Capt. Ralph VanBrunt, adjutant and quarter master. Dr. J. H. Murphy, consulting surgeon. Rev. Horace Worden, chaplain. W. N. J. Burns, hospital steward. OFFICE OF PUBLIC EXAMINER. The office of public examiner was created in 1878, (General Laws of 1878, ch. 83,) and the appointment to be made by the governor, for the term of three years, of a person competent as a skillful accountant, and well versed as an expert in the theory and practice of book-keeping, and who is not an incumbent of any public office under the state or any county, municipality or public institution therein, and who is not a stockholder, officer, trustee, assignee, or employe of any banking, moneyed or savings institution or corporation created under the laws thereof. The duties of this officer, being of a fiduciary character, his bonds were fixed at $50,000 for their faithful discharge. The law gives him almost unlimited power in the examination of the accounts of public officers, state and county. scribes and enforces correct methods for keeping the financial accounts of state institutions, visits them twice annually, and makes an exhaustive inspection of their books and the detailed items of expenditure. With reference to county officers, it is his duty to enforce a correct and uniform system of book-keeping, by auditors and treasurers, so as to insure the thorough supervision and safety of the public funds. He pre The public examiner has authority, without prior notice, to visit each of the banking, savings, and other moneyed corporations created under the laws of this state, and thoroughly examine into their affairs and ascertain their financial condition at least once in each year. It shall be his duty to carefully inspect and verify the validity and amount of the securities and assets held by such institutions, examine into the validity of the mortgages held by savings banks, and see that the same are duly recorded, and ascertain the nature and amount of any discount or other banking transactions which he may deem foreign to the legitimate and lawful purposes of savings institutions. He is made ex officio superintendent of banks, (chapter 183, Gen. Laws 1887,) and all reports required to be made by banks to the state auditor, are transferred from the auditor's office to the examiner's office, and all future reports are to be made to the examiner. The legislature of 1889 (chapter 236 Gen. Laws 1889) imposed additional duties upon this officer, in the examination of building and loan associations, giving the same power and authority conferred upon him as over banks and other moneyed corporations. The examiner is authorized to appoint a deputy (chapter 218, Gen. Laws 1887,) who gives bonds in the sum of ten thousand dollars. He may also appoint a clerk. The duties of public examiner have been faithfully and earnestly performed by the two incumbents of this office, Henry M. Knox, who inaugurated the system and brought it forward to great perfection during the ten years of his official position, and M. D. Kenyon, his successor, who has been a worthy and efficient officer for the past three years. The valuable statistical tables relating to banks and trust companies, included in the statistical portion of this manual, have been carefully prepared by the examiner for this publication. THE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT. The general insurance law of this state was enacted in 1872, and provision made for the organization of a department, and the appointment of a commissioner to see that all the laws of the state respecting insurance companies were faithfully executed. The state supervision was to prevent the organization of irresponsible companies within the state, and to prohibit any companies from doing business except by complying with all the laws of the state with respect to security for the payment of losses. Certain fees were to be paid for the purpose of de fraying the expenses of the department. The growth of insurance business in the state is noted from year to year by the amounts paid into the state treasury from the department for The expense of the department for the year 1889, including printing, amounted to only $7,086.19. In 1885 a law was passed for the benefit of local fire departments, by which the insurance commissioner was to ascertain from the insurance companies doing business in any town having an organized fire department, the amount of premiums received from that town for fire insurance, and the amount of tax paid into the insurance department on account of said business, and these figures to be detailed to the state auditor, who, at the end of each fiscal year, was to draw an order upon the state treasurer in favor of each of said towns, for one-hal of the tax so collected by the insurance department; and the money so received by said towns to be disbursed, first, for the support and relief of firemen injured or disabled while in the discharge of their duties; and second, for the equipment and maintenance of said fire department. For the year 1890 the sum thus dis tributed amounted to $27,774.22. The reports of insurance companies made to the department end with the calendar year, and usually are not all received until late in the month of January, and it requires at least two months of active clerical work to get the tabulated result, and for the purposes of this manual, therefore, we have to use the figures of 1889 for statistical information. The fire premiums paid out for the year 1889 amounted to $3,427,122.98, and the losses incurred were $1,739,824.97. The regular life premiums paid out for the year 1889 amounted to $1,615,288.98, and the losses paid amounted to $559,721.77. The assessment, co-operative life, and endowment associations received during the year $708, 139.84, and paid out in losses $465,187.63. discount or other banking transact foreign to the legitimate and lawful tutions. He is made ex officio superintend Gen. Laws 1887,) and all reports re to the state auditor, are transferred the examiner's office, and all fu to the examiner. The legislature of 1889 (chapter additional duties upon this office ing and loan associations, giving conferred upon him as over ba tions. The examiner is authorized Gen. Laws 1887.) who gives dollars. He may also appoi The duties of public exa nestly performed by the t M. Knox, who inaugurate to great perfection during and M. D. Kenyon, his efficient officer for the The valuable statist companies, included i have been carefully cation. The genera and provision. the appoint state resp The sta responsi compan the lav TH |