The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 17, 1895, Page 26

26 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1895. TWO INTERESTING T BY W. C. ‘When one compares the messenger-boy with the newshoy one wonders if the mes- senger lads have parents, if the parents have wisdom and if society is blind to the significance and value of the differencg be- tween these lac d newsboys. A boy isan irrepressible young animal, filled with those inherent qualities and energies which are to be developed under the re- action of the environment. The kind of man which a city boy will become ociation and in- soc is more a matter of nd of heredity, as the criminal fluence tha records of Mayfair, Whitechapel and the Bowery abundantly prove. The young | hum undeveloped by years and | uences which govern the conduct of adults, carries in him the ts which are common to the race— ne them a tendency to lie, steal, fight, ipate and gamble. To the extent h these are suppressed by the in- flue; of the environment and obscurer and more difficult qualities of a better kind developed, to that extent is, a man 200¢ Itis an ignorance or an ignoring of this fact that explains largely the pres- ce of criminals. I do not.know what proportion of the minal element has had its training in {he messenger-boy service. Itcannot be as large now as it surely will be in the rs to come, for the business, particu- larly in its more degraded aspect, is new; but that is a hint whicn the moralists may take if they please. My business now is to show what the boys are, or rather what | the tendency upation is. It is a fact familiar to t messenger-t uncontro to wk ose having to do that qften tk type of manners and | of them are insolent, , and that even in their | assumption of humility on occasion for the purpose of extorting a fee, there are a | ciled contempt and superciliousness in eir demeanor; that their very presence, e verv atmosphere which emanates from | 1, is in some cases repulsive, and that pt to exhibit a kind mpathy att em is met with a hard, cold eynicism ione, that the life | of a messenger-boy is hard and wearing, | f temptations and all that, and that 1¢l to deny to ambitious and ener- tic lads the right to earn a living. And of cou there will be others who know o boys in this business, as un- there are, and who will base dgment on their knowledge of and declare that I am wholly in nd utterly unj For such read- these there is no hope of a profitable ation; there is no law to prevent giving aid and comfort to the harm s is working. n who have some knowledge e of life in a great city who the best evidence of the vital tion. They know what utes a very large and profitable part of the messenger service, and they know to whor d to what circumstances the boys look for generous private fees. They are familiar with the strongest oi ihe 1 keep a boy in the service and are aware that in all its dark features it is | the very kind that necessarily produces a | degraded moral sense and often destruc- tive physical ailments. What could be expected of a boy filled | with the natural evil of his species if he 1s | thrown into intimate association with the | worst vices that afflict the race? Who, h an understanding of his nature and a | generous heart, would blame him for fall- ing under the spell of these evil influences? There undoubtedly are good boys in the but they are soin spite of their nent. ;side the criminal statistics which ve to be compiled with refer- messenger service, there should vital and health statis- ng shoulders, th sham- rait, the weak eyes, the so.ietimes drooling mouth, the often cadaverous face—these are signs which an intelligent €ye may see and a clear mind understand. It would be interesting for some humane society to make this a special study. By the very nature of things the practices to ‘which some of the boys fall victims are followed in secret, and can be inferred onl]y from a knowledge of their tempta- tions and opportunities and from physical manifestations. We may be sure that the boys themselves will not disclose the evil or the authors of the evil that is ruining ‘them. We may be sure that they will stoutly aeny every charge and be indig- nant at its making. But for all that, an intelligent humane society might, by care- ful and competent investigation, compile health stat s in reference to this busi- ness that would send a shudder through the whole community. It is pleasant to turn from this repulsive cture to one of a remarkably different 1f the newsboy is not one of the of the wholesome products of our | ization it would be difficult to find | such product at all. ¥ particular interest in this matter was | d some years ago by a girl friend. e is now in another and bigger part of | world, where she enjoys a success | and fame most' eminently deserved. | Being a wonderfully original character | and hun for knowledge she took up the personal study of the newsboy and pur- | sued it to its uttermost limit. Afterward she told me all about her discoveries, and her accounts were as enchanting as ro- mance. She had formed the acquaintance and won the confidence of one little fel- low after another; she had visited them in homes and penetrated all their do- ic and business secrets. I begged her to write a book of her discoveries, but she | was not a writer and was afraid. Iwould | give anythinz now if I could recall the wonderful stories of heroism, manliness, self-denial, courage, cheerfulness and hard work that she told, but the general im- pression remains, and that is sufficient for this writing. She found that many of these ragged