484 



MICHIGAN. 



most of the $29,424.57 charged to 77 mining 

 companies, being charged upon the output of 

 companies now inoperative, is difficult of collec- 

 tion. The same is true of part of the specific 

 taxes charged against 22 river-improvement 

 companies ($6,065.28), an equal number of car 

 companies ($4,699.02), and a few of the charges 

 against plank-road companies. 



In the Governor's message to the Legislature, 

 -Jan. 3, 1895, he gives the following statement of 

 the financial condition of the State in 1894 : 



On Nov. 1, 1893, after the apportionment of the 

 primary-school fund was made, for the first time in 

 many years Michigan confronted an empty treas- 

 ury. This was not caused so much by increased 

 expenditures, as it was by the failure of the Legis- 

 lature of 1891 to levy taxes sufficient to meet what 

 mio-ht reasonably have been contemplated would be 

 the" needs of the State, and, while there was no direct 

 authority for hiring money, the railroads were ot- 

 tered an inducement of 6-per-cent. discount from 

 Nov. 1 to Jan. 1 following, to advance their taxes 

 due in January. This was done by the Michigan 

 Central and Lake Shore and Michigan Southern 

 Railroads to the amount of nearly 200,000. Through 

 the First National Bank of Detroit an additional 

 $150,000 was obtained. Owing to this, on Nov. 1, 

 IS'J4, a similar condition of affairs presented itself, 

 except that only $250,000 was then needed to bridge 

 over. In other respects the financial affairs of the 

 State are in good condition. There have been no 

 calls for a change in the tax laws of the State, the 

 one passed in 1893 proving very generally satisfactory 

 to all interested. 



Education. The number of children in the 

 State of school age is 677.676, while the actual 

 enrollment in the public schools is 455.598 ; the 

 number in private schools is estimated at 47,717. 

 As a department of the Agricultural College 

 the State Board of Agriculture established the 

 farm home reading circle. From the first the 

 course has made rapid progress. In November 

 about 400 members were added to the roll. The 

 course has been revised to cover every branch 

 connected with the farm. Arrangements have 

 been made so that the members can secure the 

 necessary books of the course at actual cost. 

 Members read them at home and receive exami- 

 nation blanks which, when properly filled out, 

 entitle the reader to a certificate, which allows 

 him to take up other branches of the course. 



The Mining School graduated its largest class 

 in 1894, when 16 finished the course, 10 of them 

 being Michigan students. 



The State Library has had added to it during 

 1893-'94 a total of 8,279 volumes. The total re- 

 ceipts during the biennial period were $8,452, 

 and the disbursements $7,880. 



Military. The Adjutant General's report for 

 the two years ending Sept. 30, 1894, says the 

 National Guard ' is made up of 40 companies 

 (5 regiments of infantry), and comprises 192 

 commissioned officers and 2,704 enlisted men, 

 or a total strength of 2,896. The annual en- 

 campment was held at Island Lake the third 

 week in August. 



Under the provisions of an act of 1893 2 di- 

 visions of the State naval brigade were mustered 

 into service this year. 



Prisons. In regard to these the Governor's 

 message says : " The State Prison at Jackson, 

 State House of Correction and Reformatory at 

 Ionia, and Branch Prison at Marquette continue 



to be a heavy burden upon the taxable property 

 of the State. The total cost of keeping the 1,306 

 prisoners, which was the average number for the 

 past two years, was $644.358.30. The cost over 

 and above the earnings was $210,841.12." The 

 warden of the Reformatory at Ionia was removed 

 by the Governor in September, 1893, but refused 

 to go. The Supreme Court decided against him 

 in May in the suit that was brought, and the 

 new warden was installed. The former warden 

 was to receive no salary for the time he had held 

 the place since the new warden was appointed. 

 It was found that he had paid himself from the 

 funds of the institution, as well as his wife's sal- 

 ary as matron, necessitating a suit for recovery 

 of the amounts so paid. An investigation of the 

 manner of keeping accounts was ordered. 



An attempt was made May 8 to blow up the 

 Jackson prison. As some of the convicts were 

 marching to their cells from an evening meeting 

 3 of them made a break from the ranks. One 

 seized the guard and another sprang up into a 

 window and attempted to light a fuse connected 

 with a dynamite bomb, but it failed to work. 

 The alarm was given and 2 officers arrived in 

 time to quell the disturbance. 



The Industrial School for Boys has 472 in- 

 mates. 



Charities. The Michigan Asylum for the 

 Insane has 1,176 beds and 1,174 inmates. The 

 Eastern Michigan Asylum has 1,050 beds and 

 1,008 inmates. The Northern Michigan Asylum 

 has 1,000 beds and 982 inmates. The Michigan 

 Asylum for Dangerous and Criminal Insane has 

 193 beds and 207 inmates. The Wayne County 

 Asylum has 300 beds and 293 inmates. For ten 

 years the average annual increase in the number 

 admitted to the State asylums has been about 

 165. 



The new asylum at Newberry is nearing com- 

 pletion, and will accommodate 100 patients. 



The Home for the Feeble-minded and Epi- 

 leptic is not to be ready for occupancy before 

 March, 1895. There are 2 cottages, capable of 

 accommodating 100 patients each. 



Insurance. A summary of the commission- 

 er's report on fire companies gives the following : 



The 4 Michigan companies received in fire pre- 

 miums $285,582 ; inland marine, $86,050. Fire losses 

 paid, $190,390; inland marine, $99,806. Losses in- 

 curred : Fire, $214,983 ; inland marine, $94,160. Total 

 premiums received by companies of other States: 

 Fire, $2,764,982; inland marine, $49,653. Losses 

 paid : Fire. $1 ,558,554 ; inland marine, $43,498. Losses 

 incurred : Fire, $1,907,765 ; inland marine, $45,854 

 United States branches of foreign companies Pre- 

 miums received: Fire, $1,359,299; inland marine, 

 sl:]s,-J48. Losses paid : Fire, $794,077 ; inland marine, 

 $125,006. Losses incurred: Fire, $990,722; inland 

 marine, $126,783. 



There has been an increase of 1 in the Michigan 

 companies. There are 87 companies of other States 

 doing business in Michigan, and 34 companies of for- 

 eign governments. 



'The total losses incurred during the year were 

 $3.379,770, which is $764,507 more than in ls92. 



The report of life companies has the following 

 items : 



The whole number of regular or level premium life 

 companies transacting business in the State during 

 the year was 37, being 3 in excess of the number tor 

 1893. Nineteen casualty companies are doing busi- 



