The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-01-09

prasen+ r,anohershin, 3,010 By this table you will see that we have made a slight gain for the year. which, in view of all the adverse circumstan- ces of this period, is most encouraging If we can maintain for the full year of 1895 as good an average of new mem bers as we have for the past six months our next yearly report ought to show still more favorable results. Let me call your attention to few in- | teresting points In the table as compar- ed with the table in my report for 1893, | the applications for that year were 14S and I report this year 1S9, this mum Der would however, have been 143 had a | little more expedition been used in for warding four applications, which reach ed me on the day following the even | ing of the last directors meeting. | The death rate for the year is also more favorable, as but fifty-three were reported between January 1 and De- | cember 27, as against sixty for the cor responding season of 1893, but what may be regarded as the most gratifying feat ure of the report Is the fact that there were a less number of losses by reason | of non-payment of assessment by twen- l ty-four than for the preceding year, ninety-five being reported then, as 1 against seventy-one for the year just | closed. I look upon this feature with | deal of satisfaction, as it seems to me to argue that if our members during such a period of unprecedented business stag l nation can and will hold Loyalty to | their membership in the association, | the advent of better times will see an | imnrovement even in this direction.
 The smaller death rate has permitted of a smaller assessment rate than for 1893, also as we were obliged to levy | thirty-two assessments in that year, | while twenty-nine has sufficed to meet | our obligations during 1894, with the | assistance of $8,SSS.72 drawn from the l contingent fund at time when a some what large number of deaths were re- l ported. It was the opinion of the board l that this should be done to help both the | members and benehciaries. The average age for the new member for the year is 29 years, months and 13 days; the average age of those sus- 1 and of the deceased 57 years, months.
 The classification of the membership is now as follows:
 Full grade, benefit at $2,000, 1,156.
 Three-quarters grade, benefit at $1,- E5OO, 1,495,
 One-half grade, benefit at $1,000, 331.
 One-quarter grade, beneft at $500, SS.
 Total, 3010.
 Representing total benefit of $4,S39, 800
 The financial statement is as follows; ReceiDts-
 Funds reported January l. 1894, $S7,- 60363.
 Received for assessments, $S7, ,152,55.
 Received new members, $154.
 Received interest, $1,744.79.
 Total, $S9,051.34
 Grand total $126 654.97.
 General expenses, $5,1O676.
 Paid benefits on fifty-f1ve deaths, 1884, l5OO.
 Total sS9, ,6O676.
 Cash on hand, $37, 048.21.
 Grand total, $126,654.97.
 The contingent fund transactions TOT l the year have been as follows:
 Cash balance reported January l, lSS4 $37, ,5S8S6.
 Reeeived for fees of new members $154.
 Received interest, $1744.79.
 Received from assessment account $4,34O.59.
 Total, $6,239.SS.
 Grand total, $43, 3,S27.74.
 Transferred to benefit fund, $S,3S8.72
 Balance January l. 1895, $95,499.02.
 This shows an expenditure from the fund of a little over two thousand dol lars more than the receipts, and while we can hardly view such a showing with satisfaction, it is pleasing to know that the shortage thus accruing was through assistance afforded our mem hers in 1essening the assessments.
 The death rate per cent. does not ma teria1ly differ from that of the last four or five years, being an average of one death in every fifty-four and fraction The youngest member of our mortuar! list this year is Brother w. J. Wilson a member of City lodge, No. 9S, whC nassed away at the age of thirty years and the oldest was Brother Edward Eddy of Pequonnock lodge, No. 4, whC had reached the ripe age of eighty-si1 years and four months.
 The grand total of benefits paid nov reaches the goodly sum of $1,21S,23S which, with the benefits due on the fou deaths contained on the card to be is sued this month, will make total o S1. .224,73S The cost to the 757 deceased members has been $17561655.
 Brothers, our prospects are yet brigh and the future hopeful. Let us strive t. deserve success in that future as w have already earned it in the past as then we shall have no cause to re proach ourselves for the shortcoming or inattention to duty; rememberinl that the good of each is the good of all tn1-i,nn fnr n11r rnnttn the "hnndle O