little men, not older than 10 years, carried responsibilities that would make many a strong man groan and cry out against his fate; that many of them supported whole families, and themselves aressed uncom- plainingly in rags insufficient to keep them warm and dry; that some insisted on going to school, and there doing hard work in addition to the labors which their business exacted. These are things which are already known to many, but it is good to bear them in mind and so weigh their mean- ing. It cannot be assumed that these boys have any better stuff in them than that which goes to the making of a mes- senger-boy; the whole difference is pro- duced by the difference in the character of the employment. Where the tendency of one occupation is to produce a sturdy, hard-working, shrewd, uncrashable, re- Itis the of the shad can give ers tics. bling the | Sewers May Be YPES OF CITY BOYS, MORROW. the fund maintained for the enforcement of criminal laws. 1t is by no means true that all newsboys have family responsibilities, nor that they all develop into worthy men. The un- avoidable tendency of the occupation is the thing to consider. We do not find shambling, slothful, insolent boys crying the daily papers for sale. No evidence of dissipation or disease is discoverable in their marvelous alertness and energy, their infinite tact and perseverance, their well-browned eager little faces and their sharp, all-comprehending eyes. It istrue that they often make insufferable nuisances of themselves in their efforts to sell their wares, but he is a churl who would have a harsh word for the brave and sunny little men earnestly making a harder fight for an honest and decent livelihood than many a grown man has the courage and perseverance to make. They have their little vices and dissipa- tions, of course; they would not be boys if they were angels. They will *'shoot craps” and pitch nickels for keeps now and then, but 1 do not see much moral difference between that and certain specu- lative enterprises in which many of the eminently respectable men of this town are engaged HUMPHREYS' MANHOLES, The Inventor Claims a Great Improvement Over the Old System. Cleaned at Small Expense —No Noxious | Vapors. | brance of his father. William P. Humphreys, a well-known | civil engineer, has invented a sewer man- hole that would seem to solve some of the difficulties existing under the present | sewerage system. He claims for his man- | hole and connections many adva; ‘its | tages, as will appear below, not the least i of which is that the piping between the | sewers, which obstructs the flow of gas up the sewer and turns the same in and up the man- nole to pass into the street through the per- forated cover of the manhole, or, what would be better still, through a grating over said manhole. By such simple means as the above do we accomplish what governments have spent thousands in trying to do and have failed of doing—ventilation. By adopting the above plan I save the ex- pense of many manholes. 1save also the ex- pense of curved pipes. which is nearly double that of straight pipes. I save friction. I avoid the constant removal of the xpipes. L give ready access to the sewers. 1 enable those in charge to clean the sewers ina prompt, efficient and economical manner. I prevent persons in dwellings suffering from sewer gas, as I distribute it at different points into the open air, thereby preventing its accumulation atany one point, and so generally arrange its discharge that it will be offensive or injurious 0 none. To accomplish what is claimed as above, the manholes, their inverts and sewers must be constructed in accordance with the plans and models which I have prepared, end which are entirely my own combinations and improve- ments. RELIC OF EARLY DAYS. A Maltese Cross Fashioned of Gold Mined in California in Pioneer Times. ‘When Frederick A. Baldwin of this City returns from Brooklyn, N. Y., where he went some time since to attend the bed- side of his father, Major Frederick A. Baldwin, one of the officials in charge of the Brooklyn bridge, an official in the As- sessor’s office of that city, he will bring with him a relic of early days in Califor- nia which will be of inferest to Califor- nians who came to this City in early days. In 1849 Captain James H. Baldwin, a brother of the major, came to the Golden State, and, with others who accompanied him, went direct to the mines. e was fortunate in his search for the treasures of the earth and in 1850 decided to return to the B He had preserved the first nug- net picked up on his claim, and, before leaving San Francisco for his Eastern home, had it fashioned by one of the pio- neer jewelry houses of this City into a | macsnificent Maltese cross. This Le presented to his brother Fred- | erick when he reached the East, the latter | treasuring it to the day of his oemh} Frederick Baldwin Jr. found his father ¢ when he reached his side, and min- | istered to him to the last. In his will the deceased left the cross to his son, who intends keeping it as a sou- | venir of the days of old and tne days of | gola, and also as the most valued remem- Major Baldwin was | for many vears the senior member of the | firm of “T. Brooks & Co. of Brooklyn, and | | for gallantry in action while serving in the | famous Tighting Fourteenth, during the | war, was given the rank of major. His | son is a partner of George T. Gaden, the | Mayor's expert. —————— ¥or Betraying His Daughter. Frederick Coleman, & seaman, 51 yearsof ([ | e PROPOSED MANHOLE SYSTEM, | V! SHOWING THE MANHOLES IN TEE CENTER CF CRCES-S1REETS AND MIDDLE UF BLOCKS, manholes