REPORT. OFFICE OF STATE INSPECTOR OF ILLUMINATING OILS, Ypsilanti, Michigan, January 15, 1891. To the Honorable Edwin B. Winans, Governor of the State of Michigan, and the State Board of Health: GENTLEMEN-I herewith submit as required by statute my annual report as Inspector of Illuminating Oils, for the year ending Dec. 31, 1890. Under the law the deputies are legal inspectors in all parts of the State, but to secure proper action and efficiency in the execution of the law, the State has been divided into oil districts, and each deputy is held responsible for a prompt discharge of his duties within the territory assigned to him and he is not expected to go outside unless assigned to other duties by the State Inspector. The following table contains a complete list of the deputies, with the amount of oil inspected, fees collected, salary and expenses paid to each: The following is a list of the deputies and the territory in their districts: ACTING DEPUTY OIL INSPECTORS IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, JANUARY 1, 1891. FIRST DISTRICT. Robert Y. Ogg and Robert Pelham, Jr.-Detroit. Wayne and Oakland counties. SECOND DISTRICT. William Jibb-Adrian. Lenawee and Monroe counties. THIRD DISTRICT. Thomas G. Green-Centreville. St. Joseph, Branch and Hillsdale counties. FOURTH DISTRICT. Richard Haigh, Jr.-Kalamazoo. Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties, and all towns on the G. R. & I. and Lake Shore Railroads in Allegan county. FIFTH DISTRICT. T. T. Higgins-Dailey. Berrien and Cass counties. SIXTH DISTRICT. Ben C. Porter-Grand Rapids. Kent county and all towns on the G. R. & I. Railroad in Montcalm and Mecosta counties. SEVENTH DISTRICT. A. S. Kedzie-Grand Haven. Ottawa, Muskegon and Allegan counties, except towns on the G. R. & I. and Lake Shore Railroads in Allegan county. EIGHTH DISTRICT. John Holbrook-Lansing. Eaton, Barry, Ingham and Calhoun counties, except Homer and Tekonsha in Calhoun county. NINTH DISTRICT. E. T. Yeomans-Ionia. Ionia, Montcalm, Gratiot, Mecosta and Isabella counties, except towns on the G. R. & I. Railroad in Montcalm and Mecosta counties. TENTH DISTRICT. Albert Styles Jackson. Jackson and Washtenaw counties, and Pinckney, Hamburg and Unadilla in Livingston county, and Homer and Tekonsha in Calhoun county. ELEVENTH DISTRICT. George H. Turner-Flint. Genesee, Shiawassee, Clinton, Lapeer and Livingston counties, except Pinckney, Unadilla and Hamburg in Livingston county. TWELFTH DISTRICT. William M. Kelley-Bay City. Bay, Saginaw, Arenac, Midland and Tuscola counties. THIRTEENTH DISTRICT. Mrs. A. E. C. Mann-Port Huron. St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron and Macomb counties. FOURTEENTH DISTRICT. W. E. Rogers-Alpena. Alpena, Alcona, Iosco and Presque Isle counties. FIFTEENTH DISTRICT. Burt E. Cook-Negaunee. Marquette, Menominee, Schoolcraft and Delta counties, except Ishpeming and towns north of Ishpeming on M., H. & O. R. R. in Marquette county. SIXTEENTH DISTRICT. W. L. Mason-L'Anse. Baraga, Houghton and Keweenaw counties, and Ishpeming, with all towns north of it on M., H. & O. R. R., in Marquette county. SEVENTEENTH DISTRICT. Leander Weaver-Manistee. Manistee, Mason, Lake, Oceana, Newaygo, Osceola and Clare counties. EIGHTEENTH DISTRICT. Chas. H. Pease-Sault Ste Marie, Chippewa, Luce and Alger counties, and all towns on the Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic R. R., in Schoolcraft county. NINETEENTH DISTRICT. Wm. Crosby-Harbor Springs. Emmett, Cheboygan, Charlevoix, Otsego, Roscommon, Crawford and Mackinac counties. TWENTIETH DISTRICT. John Pulcipher-Acme. Grand Traverse, Antrim, Benzie, Leelenaw, Wexford, Kalkaska and Missaukee counties. TWENTY-FIRST DISTRICT. Geo. W. Johnson-Ironwood. Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon counties. TWENTY-SECOND DISTRICT. Isaac Wright-St. James. Manitou county. From the wording of the law it is evident the legislature did not intend to make oil inspection a source of revenue to the State. Taking that view of it they have cut down the fees collected from dealers until it has reached the pittance of one quarter of one cent per gallon and still there is paid. into the treasury of the State this year over thirteen thousand dollars. Dealers in oil are again asking to have the fees reduced, which raises the question, who will a reduction benefit most the consumer or the dealer. The law graded the salaries of deputies very judiciously when the shipment of oil was principally in barrels, but as the method of handling has entirely changed since the law was passed, moving it now in tanks and locating in nearly all the cities what is known as bulk stations, it has had the effect in several districts of giving the deputies big pay for labor performed while others well earn the money they receive, making the pay to deputies very unequal when compared with the labor." In conclusion permit me to say that I believe there has been an earnest and honest effort on the part of the deputies in the past year to enforce the inspection law as they found it, and in all cases when accidents from explosions have been reported they have investigated each and every case, and found them to be false reports or originating from carelessness. Respectfully submitted, HENRY D. PLATT, |