USA > Michigan > Michigan official directory and legislative manual for the years 1915-1916 > Part 85
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101
Not more than three cases will be heard on one day (counting, however, as one case, two or more which are heard together). The call for the next day shall, at the adjourn- ment of court, be exhibited in the clerk's office. Counsel choosing to rely on the judg- ment of the clerk as to the probable time of hearing any case must do so at their own risk
When the case is called, if either party is ready, the case will be heard. If there is no appearance for either party, the case will be dismissed. If the appellant does not appear by counsel or by printed brief but the appellee does appear, the case will be dismissed. If the appellant appears and the appellee does not, the court will hear the appellant.
By agreement of counsel in open court or by stipulation filed in the clerk's office, hearing may be continued once to any later session during the term or from the last session of one term to the first session of the next term, but not to a later day during the same session. Subsequent continuances can be made only by the court and will be only for reasons satisfactory to the court; and engagement of counsel in other courts will not be considered good cause.
Two or more cases, involving the same question, may, by order of the court, be heard together, but they must be argued as one cause.
LEGAL HOLIDAYS.
C. L. 1897, §§ 4880-81. Am. Act 254, 1903; Act 35, 1905; Acts 246 and 258, 1909.
January 1-New Year's Day.
February 12-Lincoln's Birthday.
February 22-Washington's Birthday.
May 30-Decoration-Memorial Day.
July 4-Independence Day.
First Monday in September-Labor Day.
October 12-Columbus Day.
Election Days-Embracing national, state, county and city elections. December 25-Christmas.
"And any day appointed or recommended by the governor of this state, or the president of the United States, as a day of fasting and prayer or thanksgiving."
In case any of the holidays shall fall upon a Sunday, then the Monday following shall be considered as the said holiday.
Saturday afternoons a legal holiday for banks unless voted to the contrary by the directors.
839
COMMISSIONERS OF DEEDS.
COMMISSIONERS OF DEEDS FOR MICHIGAN IN OTHER STATES. Term of office five years from date of appointment.
State. .
Name.
Address.
Date of appointment.
Alabama.
McConnell, Robert H ..
Mobile. .
June 28, 1915
California.
Collins, M. V.
San Francisco
Aug. 25, 1913
California.
McDonald, John
Pasadena
Oct. 5, 1910
Connecticut
Allen, Halsey L.
Rockville.
Sept. 16, 1911
Connecticut .
Thompson, Charles E
Hartford .
Oct. 8,1910
District of Columbia
Hitt, Isaac R.
Washington.
Feb. 23, 1912
Florida
Gamble, Walter J
Seabreeze.
Feb. 20, 1912
Maryland
Fisher, Abraham H
Baltimore
April 11, 1911
Maryland.
Hesse, Charles Henry
Baltimore.
Oct. 28, 1912
Massachusetts.
Dean, Josiah S.
Boston.
Sept. 2, 1914
Massachusetts.
Dearborn, John .
Malden .
July 22, 1912
Massachusetts.
Edwards, Elinor F
Brookline.
Jan. 30, 1911
New York.
Braman, Ella F.
New York
Oct. 28, 1913
New York.
Braman, Joseph B
New York.
July 11, 1913
New York
Corey, Edwin F.
New York.
Jan. 24, 1911
New York.
Corey, George H.
New York
July 30, 1912
New York
Dugan, Clarence R
New York.
Feb. 18, 1914
Ohio
Dalsky, H. A.
Massilon .
Dec. 4, 1913
Ohio
Harrison, Joseph T
Cincinnati.
Jan. 26, 1911
Ohio
Holbrook, Ralph S
Toledo
Nov. 17, 1913
Ohio
Ryan, J. H.
Toledo
Mar. 23, 1911
Pennsylvania
Hunt, Thomas J
Philadelphia
May 2, 1913
Pennsylvania.
Wurts, John S.
Philadelphia
May 13, 1912
Rhode Island.