can be examined at any time | without breaking the ground. Mr. | Humphreys savs: By construct tem of pipe sewmers un- der certain conditions of grade in connection | with my improved manholes and in straight { lices from manhole to manhole in street cross- ings,and with the introduction of manholes | and lampholes in streets between crossings, | the whole system is brought under controi | and can be examined at any time without hay- | ing recourse to breaking open the ground, Moreover, any obstruction can be removed from the Sewers by the aid of tools specially applicable for the purpose, which are applied | at the manholes. To insure success the out- | fail sewers at the manhole must be lower than the sewers discharging into the manhole, for two reasons. Oue, 1o aid in ventilating. The other, to assist in’the discharge of the sewage end io prevent overflows and choking in < Do Manhole, Showing the XLntrance of Two of the Four Pipes. the manhole. Let us suppose two incoming &na two outgoing sewers, and that one of the latter becomes choked. In that case the other will take the sewage and prevent an overfiow. | Again, suppose the manhole to receive three incoming sewers and one discharging there- from. By placing the inverts of all incoming sewers i the same horizon(al plane as the. top of the outgoing sewer, or higher, if possible, or the two entering on the sides of the manhole above said plane, they all discharge into the manhole and toward its outlet without retard- ing the flow from any one sewer. It has become customary to connect pij sewers in crossings on curves. Under certain | conditions this is desirable. They give much | trouble, however, and are often choked. If | they cannot be flushed they must be uncov- ered to clean them. 1f the sewers are buflt in struight lines from manhole to manhole the difficulty is at once seen and removed. We do away with three unnecessary manholes in crossings at summiis and two in other cross- ings, and save ihe excessive expense for curved | pipes, avoid the friction and the necessity of, uncovering the pipes when choked. The same | objections do not hold good in regard to_large sewers, which will permit the removing of | obstructionsin the curve withoutdisturbing Manhole, Showing the Relative Posi- tion of the Four Connecting Fipes. the earth or the sewer, hho\lsh they require manholes at the beginning and ending of the curves. Even large sewers can be constructed | &s abov By bringing in the inverts of inlet sewers not | less than the height at the top of the outgoing sewers, and higher when the conditions per- mit, and running the bottom of the manhole from invert of outgoing sewer to a distance of | say eight inches below invert of incoming sewer, and allowing the sides of said bottom to dish to the center, as well as downward to point of outlet, we not only concentrate the sewage at the point of outlet, but prevent the discharge of one inlet sewer from interfering with that of the other and give & rapid descent 1o the outlet sewer, which can be so arranged, if required, as to form a head at the outlet sewer, lheret:{ increasing the velocity of its di:v;‘lli]u,ge and avoiding any choking in the manhole. sponsible citizen, the other tends to swell We also form & shoulder for the incoming | age, living at 5 Rincon court, was arrested yes- | terday by Officers Holbrook and McMurray of | | the Society for the Suppression of Vice, and | locked up in the City Prison. He is charged | with the betraval of his daughter Mamie, 15 | veazs of age. Coleman’s wife died some years ago. M SHITH BRI Many Friends Honor the Memory of a True Philan- thropist. Her Life Was Devoted to Doing Good in a Quiet and Unostentatious Manner. The funeral of Mrs. Anna J. Smith took place yesterday morning at 10 o’clock from St. Paul's Episcopal Church on California street, near Steiner. Mrs. Smith had a wide circle of acquaintances, and a large number of these were in attendance at the services. The usual burial ritual of the Episcopal Church was read by Rev. W. M. Reily, rector of St. Paul’s. Music was far- nished by the vested choir. There were a large number of beautiful floral pieces, one of the most striking being a large cross tendered by the Ladies’ Aid Society, of which Mrs. Smith was a promi- nent member. The vallbearers were: James H. Wallace, F. Rulofson, Colonel Wheat, | E. M. Levy, R. Tucker, John I. Sabin and Henry Euler. Mrs. Smith has been a resident of this | City for nearly thirty years. She was born in New York and was 70 years of age at the time of her decease. band, a prominent physician of New York 1 City, dying, she determined to come West | latter, the | and join her sister. The widow of Captain Yount, who at one time owned the present site of Yountville and | after whom the town is named, and Mrs, | Smith purchased a residence at 2125 Bush | street. Here they lived a very quiet life, devoting their entire energies to churcl | work and charities. They formed a large | circle of acquaintances, who revered and | esteemed them for their noble qualities. About six years ago Mrs. Yount died. This | left Mrs. Smith practically alone in the | world, her only relatives being two nieces | and a brother-in-law, all residing in Phila- | delphia. The last years of Mrs. Smith’s life have been devoted largely to the interests of St. Paul’s Church, of which she wasa member. | Toward its support she has given very generously of her ample means, and the little congregation had come to look upon her as one ufits most faithful supporters. Throughout her entire life Mrs. Smith’s | acts of munificence were accomplished