The Annual Session

THE ANNUAL SESSION.

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The Washtenaw County Mutual Insurance Co. Met Wednesday.

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FIGURES OF THE AUDITORS FOR THE YEAR.

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Cuyler Barton Confesses to Another Act of Incendiarism and One Man May Get His Barn Insurance as a Consequence.—Things Done and Said.

The annual meeting of the Washtenaw Mutual Fire Insurance Co. was held Wednesday afternoon at the court house. The meeting was called to order by President Emery E. Leland promptly at one o'clock, Judge Kinney desiring the court room at three o'clock. It was a half hour after the latter hour before court could assemble as the members had quite an animated session. The annual statement by Wm. K. Childs, secretary, published this week in the Argus, was read by the secretary. The board of auditors' report followed. The board's report showed that its members had met and examined the directions' report Dec 28th. The report showed the following figures: Wm. K. Childs during the year issues policies to 69 new members, and cancelled 97; fees collected, $182.31; capital stock increased, $96,830; diminished, $201,405. E. E. Leland, for the townships of Saline, Ann Arbor, Northfield and Superior, issued 22 policies to new members and cancelled six; fees collected, &86.90; capital stock increased, $49,420; diminished, $41,420. John F Spafford, for the townships of Manchester, Freedom and Bridgewater, issues policies to five new members, fees collected, $10.08; capital stock increased, $4,825; diminished, $300. Edwin Ball, for the townships of Webster, Scio, Lode and Salin, issues to 35 new members and cancelled five; collected fees amounting to $67.35; increased the capital stock, $35,840; diministed, $10, 560. Wm. Campbell, for the townships of Pittsfield, York, Ypsilanti and Augusta, issued 68 policies to new members and cancelled 12; collected fees amounting to $148.31; increased the capital stock $85,365, diminished $37,250. Wm. E. Stocking for the townships of Lima, Dexter, Sylvan and Lyndon issues policies to ten new men and cancelled five; the fees collected amount to $36.19; capital stock increased, $24,195; diminished $17,800. The net increase of members was 95 and the net increase in capital stock $7,740. The report showed a balance on hand with the secretary of $150.60.

After the adoption of the auditors' report a resolution was offered making the compensation of directors and auditors the same as last year, $2.00 a day out of which expenses were to be paid. A substitute was offered that $2.00 a day and expenses be allowed. This substitute had no friends at all. Hon. John Robinson, of Sharon, offered another substitute that they be allowed $1.50 a day and their expenses. He did not think that directors at the ends of the county should be allowed only $2.00 a day with their necessarily increased expenses in getting to Ann Ann Arbor and the director nearer town receiving the same compensation when he was not at so great an expense in getting here. This substitute shared the same fate as the other and the first resolution, giving them $2.00 a day, was finally carried. 

The secretary's compensation was fixed at $500 per annum, as formerly. The election of directors for two years resulted as follows" Emory E. Leland, W. K. Childs and E. A. Nordman, the latter to succeed Wm. E. Stocking. The only fight was on the last director elected, O. C. Burkhart receiving 78 of the 257 votes case, while Mr. Nordman receive[d] 138. Mr. Nordman was formerly a director in the company. The present board of auditors was re-elected. 

Under the head of miscellaneous business various matters were discussed. Russell C. Reeve, of Dexter, thought it would be a good plan to cut out all losses less than $5, have that as the minimum loss that the company would recognize. This proposition brought to his feet a man in the back part of the room who said that the widows and the orphans should have a show with their petty losses and their losses of $5 and less were more to them oftentimes than the $1,000 losses of the wealthy members of the company. "If Mr. Reeve wants to rob her (the widow) let him but don't let Washtenaw county" (meaning the insurance company). This sally brought forth the heartiest laugh of the late afternoon's proceedings and Mr. Reeve said nothing more about his retrenchment scheme. 

