United States and in the office, of
which S6,154,0 was drawing interest
and so actually constituted an invest
ment. There was loaned on collateral
securities 5.665. 100; these are approx
ed bonds and stocks which have a mar
ket value of 1888 322, so that the mar
gin of security here afforded is over ST.
$4,000
One of the safest and most profita-
Bile investments to a life insurance
company consists of loans to its own
policyholders, on the security of their
policies. The statement shows 81
427,950 loaned in this way, protected by
a reserve value of $4,427 POS, thus af-
fording ample security. Nearly "A mil
lion dollars is held as reserve by the
company to protect policy contracts,
and the assets include a surplus to pol
icyholders of $685., S66.33. The COM
plete schedule of bonds owned by the
Prudential shows the securities to be
of the highest grade. Altogether the
statement is an unusually satisfactory
one TO the company and it's pOlicyhold-
ers.