in as quiet and unostentatious a manner es possible, and few outside her most intimate acquaintances had more than a faint con- ception of the extent of her charities. Her loss is felt as a severe blow not only to the congreiation of which she was a shining light, but to the entire community in which she resided. The only relative present at the funeral was W. H. Conrad, the husband of one of her nieces, who resides in Philadelphia. The others were unable to be present. SPECIAL MEETING CALLED. The Board of Education Will Meet on Tuesday Afternoon Next. By request of School Directors McElroy, Scott and Compte Jr., President Dodge of the Board of Education has called a spe- cial meeting of the board for Tuesday next at 4 o’clock. The object of the meeting is to consider proposals for the leasing of a g;mion of the Lincoln School property on arket strect ‘‘and other unfinished busi- ness.”” This latter clause may mean the election of a Director to succeed Charles B. Stone, a project which fell through at the last regular meeting. The fight for a settle- ment of the matter has been quietly waging ever since that time,and it is believed that it has been arranged so that Dr. Drucker’s election is practically certain. | of the railroad and some estates of p Sne remained in | New York until about 1865, when her hus- | ARE PAID UNDER PROTEST Nearly Quarter of a Million of Railroad Taxes Go.to the City. SOUTHERN PACIFIC OBJECTS. San Francisco’s Assessment and Tax Ordinance Claimed to Be Illegal and Void. E. Black Ryan, the tax agent of the Southern Pacific Company, With a repre- sentative of the railroad corporation’s treasury, left their offices for a short time yesterday to escort something like $200,000 in gold coin to the City’s tax office. Mr. Ryan looked and acted like a man whose heart was not in his work, for he ap- peared as if performing an exceedingly dis- tastetul task against his will. The quar- ter of a million or so of gold was moved reluctantly and, in fact, paid under pro- test. As tax agent of the Southern Pacific Mr. Ryan had watched the movement of the tax legislation out in the City Hall, and having conferred with railroad attor- neys at great length and on various occa- sions, had fully made up his mind that the railroad was an unfortunate sufferer from imposition. He had the legal ad- vice of Mr. Herrin and advisers of the railroad’s law department, and conse- quently felt justified in making a most positive protest in the plainest, strongest and tersest language possible. So, al- thovgh the money was passed over the Tax Collector’s counter, it remained a really doubtful question if the City could | claim the coin legally as its own. The taxes thus paid were for the first in- stallment upon real estate and personal property of the various railroads of the Southern Pacific coming into or having property in San Francisco, the Bay Dis- trict track, Pacific Improvement Company, Market-street railway tem, including the Geary-street road; also of the Crock- ers, Huntingtons, Mrs. Stanford, officials sons who were connected with that corporation, The best of legal advice on the question was secured, and for that reason the rail- road’s action in paying those taxes under protest will have a special significance as well as considerable interest for taxpayers of the City and County. In the protest the duplicate assessment is held to be 1llegal, and the Supervisors’ ordinance levying it void, through being vetoed by Mayor Sutro and not passed sub- sequently by the board. Again it is set forth that no valid fixing of the rate has been made, and in short that the whole matter of assessment and tax legislation in this City is in a sorry muddle. The communication. acconipanying the money sent in for taxes is as follows: SAN FrANcISCO, November 16, 1895. To James N. Block, Tax Collector of the City and County of San Francisco, State of California— Sie: The undersigned, E. B. Kyan, as agent for and on account of the several corporations and persons hereinafter named, hereby pays to you, under protest, the sums respectively set after their said veral names, being the sev- eral amounts purporting to be due from each of them upon the so-called duplicate assess- ment roll of the City and County of San Fran- cisco aforesaid, for the first installment of taxes on real estate and Personul property owned by each of them within such City and County, for City and County and State pur- oses for the fiscal year ending June 30, lgflfi, | to wit: Southern Pacific Company......... $9,725 48 Southern Pacific Kailroad Company. 1,288 77 Central Pacific Railroad Company 6,670 77 | Central Pacific and Southern Pacific Railroad Company. 7,100 81 South Pacific Coast Railroad. 945 76 Bay District Land Company Improvement Company. cet Railway Company Park and Ocean Hailroad 7,088 61 97 88 984 94 2,096 01 C. L. Lansing. | Robert Robinson. .. Mrs. D. Hewes’ estaty | Tore . Huutington. aid protest in each case is made upon the grounds following, viz. : That the ordinance of the Board of Supervi- sors purporting to levy the amount of taxes for State and County purposes, and purporting to levy and fix the rate thercof for City and County purposes, was and is void, for the reason that tne same has been disapproved and vetoed by the Mayor of said Cliy and County, and was not thereafter passed by said board over and notwithstanding said objec- tions and veto, as required by law. { That no valid fixing of the rate or levy of sald taxes, or any of them, in whole or in part, has evi et been made by said Board of Su- Dervisors or otherwise. __Thatno tax or taxes in any amount or