Potter, Edwin C
Providence
Jan. 16, 1912
COMMISSIONERS OF DEEDS IN MICHIGAN FOR OTHER STATES AND TERRITORIES.
State.
Name.
Address.
Date of appointment.
New York ..
Woodruff, Charles M ...
Detroit.
July 27, 1911
Pennsylvania.
Millis, Wade. .
Detroit ..
April 3, 1912
Porto Rico.
Millis, Wade.
Detroit ..
Sept. 24, 1912
840
MICHIGAN MANUAL.
MINISTERS OF U. S. IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
To what country accredited.
Name.
Residence.
Argentina .
Frederic Jesup Stimson.
Austria-Hungary .
Frederic C. Penfield .
Brand Whitlock.
Belgium Bolivia Brazil
John D. O'Rear. Edwin V. Morgan
Bulgaria
Charles J. Vopicka
Chile
Henry P. Fletcher
China
Paul S. Reinsch
Colombia
Thaddeus Austin Thomson. Edward J. Hale. .
Cuba .
Denmark. Dominican Republic. Ecuador.
James M. Sullivan. .
Charles S. Hartman.
Egypt.
Olney Arnold .
France. Germany Great Britain . Greece . Guatemala
William G. Sharp.
James W. Gerard.
Walter Hines Page
Garrett Droppers. William Hayne Leavell
Haiti .
Arthur Bailly-Blanchard.
Honduras
John Ewing.
Italy
Thomas Nelson Page.
Japan.
George W. Guthrie. George W. Buckner
Luxemburg
Henry Van Dyke
Mexico.
Montenegro Morocco
Netherlands
Henry Van Dyke
Nicaragua Norway . Panama
Paraguay. Persia.
Peru .. Portugal
Thomas H. Birch
Charles J. Vopicka
Roumania Russia . . Salvador
George T. Marye Boaz W. Long .
Charles J. Vopicka . William H. Hornibrook
Joseph E. Willard Ira Nelson Morris
Pleasant A. Stovall Henry Morgenth. Robert Emmett Jeffery Preston McGoodwin.
Buenos Aires. Vienna. Brussels. La Paz. Rio de Janeiro.
Bucharest. Santiago. Peking. Bogota. San Jose.
Habana. Copenhagen. Santo Domingo. Quito. Cairo.
Paris. Berlin. London. Athens. Guatemala.
Port au Prince. Tegucigalpa. Rome. Tokyo. Monrovia.
The Hague. Mexico. Athens. Tangier. The Hague.
Managua. Christiana. Panama. Asuncion. Teheran.
Lima. Lisbon. Bucharest. Petrograd. San Salvador.
Servia Siam. Spain . Sweden.
Switzerland Turkey.
Uruguay Venezuela
Benjamin L. Jefferson. Albert G. Schmedeman
William J. Price. Daniel F. Mooney John L. Caldwell.
Benton McMillin.
Bucharest. Bangkok. Madrid. Stockholm.
Berne. Constantinople. Montevideo. Caracas.
Costa Rica
William E. Gonzales Maurice Francis Egan
Liberia
Garrett Droppers.
841
FOREIGN MINISTERS IN UNITED STATES.
FOREIGN MINISTERS IN UNITED STATES.
Country.
Name.
Argentina .
Austria-Hungary .
Belgium
Bolivia
Brazil ..
Mr. Romulo S. Naon. Dr. Constantin Theodor Dumba. Mr. E. Havenith. Senor Don Ignacio Calderon. Mr. D. da Gama.
Senor Don Eduardo Suarez-Mujica.
China
Mr. Kai Fu Shah.
Colombia.
Senor Don Julio Betancourt.
Costa Rica
Senor Don Roberto Brenes Mesen.
Cuba .
Dr. Carlos Manuel de Cespedes.
Denmark.
Mr. Constantin Brun.
Dominican Republic .
Senor Dr. Enrique Jimenez.
Ecuador.
Senor Dr. Don Gonzalo S. Cordova.
France.
Mr. J. J. Jusserand. Count J. H. von Bernstorff.
