New-York tribune., 1885-01-19
NOTES ON BUSINESS AND TRADE.

Mutual INsURANCE-The Massachusetts Com
missioner of Insurance has transmitted to the Leg
islaturo an opinion of the Attorney General re-
oarlinr thi rty seven assessment insurance com
panies doing business IN that State, which appears
to strike at the root of that method of insurance.
Irrespective OF other points raised as to the details
of management or organization or some OF the Mas
sachusctts companies the decision aiirmS that the
assessment companies are subject to the general
insurance laws that no person can be deemed a
member who does not share in the management
that such associations can pay death benefits only
70 widows. orphans, relatives dependents of
members Of the corporation, aud that such benefits
are not assgnable that funds collected for pay
ment of such benefits are not the property OF the
association, except as trustee. and that the
CORPORATION can legally bold as death fund only
such funds rs may be provided for according
to the statute. The Commissioner insists that any
company conducting insurance as a business. and
having an lndiscriminate membership, must be sub
iect 10 the Same restraints OF law and the same
animation and oversight as tine other companies
The report appears to have been deferred until the
Lep,slature was IN session In order that 1t might, if
disposed, modify the general laws in their appica-
ton TO such companies.
W.TrR.-Modern civilization can no longer say
"a free as water or air." for it is stated that tho
rotes charged for water furnished through meters
are as follows in the principal cities In Baltimore,
= cents per 900 gallons in New-York and Chica-
On 10 cents: in ST. Louis. Is to 20 cents IN Bos-
ron 90 cents: in Worcester, % cents; In Provi-
donce Fall River and Cambridge, 80 cents; and in
Portland 80 cents. Next, the people VINO i've
within smelling distance of Hunters Point would
like to have Fresh-Air Company organized
F,su-It is stated that the supply OF oil kinds
If drv and picked fish iu the Boston market
has brought lower prices in 1884 than IN any year
s;reo s3s for cod, and since 1Sf9 for mackerei.
The catch was large, and the stock lett over irom
tssa was also large; the West India trade nearly
vanished and heavy losses were borne Dy Vessei-
o,vners The catch by the New-Engand Meet Is
nanorted as 478Ols barrels mackerel aud 1,OOO,-
ooo onintals of Goldfish. Dry and picked Bank
ash areseng at $2 toS2 80 per quntal and are job
hing at S2 90 10 3d. and il is said these prices re-
,urn loss TO the producer of 81 per quintal. over
6O 600 barrels of herring also came TO Boston last
vear. and 5000 boxes smoked herring; the iat-
ter have fallen from 25S27 cents IN 1883 TO io~
15 cents at this time.
Roors AND suoEs.-Many Boston statesmen nave
returned from tho West and South reporting saios
from 80 10 30 per cent of last years trip Inc snip
| ments from Boston since January L nave peoh
lO3 COG cases. against III. .4Oo cases ior tho e"n0
time last year. 1t is expected, however that 'he
January shipments will show moro decrease than
\ those of later month&
| IRON FREIdurs.-The Transcontinentai AssociS'
| tion has granted the demand OF the rittsDurR Hoi
| aua steel manufacturers, and reduced reights u
California from ST. 80 per cwt. to $l 10 on bal
| iron, from So II to 81 80 on cast steel from
81 so to 81 80 on common glassware, and from