sum is, or are fixed, or levied, or due, or payable by any of the persons or corporations afore- | 8aid to said City and County, or to you as said Tax Collector thereof. E. RYAN, Agent of the corporations and persons here- inbefore named. *“I paid the money under protest,” said Mr. Ryan, “because we didn’t believe that the City could ciaim it legally. The assess- ment has not been regular, and the whole matter may be contested.” These taxes represent half a year’s in- come to the City from all the tracts of land, depots, buildings and properties of the railroad corporations, also street cars, power-houses, machinery, lines, locomo- tives, fences, Protrero lands, Nob Hill and other palatial residences and the real es- tate and personal property of those people named in the protest. A Painter’s Fall. Theodore Horn, a painter living at 66 Minna | street, met with a serious accident yesterday aiternovn. He was working on a new build- ing on MecAllister street, near Devisadero, when he lost his palance and fell a distance ot about forty feet. He was picked up in an un- conscious condition and taken to the Receiv- ing Hospital. The bones of his right foot were fractured and he was seriously injured inter- nally. He will be held for observation. NEW TO-DAY. SP‘ECIAL_NOTICE. A L O e, R, ANOTHER REDUCTION IN RATEN BY RAIL TO. PORTLAND, OR. Commencing WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, And every five days thereater, the Southern Pa- cific Company will sell tickets to Portland, Or., by. their new fast train, ““THE SAN FRANCISCO AND PORTLAND SPECIAL,” At the following greatly reduced rates: $7.50—!ndndln‘ Berth in Pullman Tourist Sleeper. First-class tickets, 1 berth in .00 Pullman Emeumnscll::igg $ 1522 For turther informaticn apply at 613 MARKLT STREET (Grand Hotel Ticket Office), San Francisco. RICHARD GRAY, T. H. GOODMAN, Gen. Traftic Mgr. Gen. Pass. Agt, INSURANCE. A GREAT INSURANCE - _ COMPANY. Report of the North- western Mutual Life. SOLIDITY OF INVESTMENTS AND ECONOMY OF MANAGEMENT. Assets of 873,349,707 and Surplus of $13,545,436—Results of a Two Months’ Investigation of the Company’s Busi- ness and Methods by Representatives of the Insurance Departments of Five States Embodied in a Report Which Confirms the Confidence the Public Has Always Had in This Milwaukee In- stitution. The examination of the business of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Com- pany by a commission representing the insurance departments of five States, which has been in progress for two month: has been completed. The examination has been very thorough and exhaustive. A large force of clerks has been employed in examining the company's investments, liabilities and methods of business, and the result isa substantial testimonial to the solidity of its condition, the excellent quality of its assets and its economy of management. The company’s surplus is $13,545,436 54, while its assets have grown to the enormous amount of $73,349,707 84. The report of the commission is as follow: Milwaukee, Oct. 15, 1895.—Hon. H. L. Palmer, President Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company—Dear Sir: The commission representing the Insurance departments of Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Illinois, South Dakota and Nebraska have completed the examination of your com- pany and submit to you the following re- port giving the result of such examination. The last complete examination of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Com- pany was made in 1877, participated in by the departments of Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Maryland and Wisconsin. The present examination began early in July last by the Insurance departments of South Dakota and Nebraska, to which were subsequently added by invitation of the company Massachusetts, Illinois and Wisconsin. The Board of Examiners organized by the selection of Commissioner William A. Fricke as chairman and placed the general | supervision of the details of the examina- tion in charge of William D. Whiting. In this work the departments were repre- | sented as follows: Bouth Dakota and Nebraska, represented respectively by C. H. Anderson and Frank H. Wilson, examiners, employing four clerks. Massachusetts, represented by Commis- sioner Gieorge 8. Merrill and William D. ‘Whiting, with a force of seven clerks. Illinois, represented by Superintendent B. K. Durfee, J. J. Brinkerhoff, actuary, and one clerk. Wisconsin, by Commissioner William A. Fricke and Henry 8. Vail, actnary, with a force of five clerks, together with the Hon. W. H. Mylrea, Attorney-General. Constituting in all a force of twenty-six persons, besides the appraisers of real es- tate in cifferent localities. December 31, 1894, was adopted for mak- ing the financial statement so as to corre- spond with the date of the company’s last sworn statement to the several depart- ments, but the examination was brought down to August 1, 1895, to ascertain whether any material changes other than those incident to the normal course of business had occurred. The examination has disclosed the fol- lowing to be the company’s Financial Condition, ASS; Cost value of Real Estate owned— Excess of appraisements over cost. Total... Loans on Co. policies. assigned as collateral—secure Premium notes on policies in for Par value of Bonds owned Market value over par. Cash in Offict Cash in Bank Agent debit b Interest on Mortgages due. 253, secured by reserve. INSURANCE. company’s counsel, with a corps of assist- ants, and no charge is made except actual disbursements and fee of local counsel. Attorney-General