Great Britain
Sir Cecil Arthur Spring-Rice.
Greece .
Mr. A. Vouros.
Senor Don Joaquin Mendez.
Guatemala Haiti . .
Mr. Solon Menos. Dr. Alberto Membreno.
Italy.
Count V. Macchi di Cellere. Viscount Sutemi Chinda.
Absent.
Chevalier W. L. F. C. van Rappard.
Senor General Don Emiliano Chamorro.
Norway
Mr. H. H. Bryn.
Panama
Paraguay
Persia
Mehdi Khan. Fedesico Alfonso Pezet.
Portugal
Viscount de Alte. Mr. George Bakhmeteff.
Russia
Salvador
Senor Dr. Don Francisco Duenas.
Siam.
Spain .
Phya Prabha Karavongse. Senor Don Juan Riano y Gayangos.
Sweden Switzerland Turkey .
Uruguay
Venezuela .
Mr. W. A. F. Ekengren. Dr. Paul Ritter. A. Rustem Bey. Dr. Carlos Maria de Pena. Senor Dr. Don Santos A. Dominici.
Japan.
Mexico
Netherlands
Nicaragua.
Senor Dr. Don Eusebio A. Morales. Mr. Hector Valazquez.
Peru.
Honduras
Germany.
Chile .
842
MICHIGAN MANUAL.
FOREIGN CONSULS IN MICHIGAN.
Country.
Name.
Rank.
Residence.
Belgium .
Theophile Francois .
Consul .
Detroit. Detroit.
Denmark
Peter Sorensen.
Hon. Vice Consul
Detroit.
France .
Joseph Belanger
Consular Agent .. Vice Consul. .
Detroit.
Great Britian.
Howard G. Meredith.
Detroit.
Italy .
Chevalier Pietro Cardiello . .
Consular Agent ..
Detroit.
Mexico
Detroit.
Netherlands
Jacob Steketee.
Vice Consul. .
Grand Rapids.
Paraguay
Juan Walker.
Vice Consul.
Detroit.
Sweden
Daniel F. Pagelson
Vice Consul.
Grand Haven.
Cuba. .
C. W. Harrah.
Consul.
843
THE STATE GOVERNMENT.
THE STATE GOVERNMENT.
Elective officers, their residences and salaries. Term, two years-January 1, 1915, to January 1, 1917.
GOVERNOR.
WOODBRIDGE N. FERRIS, Big Rapids, Mecosta County Salary $5,000
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
LUREN D. DICKINSON, Charlotte, Eaton County . (a) Salary $800
SECRETARY OF STATE.
COLEMAN C. VAUGHAN, St. Johns, Clinton County Salary $2,500
STATE TREASURER.
JOHN W. HAARER, Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County Salary $2,500 1
¡
AUDITOR GENERAL.
ORAMEL B. FULLER, Ford River, Delta County Salary $2,500
ATTORNEY GENERAL.
GRANT FELLOWS, Hudson, Lenawee County - Salary $5,000
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. (b)
FRED L. KEELER, Mt. Pleasant, Isabella County - Salary $4,000
STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER. (c)
FRANK F. ROGERS, Lansing, Ingham County - Salary $3,500
Justices of the supreme court, regents of the university, members of the state board of education, and members of the state board of agriculture are elected at the spring election. For name, term of office, etc., see pages 111, 114, 378, 817-822, 879, 880, 881.
(a) Regular session of legislature; $5 per day, extra session.
(b) Term, two years-July 1, 1915, to July 1, 1917.
(c) Term, four years-July 1, 1913, to July 1, 1917 ..
844
MICHIGAN MANUAL.
OFFICERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE SENATE.
COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE.
JOHN T. WINSHIP, salary $3,500 Saginaw; office at Lansing
COMMISSIONER OF STATE BANKING DEPARTMENT.
FRANK W. MERRICK, salary $3,500 - Pigeon; office at Lansing
COMMISSIONER OF LABOR.
