Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-09

/ then doing business in the State, bu
| twenty remained at the close of 1901
| OF the forty-four old-line life insur
lance companies, then under the super
vision of the department, only seven
teen were licensed in 1901.
There is not single stock fire in
surance company organized under tht
laws of Maine, which is doing business
| in the State at the present time, oui
fire underwriting being largely done by
foreign corporations Nineteen com
panies, with capital aggregatins
$4,500000, withdrew from the State in
1901. and it is now impossible to secure
adequate insurance in licensed COM
panies. 1t is unwise to impose upon
these corporations unnecessary or
burdensome restrictions, which must
either force them to withdraw from
the State. or charge increased pre-
miums for insurance.
There has been a much smaller num-
Der of incendiary fires since the law
was enacted giving the commissioner
authority to make Investigations. Dur
Ing the past two years several persons
have been convicted of incendiarism,
and are now confined in the State
prison. rAe
In 1901 the property loss by fire IN
this State was $2,170,024. The insur-
ance loss on the same was $1,356,72S,
leaving direct loss to property own
ers of more than 100000 during a
single year.
There has been very large increase
in the amount of business done in this
State by the life insurance companies
during the last ten years On Decem-
Der 31st. 1901, risks to the amount OF
$i6, 1872 57 were in force, as against $751;
126, 4S6 on December 31st, 1891 There
has also been large increase in the
membership of the fraternal h. bene-
ficiary organizations whose members
are to be found in nearly every town in
the State. Over no class of insurance
corporations does the law give the de-
partment so little control. and there
are none whose operations should be
more carefully guarded and protected.
The fees of this department in 1870
amounted to $3114, no tax being inn
pssed at that time. In 1892 the fees
collected by the insurance commission
er amounted to $16,694.50, the largest in
the history of the department; and the
tax paid by the companies was 49,
127.7S. making total revenue from this
source of $95S222S.
Forestry. u4g
The forestry commissioner. after n
most careful and thorough investiga-
ton. reports that there is standing in
Maine today over i21,0O0,oOO 900 feet of
,bar r,nt 1oc % ;,,c
diameter at the height of feet. The
annual growth varies from to per
cent, according to the character'o of the
soil and other conditions, and the COM
missioner believes it is safe to assume
that when cut judiciously, it will make
an average yearly growth of per
cent. or $50, 100000 feet. About &c.,
000.00o feet of spruce was cut in the
State during the season of 1902;
which is somewhat in excess of the
average amount for the past few years.
1t is evident that the growth of our
spruce forests is nearly keeping pace
With the amount annually consumed.
They are not likely to be exterminated
by our industries, but their greatest
danger is from fire.
1t is estimated that there is also
about 2.000,000,000 feet Of spruce in the
valley, in New Hamp-
shire. for which the natural outlet IS
the pulp and saw mills of Maine The
new Fish River railroad win turn a
large part of the forest products of
that section to Maine manufacturers,
which formerly went down the st.
John river to New Brunswick
s., al .c
able hard woods of various kinds
which will ultimately be a source of
great wealth to the State and give en-
pioyment to a large number of peo-
pie.
The forestry commissioner, who has
conducted his Investigations with great
care has been aided in his work by the
United states Department of Forestry,
which during the past year sent an
expert accompanied by ten expert
enced foresters, to this State to study
our forests. Nearly three months was
spent in the work and the information
thus obtained will be of great value.
There are about $4,000 acres of school
or public lands under the care of the
State land agent. These lands are To-
Gated in eighty different plantations,
situated in eleven counties. About $13,-
600 has been received during the past
year from the timber on these lands,
of which nearly $1,000 was collected in
trespass cases. Frequent complaints of
trespass upon public lands are re-
ceved and on account of the tracts
being so widely scattered, much time
and labor is required in making in
vestigation and properly protecting
the States interest.
The land agent also has the care of
Indian Township, so called in Wash
ington county. This town contains 3D.
400 acres. 1t is well located and is COW
cred with young trees of different va
rieties which are making rapid growth.
The soil is fertile and it is valuable
tract of land
sas State Roads. Ht $50
One hundred and five towns have
taken advantage of the act passed by
the last Legislature, which provided for
the improvement of certain highways
designated thereby as State roads. l
ara convinced that these expenditures
have on the whole been wisely and
judiciously made. and believe that
tba .cxrcfop, <h,rS acta hi icJ,aJ. offarc =,