Mylrea has examined into the system and reports that it is com- prehensive and complete, and that extra- ordinary care is exercised in protecting the interests of the company in the grant- ing of loans. The Attorney-General has also examined the abstracts of such cases as were involved, under foreclosure, in default of interest, or loans made to trustees, employe3 or connections of the company, and finds the papers complete and without flaw. The expense entailed by this system is comparatively small on each loan placed, and together with any loss through pur- chase by the company on foreclosures and subsequent sales gives a slight loss to be deducted from the gross 5 6-10 per cent in- terest earned, as the extra cost of hand- ling. This leaves a margin of nearly a million dollars which would bave to be im- g:ired before any deduction could justly made from this item. ‘As all payments of interest or principal | are made direct to the home office and not through loan agents it was deemed un- | necessary to communicate with each bor- | rower as to the amount of his outstanding loan; the same being sufficiently checked by the papers and receipts of interest. Loans on policies and premium notes were checked by the notes themselves and with the Wisconsin valuation registers, to ascertain if the policies upon which they are a lien were in force and able to sus- tain the loans. These items were found to agree with the company’s books and state- ments. The item of premiums in course of col- lection and deferred was treated in like manner, resulting in a slight difference only from the com&.mny's figures. The bonds owned were counted by the commissioners and found to be on hand with the exception of those deposited with | the Insurance departments of Wisconsin, Virginia and Canada, for which satisfac- | tory certificates were furnished. The pre- | mium for market value over par allowed $51,451 83 less than the company’s state- | ment. Cash in office and in banks, as shown by the books, was found to be correct. The company's statement deducted $18,- 167 51, mostly agents’ credit balances, from cash in office, which has been cor- rected above by carrying the same into liabilities. One-half of the agzents’ debit halances was found to be good by payment since December 31, and otherwise, and has been allowed. The total assets found on examination do not materially differ from the amount claimed by the company at the same date. Liabilities. The valuation registers of the Massa- chusetts department, being computed on a 4 per cent basis, were used for ascertaining the necessary reserves to be held on policies and “annuities. These were first checked by comparison with the com- pany’s registers and discrepancies inquired into and corrected. A farther check was | made by comparison of nolicies reported | as loaned upon or having premiums in | course of collection or deicrred. Inquiry was _likewise made into ‘hose policies marked off the registers of the Wisconsin department by lapse, surrender, death or | maturity, to ascertain if justifiably can- celed. The final valuation is in_excess of that found by the company by the sum of $144,361. It was discovered that there had been canceled certain ten-payment life | es whose owners had ceased paying | premiums and interest on notes. These policies contain clauses giving paid-up in- surance on lapse for as many tenth parts of original insurance as there had been “complete” annual premiums paid, but the notes declare the policy forfeited in case interest should not be paid thereon. We are pleased to note the prompt ac- tion of your executive committee in pass- ing a resolution reinstating the insurance on this class of policies as soon as your attention was called to this matter. It was likewise found necessary to in- crease the special reserve on certain other policies guaranteeing surrender values in excess of ordinary reserves, from tile sum | of $25.000 charged by the company to $128,388, and to charge for guarantees in excess of 4 per cent actuary reserve on cer- tain Tontine policies the sum of $22,312. A deduction was made of $63,514 61 from the amount with which the company charged itself for death claims outstanding on account of error and because after care- December 31, 1894. ETS. | | $752,080 67 431,328 45 56,590 88 $1,240,000 00 55,846,691 09 7X,820 00 467,540 42 7,510,069 00 5,474,158 30 13,280 89 ),104 00 161,110 68 5,313,047 62 058 90, 784,324 69 156,125 00 interest on Bonds due. 8,400 00, accrued. Interest on Policy Loans. 13700, accrued. 15,287 68 15,374 68 Rents on Real Estate s 30, accrued. 8.827 57 10,050 87 Gross prem. on outstanding policies first year 294,641 00, renewals. 420,348 00 Gross deferred premiums on policles in force first year....... .. 121,814 0v, repmewals..... 