The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-11-18
SHOULD CITY HAVE
 HOME INSURANCE?
Farmer Reader Suggests
 Utilization of United Bank Building
Calls Attention to Home Companies of Other Small Ter Cities and Argues Step Would Be Beneficial to Park City.
To the Editor of the Farmer:

To the Editor of the Farmer:
 6ir-It is. understood that the Bridge port National Bank. having had com petent builders examine the United Bank building recently occupied by them on the corner of Bank and Main streets, with the view of remodeling the same for business purposes. and finding that in their judgment the structure cannot be 90 altered with out more expense than a new one would cost. has virtually concluded to tear 1t down and place on the site a steel office building of the kind usually found in business centers.
 As 1t stands 1t is one of the hand some buildings of the street: 1t is near ly new, Is spacious and thoroughly well built and much, money was ex- pended in its construction. If there is any other solution of the problem it should receive serious attention be- fore the plan in contemplation Is car ried out
 Tt has long seemed strange to the writer. as doubtless 1t must have seem ed so to others. that this flourishinE city has up to this time continued year after year to pay large sums for its fire insurance to outside compan- ies. Other cities. many of less inn portance than Bridgeport. have theil home insurance companies. thus keep ing their money in their own communi- ties as well as attracting outside funds Some. as Danbury, Guilford, Litch- and others have mutual companies which have. in some instances. accu- mulated large reserves while others. as Springfield. New Haven and Hartford have won wide reputations as eenter' of fire insurance extending to all parts of the country. Hartford has an in- vested capital of more than s20 900 0ot | in fire insurance and has built up some of the strongest companies in the Unit ed States.
 It Is certainly time for Bridgeport to seriously consider the sitult'on Here is building admirably adapt d for the purpose. the interior finish of the best. the safes the latest design. and the whole premises in first-class order. ready for immediate occupancy
 that can be got for nothing: for oi the bank proposes to tear the building down of course the vacant lot will re- main the only asset
 If then their value can be agreed uron the company could take over the whole
 at the valuation of the land alone. Ii
 the bank proposes to build. 1t could
 hardly construct such a building as contemplated at an outlay of less thar
 It must be inferred therefore that this fund is now available If so il
 could in part at least be advanced for
 scrip of the new company. Capital'z-
 ing the company at s50o.0o0 with privi-
 lege Of increasing it to si 00o 900 wi
 have then a substantial beginning. | If the public was assured that the
 bank was, in sense. behind the in-
 stitution acting as it's treasurer. etc.
 doubtless the whole amount of stock
 would be heavily subscribed.
 Fire insurance stock is one of the soundest in the country. and it ned:
 no recommendation when issued by re- | sponsible agents to encourage popular | interest. It is of course. possible tC extend these remarks much further but enough has been outlined In this
 brief way to show the importance oi the subject. and the proDriety of talk | ing advantage of the present condi.
 tions to further the project. and en- sure success
 | Respectfully.
 | CONSTANT READER