386 



INDIANA. 



year. In 1898 9,325 miners were employed in the 

 State. The total production of petroleum in 1898 

 was 3,751,307 barrels, compared with 4,353,138 

 barrels in 1897, a loss of 601,831 barrels. The 

 cause of the decrease is said to have been due 

 to the low price of the fuel and the consequent 

 falling off in the discovery of new fields. 



There has been a gradual decrease in the pres- 

 sure of the natural gas; the State Supervisor is 

 quoted as saying in November that he had just 

 examined 128 gas wells in western Grant County 

 that showed an average pressure of 154 pounds, 

 while a year ago the same wells showed a pressure 

 of 183 pounds; and that, although there are a 

 few points where only a few wells have been 

 drilled, yet the gas field in general has been fairly 

 well developed. He says that in the corner where 

 Madison, Grant, and Delaware Counties join there 

 is some good territory still. But he believes there 

 is no reason to fear that the gas will entirely 

 give out in the near future; indications are that 

 there will be plenty for manufacturing 1 for four 

 or five years yet, and after that for an indefinite 

 term for domestic purposes. 



Banks and Trust Companies. The report of 

 the banking department of the Auditor's office 

 indicates that in 1899 the assets of the trust com- 

 panies increased $3,700,000 over last year, while 

 the State banks have increased their assets $3,- 

 600,000 and the savings banks have increased 

 their deposits $650,000. 



The law passed by the last General Assembly 

 authorizing the incorporation of trust companies 

 in cities formerly considered too small to sup- 

 port such institutions, and allowing a capitaliza- 

 tion of less than $100,000, has been the means 

 of bringing out 12 new companies, all but 2 of 

 which reported their condition to the Auditor. 

 These two were not actively in business at the 

 time the call was sent out. The aggregate hold- 

 ings of the companies are given at $1,250,000 in 

 bonds and stocks, $520,000 in trust funds, and 

 $825,000 in their own funds. 



The reports from the State banks indicate that 

 they are in better condition than at any time 

 since 1893, and that the farmers and working 

 people are patronizing them more liberally. The 

 fact that the loans and discounts show an in- 

 crease of $2,000,000 indicates to the Auditor that 

 there is an unusual amount of money on hand. 

 The loans and discounts have increased $2,000,000, 

 while the time and demand deposits have in- 

 creased $4,600,000 over last year. The surplus 

 of $650,000 is $40,000 larger than last year. This 

 year 2 State banks went out of business, and 5 

 new banks were opened. 



Building and Loan Associations. The busi- 

 ness of these associations has fallen off mate- 

 rially. It is estimated that fully $3,000,000 less has 

 been held by them than in the year next preced- 

 ing. The withdrawals have amounted to a much 

 larger sum, and the membership has decreased 

 by more than 18,000. Six associations have gone 

 to receivers and 2 to assignees, while 13 have 

 gone into liquidation. Seven new associations 

 have been organized. 



Insurance. For the last six months of 1899 

 the State treasury received from the insurance 

 department $106,389.19. Of this amount $74,- 

 605.69 was collected as taxes from insurance com- 

 panies doing business in the State, and the re- 

 maining $31,783.50 are from the collection of fees 

 of the agents of the companies. The first six 

 months of the year the Auditor collected in taxes 

 and fees $117,202.30, making the total in revenues 

 arising from insurance companies $223,591.49, 

 which is about $15,000 more than has ever before 



been received from this source in any one year. 

 There are 250 companies authorized to do busi- 

 ness in the State. Six Indiana fire companies 

 report, and 8 life and accident companies have 

 retired during the year. The taxes and fees for 

 the past five years have amounted to $986,335. 



B/ailroads. The total gross earnings of the 

 passenger departments of 46 .leading railroads of 

 the State in 1898 were $35,931,676, and of the 

 freight departments $89,471,757. The total oper- 

 ating expense was $93,804,760. 



The Order of the Iron Hall. The final re- 

 port of the receiver of this organization was filed 

 in July, and the trust, which dates from Aug. 

 23, 1892, has been closed. Since the creation of 

 the receivership $1,976,776 has been distributed 

 among 45,000 claimants and creditors, whose 

 claims aggregated $5,100,000. The cost of the re- 

 ceivership was 7 per cent, of the whole amount 

 of money secured, and of this 2 per cent, went 

 to the receiver. 



The Scottsburg Lynching. Suit was brought 

 against the sheriff in Scott County, who allowed 

 his prisoner to be taken by lynchers (see An- 

 nual Cyclopaedia for 1898, page 337), by the fa- 

 ther of Tyler, the victim, which resulted in a. 

 verdict of $5 damages against the sheriff. A suit 

 for damages was brought in September by the 

 widow of one of the five men lynched at Ver- 

 sailles. 



Legislative Session. The General Assembly 

 was in session from Jan. 5 to March 9. 



The Governor gave in the message a state- 

 ment of the condition of the State debt, showing 

 a reduction of $1,320,000 in two years, and a de- 

 crease of $25,150 in the yearly interest. He 

 recommended legislation to reform the methods 

 of the administration of county and township 

 government. The average of taxes for county, 

 township, and city purposes is $1.47 on the $100,. 

 while the State calls for but 17 cents on the 

 $100. He advised a law to suppress lynching 

 by making the counties responsible for damages. 

 He recommended revision of the judiciary sys- 

 tem; making the science of agriculture a part of 

 the public-school curriculum; establishment of a 

 court of arbitration for adjustment of differences 

 between employers and employed; some means 

 of check upon trusts; reconstruction of the State 

 Board of Education so as to make its member- 

 ship include more educational interests; taxation 

 of insurance policies; an appropriation to com- 

 plete the soldiers' monument; provision for sepa- 

 rate keeping of the criminal insane; enactment 

 of a strict primary-election law; creation of the 

 office of State entomologist; and provision for 

 the appointment of a nonpartisan committee of 

 men and women in each county to visit its penal 

 and charitable institutions at least as often as 

 once in three months and report their condition 

 to the State Board of Charities. 



The term of United States Senator David Tur- 

 pie expired this year, and Albert J. Beveridge 

 was elected to succeed him. Other names before 

 the Republican caucus were those of Messrs. 

 Hanly, Taylor, Posey, and Steele. Mr. Turpie 

 was the candidate of the Democrats. The vote 

 in both houses showed 87 for Mr. Beveridge, 56 

 for Mr. Turpie, and 1 for Mr. Burkhart. 



Nearly 100 laws were made at the session, and 

 most of the recommendations of the message were 

 carried out. 



Among the most important acts were those 

 for the reform of county and township govern- 

 ment. It is provided that there shall be an ad- 

 visory board of three members in each township 

 and a county council of seven members in each. 



