The Washington herald., 1912-10-30
|b|G AEI n DHn
IN THE CAPITAL
southern Building Bought b osn-
msrcial and Ei1st National Fire
Iasuranos Companies.
FINEST OFFICES n TIE SOUTH

Il
one Of the most important realty trans
fers in the recent history Of the National
Capital. The title Of the Southern Build
ing. located At Fifteenth and H Streets.
has passed from the Southern Building
Corporation Jointly to the Commercial
Fire Insurance Company. which was
chartered in 1850. and the newly organ.
ICED two-milljon dollar First National
Fire Insurance Company. The homo Of
fees Of both Of these IRE companies
have been located In the Southern Build
ing since its completion In 1911.
The Commercial Fire Insurance Conn
pany has enjoyed . local reputation for
| fidelity to policyholders and success in
| management since its Incorporation.
twenty-five years ago with paid-in cap
ital OF 100000. Its first home ONCE, Sc
| cured at an economical rate Of rental.
was in the Le Droit Building. Eighth
and F Streets Northwest, which At that
time was one OF the principal once
buildings in the city. The income OF
IS for insurance upon the household
goods Of the then president Of the COM
pany. and, under successive renewals.
that policy 10 still In force. The net
premium income Of the arst year was
approximately N.SO. practically all Of
which remained on the right side Of the
ledger.
A Renarkable Achievement.
For the ten years from 1so7 to 1911,
inclusive, the average ratio Of fire losses
to premiums was q fraction less than =
per cent, which was Q remarkable
achievement in IRE insurance expe-
rience. On January I. 1917 the paid-in
capital Of the company was increased
20 pAN0 "A
was further increased to 500. 900. on
which latter date also the assets of the
company had been builded to S<S0000.
The present assets OF the company are
In excess Of half . million dollars and
the total authorised capital Of Sl,0o0 900
is being rapidly subscribed by rated
business men and property owners resi-
dent throughout the United States who
are not only stockholders in the COM
pany. but also policyholdsrs lending to
the institution valuable and interested
cooperation In the securing Of new
business In the twelve States in which
the company il now doing business.
The policy Of business expansion
adopted by the Commercial early In 1911
has resulted In marked accretion to the
company's premium income and in in
creased dividends to its stockholders. The
clerical force Of the home once Of the
Commercial now exceeds fifty persons
and the company 10 represented In the
Held BY more than 500 local and general
agents. who make q monthly contribu-
ton to the volume Of the company's busi-
ness. The directorate Of the CONNER
cial 10 composed Of the following busi-
ness and professional men whose stand.
Ing 10 both local and national:
Oncers Of Commercial
ohicsrs-Robert r. Tuttle. president;
Hon. Ashley n. Gould. first vice prsd-
dent: Frederick q. Dudley. second vice.
counsel; Robert N. Harper, chairman
finance committee: Paul r. Grove, sec-l
retary: John Mckee. assistant secretary.
Deterioration. George W. Atkinson,
John W. Childress. Allen c. Clark. w.
+. Roberts. Robert r. Tuttle. Hon. Ash
Icy N. Gould, Frederick 9. Dudley, John
Lewis Smith, Martin Wiegand, Richard
Wishtman. Hon. Robert J. wynne,
Charles F. Carusi. Robert N. Harper.
Paul F. Grove.
The Southern Building. which il To-
Gated in the best business center Of
warrington. one block distant from the
United States Treasury, Is the finest
equipped ONCE building in the South. It
u also the largest. the most popular, and
most successful ONCE building in the
National Capital. Its space is So per
y -
nue. Of approximately S16.ooo Der annum.
The top door Of the Southern Building |
10 occupied by the United States Court
OF Commerce, and q considerable portion
Of the ground floor IL leased to the |
United States Trust Company. one of the
large financial institutions Of Washing
ton. with resources Of over =, ,ooo, 900. The
eighth noor IL almost entirely given over |
to the home ONCE needs Of the CONNER
ciai Fire Insurance Company and the |
First National Fire Insurance Company, |
the two leading IRE insurance companies
Of the District Of Columbia.
Omees Specially Lighted. l.
The tenants of the Southern Building
are served by four electric high-speed l
elevators Of modern design. The moro 1
than 400 Offices are specially lighted and
all the rooms are outside rooms, insur-
ing perfect ventilation. The architects Of
the building. the well-known firm Of d.
H. Burnham & Co., of Chicago. havel
achieved perfection in tho three prime
essentials Of a metropolitan office build
ing. namely. light. ventilation, and sani-
tation Each office has q lavatory, hot
and cold water. and Is lighted with elec-
tricfty. On each door toilets for the ac-
commodation Of the tenants and patrons
Of the building are provided.
Several government Department. oc.
cupy portions OF the Southern Building.
whose architecture and equipment are
ranked high among the interesting sights
Of Washington.
The respective arrangements Of these
two important fire companies-the Com
mefcial and the First National-are to
be congratulated upon their newly ac-
quired ownership Of the Southern Build
ing.
The deal was carried through BY
Charles F. CaruG. Of the local bar, who
is general counsel for the purchasing
MARRIAGR I.lGRMana