burgh, Pennsylvania, the Dwelling House of Boston, the Exchange Fire of New York city, the Firemen's of Newark, New Jersey, and the Hibernia of New Orleans, withdrew from the state during the year. The admissions from January 1, 1890, until the date of issuing the report were the Delaware Mutual Safety of Philadelphia, the Greenwich Fire of New York city, the Mechanics' and Traders' of New Orleans, and the St. Paul German of St. Paul, Minnesota. Legislative action against unauthorized insurance was favored by the commissioner and the adoption of valued-policy laws opposed. The total receipts of the department for the year were $20,483, and expenditures $13,114, leaving a balance of $7,368 to the credit of the state revenue. Part II of the report, relating to fidelity and casualty, life and assessment companies, was issued May 1. The Michigan Mutual Life insurance company of Detroit, Michigan, and the State Mutual Life assurance company of Worcester, Massachusetts, were admitted during the year. The Pacific Mutual Life insurance company of San Francisco was admitted as a life company, with authority to transact a life and accident insurance. The Sun Life insurance company of America, located at Louisville, filed articles of incorporation under the general law. The life insurance laws were so amended by the legislature as to permit any life company in the state to engage in an accident business. The anti-rebate law, being substantially a copy of the New York statute, was rejected. The commissioner expressed the view that as the fees of the department are largely in excess of its needs a reduction in the cost of licenses to agents of all companies to one-half what is now charged might be made and still leave a surplus.

Knickerbocker Fire insurance company: November 11 the directors of the company decided to withdraw from business and reinsure its risks. The Knickerbocker Fire was the oldest New York company at the time of its retirement. It was organized in 1787 as the Mutual assurance company, the charter being prepared by Alexander Hamilton. In addition to Hamilton the founders included General Macomb, Comfort Sands, Robert Lenox, and John Pintard. Lenox was the first president of the company and Pintard the first secretary. The name of the company was changed to the Knickerbocker Fire in 1846. Edmund W. Albro, the president of the company, died September 26, and William P. Bogert was secretary at the time of the Knickerbocker's withdrawal. The total premiums received from 1846 until the close of 1889 were $2,952,757. During the same period the losses paid amounted to $1,202,126, and cash dividends to $1,379,000. The business was re-insured by the Home insurance company of New York.

Knowles, Clarence: Appointed in charge of the Southern department of the Pennsylvania Fire insurance company in August.

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Lane, I. Remsen, elected president of the Hanover Fire insurance company in March, succeeding Benjamin S. Walcott, deceased; Charles L. Roe elected vice-president in place of Mr. Lane.

Lefevre, Christian H., secretary of the Home Mutual Fire insurance company of Lancaster, Philadelphia, died January 26; originally elected secretary of the company in 1861.

Legal Decisions. [See accident insurance, fire insurance, life insurance, fraternal benefit orders, marine insurance, miscellaneous.]

Legislation upon Insurance in 1890: Nineteen state and territorial legislatures were in session during the year. Some bills affecting insurance in its various forms, general and local, were considered. The following is a summary of the principal features of this legislation in each of the states and territories:

Alabama. Fire. An anti-compact bill passed the senate, and in the house of representatives was referred to the insurance committee, which failed to make a report on it before adjournment. This was the only attempt at insurance legislation during the session, except a bill which sought to extend to local companies the license tax exacted from non-state companies, and which died in committee.

Georgia. Fire. An anti-compact bill was introduced in the senate early in the session and passed that body by a vote of 26 to 3, and on reaching the house was referred to the finance committee. When the legislature adjourned for a recess until July 8, 1891, the bill was still in charge of that committee. Beyond the incorporation of companies and the remission of fines for negligence in making reports there was no other insurance legislation.

Iowa. Fire. A large number of measures affecting fire insurance were introduced during the session, mostly directed against the companies, three being anti-compact and six being valued-policy bills, but no fire insurance bills were successful. An anti-trust bill was passed, but it did not mention insurance. An amendment to it, proposed by Senator Kezler, prohibiting a rate for insurance companies," was voted down. Life. An anti-rebate bill was pushed through in the closing hours of the session and became a law.

