Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-03-02
AMkirs of State.


Hon. William H. Hinrichsen. Sec
rotary of state. has issued his first
biennial report, covering the periods
of the fiscal years from Oct. I, 1892.
to Sept. 80, 1894, inclusive.
The report is an elaborate affair.
covering some 200 closely printed
pages, and treating upon every de-
partment under his care. Being
custodian of the state house and
grounds. the secretary covers that
portion of his report with sugges-
lions and recommendations which, if
carried out. will place the state
house at Springfield on a better pay
ing basis than any other like build
ing in the United States. Light,
heat and power are strongly urged
to be self-owned, which he claims
would be great saving annually.
Other equally strong recommended
tions are made. The total amount
of receipts of the Office for the period
mentioned, exclusive of rent, was
$97, 1868, being over thrice the
amount received for any like period.
Of this amount $6S, was re-
ceived from corporations. Up to
the date of the report 81. 600 corpor-
ations of all classes had been organ
lied under the general laws which
came in force April 10, 1872. Dur
ing the past two years charters were
issued to companies classified as fol-
lows: Corporations for pecuniary
profit. 3,s44; corporations not for
pecuniary profit, LAOS; railroads.
SO; building and loan associations,
1872; insurance companies, 9. Under
the old law. when the fees for incor-
porating companies for pecuniary
profit were $3.50, the receipts for
three years averaged $14,353.1O per
gear, while under the present law.
with the fees increased to $25, the
amount reached $l8.S14.74 per year.
an increase of $34. 461.65. A still
further increase of fees is recon-
mended by the secretary. In at
tempting to execute the trust laws
passed by the last general assembly,
letters were sent out, with the fol-
lowing results:
The names of nearly $4,000 corpor-
ations we're found upon the books.
But of these about 10, 900 we're found
to be exempt from the requirements
of the law. OF the remaining 20, 600,
about IA, 900 of them were not found,
the letters having been returned by
the postoffice authorities. Assuming
these to be defunct. there are about
6. 900 active corporations doing bust
ness under charters granted by the
state, OF these, about 4,730 com.
piled with the laws, while about
1870 failed to do so. These last
were reported to the attorney-gen'
eral, as the law requires. During
the two years covered by the report
1885 commissions were issued to no
taries public, and A. $50 to justices %
the peace and police magistrates. Al
increased fee for issuing commission
is also recommended. Besides the
care of all house and senate journals
the department has charge of al
towns, villages and cities of tn,
state, and is obliged to carry out tn,
law in properly recording each one o
them, whether incorporated or not
The report showed the total number
of cities and villages in the state t.
be 963; of these 675 were found t,
have been duly incorporated; Of tn
remaining 2sS villages Of the statu
of which the secretary has no recor'
evidence, % were not located, 8
we're reported as never having beef
incorporated, and 81, after an almos
interminable correspondence. hav
since complied with the law by sub
hitting to the department exemplifi
cations of the records in the matte
of their respective organization. Tn
hope is expressed that the 14S re
naming villages will yet be induces
to comply with the law.