JAMES V. CUNNINGHAM, salary $2,500 - Detroit; office at Lansing
STATE LIBRARIAN.
MARY C. SPENCER, salary $1,800
State Library, Lansing
STATE INSPECTOR OF OILS .*
RICHARD E. BARRON, salary $1,500 - - Howell; office at Howell
STATE VETERINARIAN.
GEORGE W. DUNPHY, salary $2,000 East Lansing; office at Lansing
DAIRY AND FOOD COMMISSIONER.
JAMES W. HELME, salary $2,000
- Adrian; office at Lansing
COMMISSIONER OF MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION.
FRANK L. DODGE, salary $2,500
- Lansing; office at Lansing
*Confirmation by senate not required.
845
STATE DEPARTMENTS.
STATE DEPARTMENTS.
JUNE 1, 1915.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE.
Salary.
WOODBRIDGE N. FERRIS, Governor
$5,000
WILLIAM P. NISBETT, Private Secretary to the Governor 2,500
E. CLARKE AUSTIN, Executive Clerk to the Governor . 1,800
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
COLEMAN C. VAUGHAN, Secretary of State .. 2,500
GEORGE L. LUSK, Deputy Secretary of State. 2,500
ALBERT DUNHAM, Chief Clerk .. 1,200
LEE H. PRYOR, Chief of Corporation Division.
2,000
GEORGE H. MARSHALL, Chief of Building and Loan Division. 1,500
WILLIAM F. PETRIE, Chief of Vital Statistics Division. 1,500
HERBERT L. HAVENS, Chief of Compiling Division.
1,200
HIRAM CHAMBERS, Chief of Agricultural Division. 1,100
WILLIAM L. BRUSH, Chief of Shipping Division.
1,200
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
JOHN W. HAARER, State Treasurer. 2,500
FRANK E. GORMAN, Deputy State Treasurer
2,500
HOYT WOODMAN, Cashier
1,500
BIRNEY L. KENYON, Chief Clerk.
1,200
FRED L. SMITH, Bookkeeper .
1,200
AUDITOR GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT.
ORAMEL B. FULLER, Auditor General.
2,500
GEORGE L. HAUSER, Deputy Auditor General. 2,500
HAROLD B. FULLER, Private Secretary
1,600
FRED Z. HAMILTON, State Accountant
2,500
CHARLES A. BARNES, Chief Clerk .
1,500
W. S. HUMPHREY, Assistant Chief Clerk
1,400
EDWARD OAKLEY, Chief Bookkeeper ..
1,200
G. C. COTTON, Assistant Chief Bookkeeper
1,100
FRED W. BERNER, Abstract Clerk .
1,100
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT.
GRANT FELLOWS, Attorney General. 5,000
ANDREW B. DOUGHERTY, Deputy Attorney General .. 2,500
F. CAREW MARTINDALE, Chief Law Clerk . 1,800
2,000
D. H. CROWLEY, Assistant Attorney General. . 2,200
SAMUEL D. PEPPER, Assistant Attorney General.
2,200
L. W. CARR, Assistant Attorney General.
2,200
CLARE RETAN, Assistant Attorney General. 1,500
ALBERT H. GRAHAM, Inheritance Tax Clerk. 1,500
JAMES A. GREENE, Assistant Attorney General
846
MICHIGAN MANUAL.
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.
Salary.
FRED L. KEELER, Superintendent of Public Instruction. $4,000
JOHN M. MUNSON, Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction. 2,500
G. N. OTWELL, Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction. 1,800
W. L. COFFEY, Chief Clerk .
1,200
INSURANCE DEPARTMENT.
JOHN T. WINSHIP, Insurance Commissioner 3,500
WALTER E. OTTO, First Deputy .. 2,600
CHARLES A. DURAND, Second Deputy
2,000
FRED W. HEXT, Chief Clerk. 1,200
SAMUEL ROBINSON, Assistant State Fire Marshal
2,000
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR STATISTICS.