960,269 00 416,455 00 1,380,617 00 Deduct for cost on collection 50 per cent........ 208,227 00 6%/ per cent 92,041 00 Realizable on uncollected and deferred pre- mium: ceeee .. $208,228 00 $1,288,576 00 1,406,804 00 - ..873,349,707 84 LIABILITIES. Reserve (actuaries 4 per cent) on policies and annuities in force December 31, 1894, as computed by Massachusetts Department on corrected registers. Reserve on certain fractional paid-up insurance. Reserve for paid-up insurance claimable. TReserve agaiast excess Tontine guarantees Reserve against policies canceled for intemperance Reserve against premiums below net rates Death claims in process of adjustment. Endowments due and awaiting claimants. ... Dividends due on outstanding and deferred premiums. Dividends due in cash on paid-ups and post-mortem Premiums paid in advance and sccrued commission: Unpaid bills, accounts, etc., presented after January Agent credit balances, etc. 3 Of this surplus $8,584,711 35 Is accumulated Tontine earnings and general 4,961,725 19 $13,545,436 654 surplus $58,812,182 00 138,450 00 467,682 12 20,064 41 s 5 158,183 51 12.000 00 $59,804,271 30 13,545,436 54 1+ In this item the Commission bave charged the company with the extreme possible liabillty: it is only fair to stace that from the experience of the company in the adjustment of clai L policies the actual ltability will undoubtedly be largely reduced. i aims under Assets. The titles of real estate owned were in- vestigated .by Attorney-General Mylrea, and were found to vest the ownership of each piece in the company without law or incumbrances. Each parcel was valued by appraisers selected by tbe chairman with the final result of increasing the total value by $56,590 88 oyer the amount claimed by the company in its December 31, 1894, statement. The real estate on hand acquired by fore- closure is remarkably small in proportion to the large sum invested in mortgages, and is earning a fair net rent, as is also the Home Office building, when allowance is made for the portion occupied by the com- pany. This amount for own occupancy does not enter into the company’s annual statement for rents received and paid. The custom of the company has been (with few exceptions) to dispose of real es- tate acquired by foreclosure as rapidly as possible and merfge the net loss into the in- terest earnings of the year in which it is sold. An analysis of the business for twenty years shows that only a small per- centage of loans made are foreclosed and acquired as real estate. The mortgage loans, comprising nearly 80 per cent of total assets, have been carefully placed | and yield a gross rate of 5 6-10 per cent in- terest, payable semi-annually. About one- fourth of the mortgages represent farm loans. The loans are distributed in Illi- nois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado, Nebraska, Ohio, lowa, Tennessee, Indiana, Kansas, 'Mughlgnn. Missouri, Kentucky, and a few in South Dakota, Alabama, Texas and Georgia. About one-half of the whole is in Iilinois and Wisconsin. The interest in default is less than half of 1 per cent, or about one month’s interest. Loans are vlaced through salaried local agents, without commission from the bo; rower. The tities are examined by the ful investigation it became apparent that many of the cases contested were fraudu- lent ‘and constituted no real liability. Any company long in existence is bound to ac- cumulate a considerable amount of such cases. Some of these are outlawed, others merely nominal and practically aban- doned or the parties willing to compromise, and some had been settled since December 31 for much less than their face. It would be unfair to compel a company to carry such cases forever as a liability at their face or submit to extortion to get rid of them. It was not discovered that the company had unduly or without sufficient cause contested any case—in fact, theamount in litigation upon death claims, compared with the amount paid, is surprisingly smail and the company singularly suc- cessful in defending such suits. It was found necessary, however, to add $187,752 27 to the claims outstanding in process of adjustment for deaths occurring in 1894 on which proofs were not made until some time in 1895. Many of these cases were unknown to the company on December 31, as proof blanks are furnished by the agents, and not froma the home office, but it is necessary to take them into consideration in order to ascer- tain the true condition of the company at that date, as the parties insured were actually dead, and only a formality inter- vened before payment iecame due. . The surplus of the company is divided into Tontine and general surplus in the usual way employed by departments in their annual reports. The practice of the company in_giving notice eve: ear to it Tontine policy holders, of l?ei; annn:sl accumulations, is highly to be commended. The income and disbursements as ren- dered for 1894 in its sworn statement were found to be substantially correct. The interest receipts are large, being INSURANCE. s ST ssumns v 5 1-10 per cent of gross mean assets. ‘The g,uio ol;edeath claims is only about. 80 per: cent of that expected by the tables upon whilich its premiums and reserve are calcu- ad. 5 ]a"Ihe ratio of expenses is small and shows economical management. . e An investigation of the business done in 1895 to August 1 discloses no unusual event apart from the regular course. _The com- mission, however, desires to give expres- sion to their opinion, applicable alike to all companies. that the interest of the volicy-holders dictates that . no more money be carried as ‘“‘cash on bhand or in banks” than is necessary to meet the cur- rent needs of the company, and that all funds over and above these necessities"be promptly invested. 