Judge, 1905-02-11 · page 11 of 16
Judge — February 11, 1905 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **corporate advertisement**, not satire. It's The Prudential Insurance Company's 1905 annual financial statement, designed to project strength and trustworthiness to potential customers. The key visual is the **Rock of Gibraltar** image—a famous symbol of stability and permanence. The accompanying text claims Prudential is "Stronger Financially, and in the Confidence of the Public, Than Ever Before." This directly invokes Gibraltar as a metaphor: just as that rock is immovable and enduring, so is this insurance company. The boastful statistics (6 million policies, $88 million in assets, over $1 billion in force) serve to convince readers of the company's financial solidity—crucial in an era when insurance company failures were a real public concern. **For modern readers**: This represents early corporate image-building, using metaphor and impressive numbers to reassure customers their money is safe. No satire is present; this is earnest brand promotion.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE PRUDENTIAL Stronger Financially, and in the Confidence of the Public, _ Than Ever Before A Year of Greatest Gains in Progress, Security and Usefulness STRENGTH OF . GIBRALTAR Number of Policies in force, nearly 6 Million Increase in Number of Policies in force, over One-half Million Paid Policyholders during 1904, over 13 Million Dollars Total Payments to Policyholders, December 31, 1904, over 92 Million Dollars TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL STATEMENT JANUARY 1, 1905 SSSETS BONDS AND MORTGAGES : 7 XM All First Liens on Property, valued at REAL ESTATE owned by the Company. RAILROAD BONDS MUNICIPAL AND MISCELLANEOUS BONDS . UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT BONDS F NATIONAL BANK AND TRUST COMPANY ove Honda and Stocks Bonds and Stocks. ¥ Bonds aND STOCKS OVEN Cost CASH IN 250 BANKS AND TRUST COMPANIES throughout the United States, and cash in office ($6,154,811.25 on Interest) INTEREST AND RENTS, due and ‘accrued LOANS ON COLLATERAL SECURITIES . Bonds and Stocks, having Market Value of Exceas of Market Value over amount Loaned, vecurity of LOANS TO POLICYHOLDERS . ‘On the security of thele Policies~the Iteserve Value on thelr Policies below SEMI-ANNUAL AND QUARTERLY PREMIUMS not yet due, and Premiums in course of eollection (Reserve charged in Liabilities). Total Assets sowing mmarain ot LIABILITIES RESERVE, Legal cand Special Amount hel 4 of wijunt ment: Premiums paid Yolicy Loans; Billa awaiting prea- including those in : Unearned Intere F payment, ete. SURPLUS TO POLICYHOLDERS . Total Liabilities Cash Dividends $15,682,358.73 12,494,957.86 27,681 596.87 10,141,196.00 105,375.00 4,200,400.00 seanans 6,832,683.09 641,775.85 5,665,100.00 2,427,950.12 __2,888,911.65 ~~ $88,762,305.17 $73,954,919.00 1,481,519.84 13,325,866.33 $88,762,305.17 and other concessions, not stipulated in original contracts, and voluntarily given to holders of old Policies, to date, over 16 Million Dollars 5 Million Dollars Life Insurance Issued and Paid for during 1904, over 312 Million Dollars LARGEST IN THE HISTORY OF THI COMPANY OVER ONE BILLION DOLLARS LIFE INSURANCE IN FORCE THE PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA Incorporated awa Stock Company hy the State of New Jersey JOHN F. Write for Information of Policies, Dept. N. Increase in Assets over DRYDEN, President Home Office, Newark, N. J. comicbooks.com