The morning journal-courier., 1907-12-19
CAPITOL CITY NEWS
Few Sales in Hartford Stocks and Securities Recorded
 These Days.
ANNUAL REPORTS DELAYED
Insurance Commissioner Macdonald Declines to Favor Companies and
 Violate the Law.
(speelaI e the IournaI-courIer.,


 Hartford, Dec. 19.-With the excep- ton of private sales few and far be- tween there have been no transactions in Hartford stocks and securities for the past two months. Stocks of the Hartford Fire Insurance companies are lower than they have been in years The manufacturing stocks are lat stand still at present
 A financial manager whose views of the Hartford situation would not be questioned in any part of the State, said this week that the valuation of the stocks of Hartford Fire Insurance companies a year ago was preposter- ously high. It is not probable that they will reach the figures of last De- cember again for a good while. The quotations for bank holdings have felt the depression more or less. But the Hartford National banks are amply equipped Stocks of industrial cor porations in the city are not actively dealt in at present. Many manufac- turing concerns are running on short time. The great Cheney silk works at South Manchester with pay roll of $500 hands have cut off one day 8 week. The building trades in Hart ford show hundreds of idle men, who have very little laid up, for a rainy day Up to the present there has been no special suffering among the Ilaboring classes. There will be we'll organized relief should 1t be needed,
 Financially the city of Hartford has not been in better condition for years than now. The sinking fund amounts to $1,0S9,740. There will be no drain age upon it until July 1, 1909, when s750,000 of Consolidated town bonds will mature. The last bond issues by the city were the Consolidated River Bridge bonds, $1,000,0O0 issued Au- gust i, 1904 at 3 1-2 per cent, and ST. 0O0,0OO issued June 1, 1905, also 8 l-2 per cent. There was no difficulty in disposing of these 3 1-2 per cent. is- sues With Hartford issuing S2,O00,- 900 bonds at 1-2 per cent. interest since August 1, 1904 there will be no difficulty in the state doing the same. thing with its $6,o0o,OOO of 8 1-2 per cents. when the time comes for their issue in 1908.
 The Hon. Marc S. Chapman of Manchester, who died few months ago, left an estate worth S750,0OO. He Twas for thirty years the chief figure in the government stamped envelope works here and in the Hartford, Man, chester and Rockville Tramway sys- tenn, holding the presidency of the road at one time. Mir Chapman had served in both branches of the general assembly and was one of the leading auvocatos in the State of good labor legislation. The property which he left will be divided between his wife, who is a sister of Major Richard o, Cheney, Mrs. Fla, wife of Editor Ella of the Manchester Herald and two un- married daughters Ex-Senator Chap- man was in the Twelfth Connecticut through the Civil war and was a prominent Grand Army man.
 The annual report of the bank and railroad commissioners will not be is- sued until the last of December. In the bank report Commissioner Lippltt of Norwich will make his bow to the public. He has been in office since July 1, succeeding George F. Kendall of Sufield. Much is expected of his work as he is thoroughly bred in the banking business. The first report of Insurance Commissioner Macdonald will not be out until the last of March. It will cover the Fire Insur- ance companies giving the business for 1907. The returns for annual statements are made December S1, 1907. These statements will contain the sworn valuations of the companies of stocks and bonds held by them on that date.
 Commissioner Macdonald has cap- tured new feather for his cap by not going into the movement, which some of the insurance commissioners of the country favored allowing the compa- nies to make appraisals of their stock on the basis of December 31, 1906. He has taken a position and common sense view of the situation and that Is that the laws must be enforced, not withstandlng the fact that the surplus of companies may be decimated. Com missioner Macdonald has done what everybody believed he would do when the New York notion was promul- gated.