3 The amount of business has increased, with a corresponding increase 1n incqme, disbursemems, assets, liabilities and sur- plus. A larger relative proportion of invest- ments in city, county, State and United States bonds has been made. The com- pany holds no stocks and does not invest in rajlroad bond: The expense chargeable to eacl item is well within the limit provided for, except in the single case of new business, whereon the first year’s commissions plus the ad- ditional ‘expenses incident to the first year, after allowing for light mortality, does not leave enough of the premium to cover the necessary reserve at the end of the year. This comment is not to be accepted as a reflection upon the company, but is made to emphasize the regret of the commission that all fixed premium life companies do not take concerted action in cutting down this large expense item found in these companies, rather than await the time for legislation to restrict the expenditures for new business. The Various Departments. The several departments of the com- pany are conducted with ability and m- tegrity. The medical department is thoroughly systematized in its methods of appointing and supervising local examiners and stru- tinizing applications for insurance. The ratio of rejected cases averages about 8 per cent, and the districts in which ap- licants must reside are restricted to the etter portion of the United States—no foreign business is done. The care exercised in selecting risks is likewise proved by the actuary’s calcula- tions, showing the death-rate to be only about 80 per cent of that expected by the mortality table, although the company is now 38 years old. Care is again shown by the small number of cases of fraud among death claims. The legal department looks after ‘the titles and abstracts, and examines mi- nutely into the legality of each bond in which the company makes investments. A careful inquiry into the details of this department will be found in the Attorney- General’s report. The actuarial department is well systematized and equipped, making it -easy to acquire any information desired. - The card system is used in this and several other departments with good effect and to an extent not usunally found. The financial department, with the aid of the finance committee of seven trustees, is an extensive affair. This committee meets several times a week and passes upon every investment. The minutes of their transactions, as well as the character. of the investments, indicate careful' and intelligens discrimination., 3 The agency department is managed with the assistance of ' the committee on agencies and insurance. The increasing new business and advance in insurance outstanding from year to year are evi- dences of competency. The company gives no bonuses, allowances or salaries to agents. Agents are under bond ana losses from default are few and small in amount. Agents’ debit balances and commuted com- missions are noticeably small. The examining committee is composed of three trustees, whose duty it is twice a year (December 31 and June 30):to count all the assets, compare vouchers and checks with the cashbooks, check all the entries which finally culminate .in - the ledger, and verify the trial balances from which the published ana sworn statements are made -up. This work was found to have been faithfully done both for Decem- ber 31, 1894, and June 30, 1895. No expenditures for illegal or improper purposes have been discovered. The cus- tody of securities is in the hands of the president and second vice-president. Bonds with two sureties for $20,000 are given by the president, secretary, casbier and treasurer. All officers and office em- ployes are salaried, and receive no other compensation. No one, except agents, de- rives any commission uvon the business. The company’s treatment of policy- holders is eminently fair. All privileges and benefits given to new policy-holders; as_to loans, rates of interest, surrender values, guarantees, freedom of occupation a{:id residence, are extepded at once to the old. Every facility in making this examina- tion has been cheerfully extended by tne officers and clerks over a period of moté. than two months, frequently entailing night work and_considerable interruption to current business and suspension of va- cations. The new business written by. the company, however, during this period has been as large as for corresponding date .in- any previous year of its history. he commission has found little to criti- cize and much to commend. It is a pleasure to congratulate the {)olicy-holders of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company upon having their interests guarded by so efficient a board of officets, and the highest compliment that can be paid is that this examination has demon- strated that the company in its dealings with its policy-holders and beneficiaries:: and in its financial management has lived up to that high standard of reliability which has gained for it the confidence of the people and made its grand success possible. Respectfully submitted, WILLIAM A. FRICKE, Commissioner of Insurance. Wisconsin, Chairman. GEORGE 8. MERRILL, Insurance Commissioner, Massachusetts, RADFORD K. DURFEE Superintendent of Insurance, Illinois. :. HIPPLE, Commissioner of Insurance, South Dakota. EUGENE MOORE, Auditor of Public Accounts, Nebraska. CLARENCE M. SMITH, General Agent, Rooms 110-112-114, Phelan Building, San Francisco, Ct LIPO TALJR,, Chinese Tea and Herh Sanitorium, 721 Washingion St, No, San Francisco, Cal. Cor. Brenham Place, above the plaza. Office Hours: 9 to 12, 1to4and 5 to 7. Sun- day, 9 A. M. to 12 M. LiPo Tal Jr., son of the famous Li Fo Tai, has taken his father’s business, and is, afier eleven years' study in China, fully prepared to locate and treat all diseases. 1 LADIES' GRILL RO Has been eslablished in the Palace Hoto ACCOUNT OF REPEATED DEMANDS ‘made on the management. It takes the piace of the cty restaurant, with direct entrauce from Market si. Ladies shopping will find this & moss. desirabie place to lunch. Prompt service and mod- erate charges, such as have given the @rillroom an international reputation, l‘:&mm’l m this new deparupent. Weak Men andWomen Sxoum USE DAMIANA BITTERS, TH& Serdagth to tne Sexunt Orpsua o T