JAMES V. CUNNINGHAM, Commissioner of Labor
2,500
JAMES F. HAMMEL, Deputy
1,800
VACANCY, Chief Clerk
1,800
STATE BANKING DEPARTMENT.
FRANK W. MERRICK, Commissioner of Banking
3,500
ALBERT E. MANNING, Deputy . 2,500
Jos. M. CONWAY, Chief Clerk and Examiner. 1,700
BOARD OF STATE AUDITORS' DEPARTMENT.
JOHN B. MATHEWS, Secretary .
2,500
FRANK C. BENNETT, Superintendent of Building and Grounds. 1,800
MILES WHEELER, Accountant. 1,300
MAURICE J. KIRBY .
1,200
WILLIAM J. RILEY
1,200
LUCIUS D. BISSELL
1,200
JOHN MUNN.
1,200
FRED S. JOHNSON.
1,200
DARWIN BENJAMIN
1,200
GRACE G. HUDSON
1,100
DAIRY AND FOOD DEPARTMENT.
JAMES W. HELME, Dairy and Food Commissioner 2,000
BURR B. LINCOLN, Deputy Dairy and Food Commissioner. 1,500
FERN L. SHANNON, State Analyst .. 2,000
L. H. VAN WORMER, Assistant Chemist
1,200
M. J. SMITH, Chief Clerk
1,600
STATE LIBRARY.
MARY C. SPENCER, Librarian . 1,800
1,200
ADA B. SHIER, Assistant Librarian.
STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
FRANK F. ROGERS, State Highway Commissioner 3,500
LEROY C. SMITH, Deputy . 2,000
.
847
DEPARTMENT DUTIES.
DEPARTMENT DUTIES.
THE GOVERNOR.
The governor is the principal executive officer of the state, and commander-in-chief of the military and naval forces.
He may convene the legislature in extraordinary session.
He shall give to the legislature, and at the close of his official term, to the next legis- lature, information by message of the condition of the state, and recommend such measures to them as he shall deem expedient.
All bills passed by the legislature must be submitted to him for approval.
He shall issue writs of election in case of vacancy in the legislature or in the state representation in the lower house of Congress. In case of vacancy in the office of United States senator he may appoint some person to hold such office until the legislature chooses a successor.
He signs all commissions, patents for state lands and appoints notaries public and commissioners in other states to take acknowledgments of deeds for this state.
He appoints all the principal officers of the state not elected by the people, and the members of state boards, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, when so prescribed by law.
He may fill vacancies in state offices in certain cases and remove public officers for cause, or upon proper investigation and proof of misconduct or incompetency.
He may require information in writing from all executive and administrative officers, elective or appointive, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices.
He may grant reprieves, commutations of sentences, paroles or pardons.
He may demand fugitives from justice from the executive of any other state or ter- ritory, and may issue warrants upon the request of the governors of other states or territories for fugitives who may be found within this state.
The governor is ex-officio a member of the state board of corrections and charities, boards of control of the Industrial School for Boys, Industrial Home for Girls, Michigan Employment Institution for the Blind, Michigan Farm Colony for Epileptics, state prisons at Jackson, Ionia and Marquette, Joint Penology Commission, board of managers of Michigan Soldiers' Home, state board of assessors, board of control state swamp lands, board of geological survey, Michigan Agricultural Fair Commission, board of commissioners of Mackinac Island State Park, and Michigan Historical Commission.
THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE.
The private secretary to the governor is charged, under the direction of the governor, with the duties appertaining to official correspondence and general clerical work of the office. His duty is to remain at the seat of government in charge of the executive office for the transaction of such business as may not require the personal attention of the governor.
The executive clerk assists in the conduct of the business of the executive office, and is secretary of the advisory board in the matter of pardons.
THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
In case of impeachment, removal from office, death, inability, resignation or absence from the state of the governor, his powers and duties devolve on the lieutenant gover- not. He is president of the senate, but has no vote.
