582 



NEW YORK. 



The increase of capital of trust companies was 

 $563,000. 



At the close of the year 19 safe-deposit com- 

 panies, with a total capital of $3,296,000, were 

 in operation an increase of 2 12 of which are 

 in New York city and 3 in Brooklyn. 



The securities deposited with the superintend- 

 ent by the different banks and trust companies 

 amounted, on Oct. 1, 1891, to $2,972,878.98, an 

 increase of $414,360. The total expenses of the 

 department were $47,108. His report concludes : 



I have carefully examined the revision of the bank- 

 ing daws prepared by the revision commission, and 

 am of the opinion that its enactment into law would 

 materially increase the surety, efficiency, and im- 

 portance of institutions organized under the State 

 banking laws, and the State banking system would 

 be greatly improved thereby. The increase in the 

 number of financial institutions throughout the State 

 seems to be accompanied by a corresponding increase 

 in the variety of methods in keeping accounts, and 

 while it is not the purpose to interfere with the gen- 

 eral book-keeping of any corporation, I am convinced 

 that the interest of the public would be better served 

 and the efficiency of the department materially im- 

 proved if a uniform method for the original entry of 

 deposits in every bank and trust company were made 

 compulsory. 



Most of our institutions keep separate books for the 

 entry of deposits only, so that on examination of such 

 deposits for any period it can be easily ascertained if 

 the proper amounts have been carried to the general 

 ledger; but in some instances separate deposit books 

 are entirely ignored, the receipts from all sources ap- 

 pearing mixed together in the same book, and in a 

 lew cases there is no book whatever between the de- 

 posit slips and the ledgers, and in order to prove the 

 deposits with the general ledger for any period, ex- 

 aminers are obliged to depend entirely on the deposit 

 slips, unless they examine each account in the indi- 

 vidual ledgers. I would therefore recommend the 

 enactment of a law making it the duty of the super- 

 intendent to prescribe a uniform method of original 

 entry, and enabling him to enforce the observance of 

 the same. 



Railroads. There are three railroad commis- 

 sioners, whose salaries are $8,000 each. The 

 present incumbents are Michael Rickard, Will- 

 iam E. Rogers, and J. V. Baker, Jr. The report 

 of the railroad commissioners for the year end- 

 ing June 30, 1891, says that the business on the 

 railroads was largely increased ; the same can be 

 said of operating expenses. During the year the 

 board considered and disposed of 16 references 

 by the Governor, the Legislature and committees 

 thereof, and numerous complaints preferred by 

 cities, towns, associations, and individuals. 



The record of accidents for the year ending 

 Sept. 30, 1891, shows a deplorable increase as 

 compared with previous years 720 persons were 

 killed and 1,728 injured, as compared with 695 

 killed and 1,434 injured the previous year. Of 

 these, 142 were from causes beyond their control, 

 1,123 by their own misconduct or incaution, 46 

 by intoxication, and 123 indeterminable. 



The report says : Much advance has been made 

 within the past few years in the method of light- 

 ing cars by using the Pintsch system. This 

 method of lighting is by gas manufactured from 

 crude petroleum stored in strong iron tanks un- 

 der the cars. The physical condition of railroads 

 continues to improve. The number of railroad 

 truss bridges in the State is about 2,500, not in- 

 cluding the New York elevated roads, the strains 



upon which have also been calculated. Some 

 669 truss bridges have been criticised by the board, 

 of which 535 have been repaired by the various 

 companies and 134 entirely rebuilt. 



Prisons. These are under the direction of a 

 Superintendent whose salary is $6,000. The 

 present incumbent is Austin Lathrop. 



The highest number of convicts in the State 

 prisons during the fiscal year was 3,913, an in- 

 crease of 208. The 3 prisons have 3,737 cells, 

 and it has been necessary in many instances to 

 place 2 convicts in one cell. 



The number of industries in operation in the 

 3 prisons during the year was 22, and the num- 

 ber of men employed 2,158. 



The financial results in the prisons for the 

 fiscal year show a deficiency of $201,645.23, an 

 increase of $42,629.59. This increase is ex- 

 plained by the losses by fire at Auburn and 

 Clinton prisons of $37,697.60 ; the increased cost 

 of maintenance, $30,107.33 ; and the falling off 

 of $80,012.19 in manufacturing earnings at Sing 

 Sing, owing to the reduction in the appraised 

 value of the assets of the industries made when 

 a change of wardens took place in April, 1891. 

 The total earnings were $19,461.52 greater than 

 those of the previous year. 



The earnings and expenditures for care and 

 maintenance were divided among the 3 prisons 

 as follow : 



SING SING. 



Expenditures for care and maintenance $189,229 31 



Miscellaneous earnings $8,806 88 



Manufacturing earnings 64,316 40 



72,623 28 



Deficiency $116,606 03 



AUBURN. 



Expenditures for care and maintenance $139,116 83 



Miscellaneous earnings $5,128 28 



Manufacturing earnings. . $114,945 63 



Less loss by fire 23,795 12 



91,150 51 



96,278 79 



Deficiency $42,837 59 



CLINTON. 



Expenditures for care and maintenance $130,315 29 



Add loss by fire 5,713 82 



$136,029 11 



Miscellaneous earnings $5,951 39 



Manufacturing earnings.. $96,064 77 

 Less loss by fire 8,188 66 



. 87,876 11 



93,827 50 

 Deficiency $42,201 61 



Total deficiency in the three State prisons . . $201,645 23 



During the year, in certain articles published 

 in the public prints of the State, charges were 

 made of the cruel and inhuman treatment of the 

 prisoners confined in the State prison at Danne- 

 mora, and of improper conduct on the part of 

 the prison official in the administration of the 

 affairs of such prison and of its discipline ; 

 in consequence of which the Superintendent of 

 State Prisons appointed a committee consisting 

 of Oscar F. Craig, chairman of the State Board 

 of Charities ; W. M. F. Round, secretary of the 

 Prison Association of the State of New York ; 

 and Lewis Balch, secretary of the State Board of 

 Health, to investigate the matter. After care- 

 ful examination a negative report was returned. 



