Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-08
Il m mazing a Business
Growth in Philadel-
mia Offices Seen as
General Index.
c;tv Underwriters and officers
If Home Companies Declare
Strong Upward Trend
shows Awakened Interest in
All Lines.
,..,octs Loom Brighter Than for
More Than a Year-Volume of
policv Contracts Shows Depression
Caused by Early Months of War
IA Overcome.

c.o,yth in the volume OF business done
phnadelphia offices of several of the
..,n,ry's greatest life insurance compa-
80 rsh,cb have been steady for the last
=, months. have astonshed officials Of
-. oornanes and brought them to the
',.r ,ha, business prospects are brighter
,.,n they have been for more than a
80. In one case business done in June
:, ,h,s year Increased 40 per cent. over
that Of June, 1914.
r,,.,,ronce officials credit the increase
% improving business conditions. War
o,dsrs for steel and iron products and
,.xtlis merchandise are mainly RESPONSE
Me for the revival, but one Of the import
.rt factors is the strengthened confidence
sroueht about by realization Of the un-
likelihood Of the United States being
6awn into the European war.
oaielas of the Provident Life and Trust
rompany, the Penn Mutual, the North
western Life and the Mutual Life found
.wakened interest in all lines of business
I'D a decided Improvement In their own.
They are optimistic as to the future.
been gradual gaining weight each month
untll In the case of one company the
records Of last month exceeded any other
IN The history of its existence. For the
first six months after the war started
Insurance, like every other business, suf-
fered a sharp decline. But new interest
was seen in January, and since then the
Improvement has been marked. The cul-
mination WAS reached in June. officials
or all companies were certain the upward
trend would continue throughout July.
INDEX ON CONDITIONS.
the surest index to business conditions
that can he found. Though 1t Is admitted
10 be a necessary, the public view of 1t
places less Importance upon 1t than
upon fire insurance. Hence, the Off
eals argue, II life insurance is attractive
to business men their own business must
be improving.
william s. Ashbrook, agency secretary
Of the Provident Life and Trust Com
pany, which found the most marked I'M
provement In business for the first six
of 1915. said today:
1--WE have found astonishing improve-
ment in our business. Throughout the
county we will show a great increase
ioF the first six months of 1915, as against
the ame period a year ago. but it is
IN Philadelphia that the Improvement has
been decided. In June, 1914, we wrote
$4,000 worth of business. In June of
this yeaI our business increased to ST. 100,-
90 In May. 1914. we did S757,O00 For
the same month this year our total was
E6AOOO. The two months compared for
each year show 50, 100000 for 1915, against
il,6O0.OOO for the year before.
The Penn Mutual Life, another COM
psny with its home office in Philadel-
phia. found corresponding increases. Raj
Humphreys. superintendent, credited the
improved business to better business con-
dtons
"ALL LINES PROSPER"
'The first five months of this year
we're SS62,O00 greater than for the same
period in 1874" he said. I'VE will be
kaoO ahead of last year when the
hgures for the first six months are in.
md business In nearly all lines i'm
proving. In the East the stronger con-
nesnee is inspired by war orders. and In
lAe West, which 1 toured recently, find
nal the outlook for crops is lifting busi-
ness spirit TO its normal pitch.
q G. Winburn. Of the Mutual Life
Company OF New York, predicted that
would reveal an increase over the same |
period in 1914 OF 100000
We have adjusted ourselves to the
,lea ,,. OF having the world at war" Mr.. |
minourn said. After nearly year OF |
y we find that we can go on in very !
uueh the same way and that nothing |
s@Iul Is going to happen to us. The |
lonser we stay out of it the more san |
suine grows business. However 1 fear |
slal When the war is over there will be |
.uother adjustment which will be as |
% ss.ous as the one We have successfully |
.ne northwestern Mutual Life Insur- |
tlia,auelphia business improving, The |
a. ass' sN months Of 1915 show gain OF 20 |
X IN, esnt' over the same period last year. |
sl'uA hoffman, manager of the Philadel- |
y. s.Ya ohice' said; "Our business for the |
sA =. months period thsl year was 81. .aOO,O 600
-eAiHst 1880 600 for n wear agO