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Kentucky. Fire. One bill became a law, being an act repealing the provision of the statute which requires a copy of the certificate of compliance to be furnished with each license to a fire insurance agent. A valued-policy bill passed both Houses, but failed to receive the governor's approval. Life. Three laws were enacted: 1. An act reducing the annual license fee for life insurance agents who solicit for industrial insurance only, from ten dollars to two dollars. 2. An act providing that life insurance companies organized for the purpose of doing both a life and accident insurance business (such as the Travelers insurance company) may do both kinds of business in the state, but must make distinct annual reports of both kinds of business. 3. An act repealing the provisions of the statute which requires a copy of the certificate of compliance to be furnished with each license to a life insurance agent. An anti-rebate bill was introduced, but was neglected by its friends and expired without notice.

Louisiana. Fire. The only insurance bill which got through during the session was a local one, authorizing Louisiana fire insurance companies to reduce their capital when impaired twenty per cent. to the available aggregate value of their assets.

Maryland. The legislature passed two insurance bills: 1. General. An act amending the existing section 126 of article 23 of the code, touching taxation of life, fire, marine, and casualty insurance companies,

by substituting the word three for two in the clause fixing the amount of license required of non-state companies, so as to make such license fee $300 for each company, and striking out certain words so as to make the tax of one and one half per cent. fall on gross instead of net premiums collected in the state. 2. Life. An anti rebate life insurance law in the usual form. The insurance commissioner in his annual report said: "I do not regard the act as imposing any special obligation on this department and shall require that all formal complaints be submitted to the grand jury, with a list of witnesses in all cases.'

Massachusetts. The special achievement of the session was the codification of the assessment insurance laws, thus completing the codification of all the insurance laws of the state. The other insurance laws of the session were: 1. General. An act which permits appeals from the action of the insurance commissioner in revoking the authority of non-state companies to do business in the state, to the supreme judicial court. The text of the law was as follows:

SECTION 1. Whenever in the opinion of the insurance commissioner a foreign insurance company doing business in this commonwealth is conducting or attempting to conduct its business in violation of the laws of this commonwealth, he shall, unless the supposed violation of law relates only to the financial condition or soundness of the company, or to a deficiency in its assets, notify the company not less than ten days before revoking its authority to do business in this commonwealth; and he shall specify in the notice the particulars of the supposed violation. The supreme judicial court, upon petition of said company, brought within ten days aforesaid, shall summarily hear and deter mine the question whether such violation has been committed, and shall make any proper order or decree therein, and enforce the same by any appropriate process. If the order or decree is adverse to the petitioning company, an appeal therefrom may be taken to the full court, and in the case of such appeal the commissioner may issue his order revoking the right of said petitioning company to do business in this commonwealth until the final determination of the question by the full court aforesaid.

2. Beneficiary. An act forbidding the incorporation of more endowment associations and permitting beneficiary associations which pay death benefits to hold the amount of one assessment as a death fund. Fire. A valued-policy bill and a bill repealing the compulsory arbitration clause in the standard fire policy, were defeated.

Mississippi. Fire. The legislature passed an act repealing the act requiring deposits of $25,000 each from fire insurance companies doing business in the state, making the state treasurer return such deposits immediately to the companies which had made them, and requiring non-state companies to satisfy judgments against them within thirty days, unless they had taken an appeal, in which case they must give bonds, etc.

A valued-policy bill was introduced, but was strangled in committee. A law was also passed amending the act conferring certain powers on the authorities of Vicksburg and allowing the auditor of public accounts to receive twenty dollars for filing annual statements and two dollars and fifty cents for issuing certificate of authority for each agent.

The revenue laws were revised regarding payment for licenses to companies doing business in the state. It was provided that each insurance agent in a city or town of 5,000 or more inhabitants should pay a license fee of $40 per annum; of 2,000 to 5,000 inhabitants, $25; of less than 2,000 inhabitants, soliciting or writing insurance in more than one town or county, $20. All other insurance agents $15 per annum.

New Jersey. All insurance legislation in the session of 1890 failed except a bill regulating the formation of companies making insurance on the lives of horses, cattle, and other live stock.

New York. There were twenty-two bills in the legislature in the session of 1890 affecting insurance. Seven became laws, as follows:

Fire. 1. An act allowing a mutual fire insurance company of the state to receive cash in lieu of deposit note under certain circumstances. 2. An act giving to the Exempt Firemen's association of Long Island City one-half the taxes collected in the city from foreign fire insurance companies. 3. An act in relation to the payment of the fire department tax on insurance companies in unincorporated villages. 4. An act making unlicensed fire insurance companies writing surplus lines, under the law of 1884, pay their share towards the maintenance of fire patrols. 5. An act amending the town and county co-operative fire insurance law. Life and Accident. 1. An act regulating the windingup of life and casualty insurance companies. No order shall be granted except on the application of the attorney-general, or his approval in writing of a request by the superintendent of insurance. 2. An act amending the anti-rebate life insurance law. It requires a company to refrain within twenty days from issuing a policy which, in the opinion of the insurance superintendent, is either directly or indirectly a violation of the law. Among the unsuccessful legislation of the session were three valued fire insurance policy bills, a bill requiring life insurance companies to furnish copies of applications to policy-holders, to amend the uniform fire insurance policy law and establish courts of arbitration, and to prohibit the insurance of the lives of children under ten years of age.