Philip Duffy, of Northfield, though that by-law No. 34 had been misapplied by the board of directors. This rule formerly read so as to embrace in the insurance driving and work horses that were outside of the county if in the possession and under care of their owners. This clause had been changed by the directors so as to include live-stock. Mr. Duffy thought that this change, made in 1893, was wrong and that the directors had overstepped their authority. Mr. Rodinson said that the state law did not allow farmers' mutnal insurance companies to embrace over three counties, buy by his by-law 34 horses and live-stock might be insured in several different counties, wherever their Washtenaw owners happened to have them. He thought the company had no power to settle such losses. The matter was finally referred to the committee on revision of charter which consists of H. D. Pratt, E. A. Nordmau, W. G. Stocking, the secretary and treasurer. 

John Webb, of Unadilla, had a claim of $400 presented for the loss of a barn in September last, which loss the board of directors refused to pay on the ground that Webb was using wood in threshing. Webb claimed that Cuyler J. Barton, the Unadilla fire bug, had confessed at Jackson this fall, to setting fire to the barn. He therefore desired the company to pay his loss. He said that the brother of Barton would swear that his brother had confessed to him to the act of incendiarism. The matter was referred to the board of directors for action.

That ended the afternoon's proceedings. The meeting was well attended and the orators of the county were out in full force and but for the fat that court was called for three o'clock and that hour had already overrun a half hour the session would have lasted much longer. The court room was filled with members of the company. 

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The Council Discusses Bills. 

The question of finances worried the council exceedingly at its session Monday night. The city snow scrapers and Chas. A. Ward's bill for aid furnished the board of public works were the cause of the expending of much aldermanic muscle and a great deal of oratory. Alds. Synder, Butterfield and Cady championed the cutting down of the bills mentioned and it came about in this wise: A long string of bills were presented by Ald. Maynard, in the absence of Ald. Brown, chairman of the finance committee. The bills included one of Ward's for $77, one of Abram Vorheis for teaming, for $76, once of Richards Burns of $21 for snow scraping. Ald. Snyder went after the Burns and Vorheis bills and Ald. Butterfield took a shot at the ward bill. Ald. Snyder said that he would like to know how a man could run up a bill of $76 in one month for hauling with a team, the work that Vorheis was doing for the city. The month of December, he said, had been rainy ad snowy and no man could have worked full time during such weather. He said he had some experience in the teaming business and he knew that teamsters could not work full time during the month. He thought that it was time the council shut down the payment of exhorbitant bills sent to them by the board of public works. Ald. Butterfield discussed Mr. Ward's bill. He opposed it on the ground that the board of works was employing him as "a literary clerk" and that it employed him to do work without sanction of the council. Ald. Cady said "the board of public works is robbing us." He thought it was time that either the board or the council members resigned. However, the work had been done in good faith and he believed that the men should receive their pay on that account. 

When it came to a vote the bills were allowed by a slight majority vote. Ald. Butterfield, however, found a rule under which bills over which there was a division of the council had to be passed by a two-thirds vote. After considerable more discussion the question upon the bills was voted upon again and failed to have the two-thirds vote. Not, however, until Ald. Synder's attention had been called to the fact that he had skipped two other snow scraping bills which amounted to $21 and over, and these two were added to the Burns bill. Upon motion the bills will be brought up again at the next meeting of the council. 

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A Successful Institution.

One f the most successful of Ann Arbor's industries and one of which it is justly proud is the Ann Arbor Organ Co's plant. The company has just become settled in its new factory, corner W. Washington and First streets. It is the intention of the company to show the citizens what a complete new factory it has and with that object in view they will keep open house on Thursday evening of next week when the stock-holders and their friends and citizens in general will be given an opportunity to look through the concern. Visitors will be shown how an organ is made from the very start to the finished product in the shipping room. 

The shipments of the company for the past year have been the greatest in the history of the company, and this year its output will be doubled.

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Must Pay for the Books. 

The reading public in and about Chelsea are warned to buy their books of booksellers or publishers, and leave the book canvassers severely alone. Not many months ago James Williams, a Detroit agent, dilated upon the literary merits of a book called "John Bull, Uncle Jonathan and Johnnie Crapaud." He was successful in disposing of several copies, one to John Rockwell. The book was not up to Rockwell's expectations and he refused payment. Williams sued in circuit court and got a verdict Tuesday night of $2.85. the contract price. This means very likely that other subscribers, too, will have to pay for the book at the same figure.