The weekly times-record., 1913-02-20
M|ODLEWEST FIRE CLOSES NEC0-
T|ATI0NS FOR SALE OF Bust
NESS--W|LL MOVE MARCH FIRST
Minneapolis Will in the Future Be Home of Bio
Insurance ConCern---W. A. Gordon Will Be
Secretary of New Mercer.

Through deal closed about ten
days ago, and involving $500, 900 of To-
cal capital, the Middlewest Fire Insur-
atlce company, organized, promoted,
and fcstered ~ Valley City and
Barnes county, will remove it's busi-
ness and offices from this city to Min
lSapohs to become a part of the Twin
city Fire Insurance company of that
city.
Negotiations for the sale of the
company have been in process for sew
eral weeks, the stockholders and off,
GERS realizing that only through a
change of this character could the
company ever make it's best and larg-
est growth. The Middlewest, say the
officers, has enjoyed larger patron.
age than any other home company in
the state. 1t has grown by leaps and
bounds to almost first place in the
world Of fire underwriting, but now
the maximum business has been
reached, and the stockholders had no
face the problem of either keeping
their business at a standstill or mOv-
ing to some other larger city. An ad-
vantageous offer was received from
the recently organized Twin City Fire
and was accepted.
BY the terms Of the deal, the hail
branch Of the business will remain in
North Dakota, under the management
of Frank White, who will be general
agent for that department. He will
have his headquarters in Valley City,
and assurances have been received
that the funds handled in this, by. far
the larger branch of the Middlewests
business will be kept on deposit in
Valley City and state banks, exactly
as in the past.
In the fire branch of the business,
H. A. Presler will be state agent, and
A. J. Henry, Jr., assistant. They will
have their headquarters in Valley
City also.
The actual moving of the offices will
be done March first. The Office equip
ment, supplies, records and other ma
terial will be sent by express, the Of
flee force will leave on the same train
and everything will be ready to open
for business in the new Offices of the
company the next morning.
The new home of the Middlewest
will be in the Elks building in Min
neapolis. This is one of the large
new Office buildings OF the city and
the company will have spacious Of
fees on the ground floor.
Mr.. w. A. Gordon, who in his sew
eral years residence in Valley City
has come to be a vital factor in the
growth of the city, today expressed his
regret at leaving Valley City. As Sec
retary Of the new concern, Mr.. Cor
don and his family will necessarily
make their home there, but frequent
trips to Valley City will keep them
closely in touch with their friends
here. Mr.. Gordon will probably keep
his residence here until some time
this spring.
The following from "The Western
underwater" gives an idea OF the
view taken of the move by other cit
les:
"The Middlewest Fire of Valley City,
N. Oak. will merge with the new
Twin City Fire OF Minneapolis as soon
as the latter receives its license
which will probably be in about 45
days. President George A. Mowry Of
the latter has the affairs well in hand
and the subscriptions are now being
paid in. For the time being the Mid.
die West Fire will take 100000 stock
in the Twin City and vice versa.
Secretary and Manager W. "A. Cor
don Of the Middle West will go to
Minneapolis as secretary Of the Twin
CITY. The latter company will write
all the lines f the former, recording
business, farm, tornado, lightning and
hatl. The Middle West Is now enter
ed In the Dakotas, Iowa. and Montana.
Tue Twin City will, Of course. operate
in Minnesota and perhaps a few other
sta*es In which the Middle West is not
entered.
Strength Of the Twin City.
The Twin City will have $500,000
capital and $25O.0o0 surplus. 1t will
have the Middle West plant to start
with az we'll as the splendid potential
plant that Mr.. Mowry has appointed
in Minnesota. Both Messrs. Mowry
and Gordon have had valuable field
experience. are underwriters of ability