North Dakota. The general insurance law of the territory of Dakota was continued in force in the new state, and the first legislature, which met this year, passed the following additional insurance laws: General. 1. An act prescribing the general duties of the insurance commissioner. 2. An act regulating the revocation of authority to insurance companies to do business in the state. Fire. 1. An act establishing a uniform fire insurance policy. 2. An act prohibiting the writing of insurance upon property in the state, except through authorized and licensed agents.

Ohio. Although a large number of insurance bills were introduced, the only one which passed during the session authorized mutual fire insurance associations of Ohio to become regular fire insurance companies when they could show that they had the requisite amount of assets. All other bills went over to the adjourned session of 1891.

Oklahoma. A general insurance law was passed by the first legislative assembly of the territory of Oklahoma. It is, however, badly constructed, being selections from the Field Code and insurance laws of New York, so carelessly and ignorantly put together as to produce many obscurities, absurdities, and contradictions. In view of this uncertainty and the litigation likely to arise from it, it will be necessary for the next legislature to revise the law throughout. Fire. The provisions of the fire insurance article conform in most respects to those in force in other states and territories as to the creation of corporations, investment of capital, licensing of agents, examinations, annual statements, service of process, fees, etc. Stock companies, domestic and non-state, must have at least $100,000 capital. The fee for filing declaration or certified copy of charter is $30; annual statement, $10; each certificate of authority

for agent, $2; fixing seal of office, $1; annual license tax upon non-state company, $25. A reciprocal section is inserted. All insurance policies must be accompanied by copies of the applications for insurance upon which they are issued. All insurance companies issuing policies in this territory shall be required to pay, in case of total loss, the full amount, and in case of partial loss shall be required to pay the amount of loss so sustained for which the property is insured; provided, however, that no policy shall be issued which shall contain a sum greater than 75 per cent. of the value of the property so insured." Life. The provisions of the life insurance article are similar to those of the life insurance laws of most states. The fees for filing annual statement by non-state companies are $50, and for each agent's certificate $2. General. An official entitled commissioner of insurance is provided to supervise the business of insurance, and he is required to prepare and print a biennial report.

Rhode Island. The legislature made no change in the insurance laws.

South Carolina. No bill affecting insurance was introduced during the session.

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South Dakota. Life. A general life insurance law was passed at the first session of the legislature of this state, entitled An act to regulate and control life or accident insurance companies, fidelity or surety companies, mutual assessment, co-operative or natural plan benefit or accident indemnity companies or associations, and fraternal benevolent and secret societies organized or operated for the purpose of paying death benefits upon the assessment plan." Fire. The law governing fire insurance companies in force in the territory of Dakota before the new state was admitted was continued without material alteration.

Vermont. General. The insurance laws passed were two in number; one repealed the section of the statute which declared agents withholding money belonging to their companies guilty of larceny, the other imposed a tax of two per cent. on the gross premium receipts of insurance companies collected in the state, and taxed domestic life companies one per cent. on their surplus. A bill establishing the office of insurance commissioner was killed. Fire. A valued-policy bill in the Senate was allowed to die in committee.

Virginia. Five bills touching insurance became laws, but, with the exception of one, exempting marine insurance companies from a deposit with the state treasurer, they made slight amendments to existing laws. One imposed a tax of one-tenth of one per cent. on deposits with the state treasurer to defray the expense of safe keeping and handling such deposits. A bill to repeal the deposit law was defeated.

Washington. General. A general law regulating the business of insurance in the new state was passed at its first legislative session. The secretary of state was constituted ex officio commissioner of insur- • ance. The conditions prescribed for companies of all classes were as follows: Companies organized under the laws of the state must have a subscribed capital of $100,000, at least $50,000 of which must be paid up. Companies organized elsewhere in the United States must have an unimpaired paid-up capital of $100,000. Companies organized out of the United States must have on deposit with the treasurer of the state, or with the proper officer of some other state, $200,000 in the bonds of