Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1876-01-29

Mr.. Briggs devotes his entire lime 20
the duties of his Office but Is necessarily
1 shse,st much Of the time from ms titss
\ In affending institutes, educattOnai meet
;nrs etc. He is also . member of the
State Geological Board and Secretary OF
the State; Board Of Education, which has
charge of the normal school.
ems EsusxS0E WntAu>TE
was established by an act az die. Leeisla-
ture approved April 13, 1871. Prior to
that date the insurance interests were at
tended to by the Secretary of State. :.
Samuel III. Row of this city twas appoint
ed tue first commissioner of insurance.
and Henry M Lawrence deputy These
gentlemen still retain their positions. and
are assisted by Henry w. Walker clerk.
Much of the business of the office is of a
nature that requires time and patient in
yestigation, and makes more of show
in general results to the people of the
state than on paper. The work of the
Office is to examine into the sOlvency OF
the insurance companies that apply for a
license to do business i'm Michigan. To
this end the commissioner is empowered
TO visit the home office of any company
that is authorized, or that applies for au-
thority, and to examine its books and eff
fects and its officers under oath. This
frequently necessitates Journeys to dis
tant states, the examination there of the
value. OF, mortgaged property and alb
stracts of title thereto, also an investiga-
ton Of the value of municipal and other
bonds, and the stocks of local banks and
manufacturing companies, lin fact, scru-
tiny of all the items of assets and liabili-
ties Of company.
All companies doing business in this
state are required during the month of
January in each year to make sworn state
ments of their condition on the 3lst day
OF December preceding, and at such other
times as, the commissioner may require.
These reports are examined and verified,
and if found correct and satisfactory, the
companies agents are licensed.
At present there are in all 1876 cOmpa-
mics authorized in this state. These are
located follows:
StocS fire companies of other states and for
elgn governments. l19
Stock fire companies OF this state .............
Mutual IRE companies of this state ........ 81
Lille companies of this state............. ......
Lie companies OF other statcs.............-3 sc
No agent can act for an insurance COM
pany without authority from the COM
missioner of insurance, During the past
year 3,347 licenses were issued to agents
of this state. Over 1000 letters were re-
ceived and answered. Twenty companies
were examined during the past year.
The annual reports of this department
are minute as to the business and financial
standing OF companies. That for 1875
contains 256 pages.
/ The bureau is charged with the collec-
ff1.. of
panies. During 1875 the receipts from
$123,476 81. Previous to the establish
ment of this bureau the tax receipts from
insurance companies were about $4,000
annually.
This office has large correspondence
with citizens OF the state as to the stand
ing of various companies.
In the transaction of the business OF
the Office there are about 80 different
blank forms used, some of which ars
quite elaborate. Last year the blanks
for the annual statement of life compa-
nies, known as the michigan balance
sheet blank, (of which Mr. Row is author)
was adopted by all the principal states Of
the Union for the returns of life compa-
MES.
THE STATE LIBRARY.
The State Librarian is Mrs Harriet A
Tenney, of Lansing. who performs the
duties of her sarduous position with ono
assistant. Mr.. All. CoryelLsS
The library cof1tainsstboHt 47.539 books,
pamphlets, charts and maps. besides many
paintings and curiOsiGies of various kin'ls.
There is no department which is so
thrOnged with visitors. and the time OF
one person is nearly consumed in answer
ing the questions and attending to the
wishes of applicants. Besides the gener-
al supervision of the library. Mrs. Tenney
makes all purchases of books, and mana
ges the exchange Of Michigan reports,
laws and documents, for those of other
states. Asathis is aAstiene through cor
respondence, the task is not a light one.
The librarian has charge also OF the sale
and exchange Of the Michigan Supreme
Court reports, of which about three vol
umes are published annually. During
the past year 5,S07 books and 9Jl pamph-
lets we're received. While most state Ii
Fbraries are, closed one. montt in every
year, the MichiS gan Library is closed only
during the legal holidays; and for sever
al months in the year, during terms OF
the Supreme Court and sessions of the
Legislature, the Library is kept continu-
ously open each day from Sotldck a. m.
% 9oelock p. u. eaa 1AJI