848
MICHIGAN MANUAL.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
The secretary of state is charged by constitutional and statutory provisions with many diverse duties. During a vacancy in the office of governor, if the lieutenant gover- nor be incapable of performing the duties of his office or absent from the state, the secretary of state shall act as governor until the vacancy be filled or the disability cease. In general, it may be said that he is the keeper of the great seal and of the records and archives of the state government; that he has charge of the compilation, publication and distribution of the laws, documents and reports of the various departments, in- stitutions, officers and boards; that he issues commissions, warrants, patents and requi- sitions for extradition upon the order of the governor; that he gives notice of the holding of elections and receives and files returns thereof; that he has general supervision of corporations in the matter of filing and recording articles of association and of filing the reports of such corporations; that he has charge of the collection, compilation and publication of statistics upon various subjects; that he is state registrar of motor vehicles and chauffeurs; that he approves and records bonds required to be furnished by those engaged in selling steamship or railroad tickets or orders for transportation to and from foreign countries, and the receipt of deposits of money for transmission to foreign countries, and issues certificates of authority to transact such business. He is a member of the board of state auditors, board of state canvassers, board of escheats, board of fund commissioners, board of control of state swamp lands, board of internal improve- ment, state board of equalization, public domain commission, state board of control, and bureau of labor and industrial statistics.
The deputy secretary of state has immediate charge of the work of the office, and is the acting head of the department in the absence of the secretary of state. The routine work of the department is performed in eight divisions-the corporation, executive, compiling, building and loan, vital statistics, agricultural, motor vehicle and shipping divisions. Each division is in the immediate charge of a chief, who is responsible for the proper performance of the duties falling under his supervision.
THE CORPORATION DIVISION.
The work of this division consists principally in the examination and filing or re- cording of articles of association of all corporations transacting business in the state, except building and loan associations, insurance companies and. a few corporations which are required to file their articles with county clerks, and in filing annually the re- ports of such corporations. This work requires accuracy, skill and legal ability. There are numerous acts of the legislature governing the various kinds of corporations, each providing different rules and regulations. Articles of association must conform to these laws and it is the business of this division to make them do so, before they are received for record and certificates of filing or record are issued, or authority to do business is granted the new corporations. Not the least important feature of this branch of the work is the determination of the amount of franchise fees to be paid by foreign corporations seeking admission to the state. A careful record is kept of each corporation in such a manner that it is possible at a moment's notice to secure information regarding any existing incorporated body.
Incident to the filing of reports is the sending out of blanks for this purpose to the several thousand corporations which are required to make them. Much correspondence is necessary to keep the various records in a systematic manner. New corporations are constantly being organized; those in existence are frequently making amendments to their articles or filing notices of dissolution. Considerable labor is required in clear- ing the records, by thorough investigation of the facts, of such corporations as become defunct without notifying the department.
849
DEPARTMENT DUTIES.
THE EXECUTIVE DIVISION.
The custody of the great seal is in the executive division. The work here consists in the issuing and attestation of all important state papers, such as proclamations of the governor, certificates of election to elective officers and commissions to appointive offices, both military and civil, warrants for extradition or requisition, pardons and paroles. The constitution of the state and the acts of the legislature, as signed by the governor, are also in the custody of this division, as are the records of all acts of the executive, whether in the exercise of his appointive power or otherwise. Land certificates and patents are of record in this division likewise, and the original election returns from the different counties since Michigan became a state. The bonds and oaths of office of all officers of the state government are here kept on file and are in charge of the chief of the division, who keeps the records of the names of all such officers, showing the time of election or appointment, length of term and date of expiration of the term of each. The records relative to notaries public and justices of the peace are also kept in this division. All certified copies of laws, documents or records and all papers re- quired to be executed under seal must be brought here for the attaching of the seal.
THE COMPILING DIVISION.
An important duty of the Secretary of State is the compilation and publication of the laws and documents, and it is this work which principally engages this division.
The original bills and engrossed copies of the acts of the legislature are here arranged, recorded and prepared for binding. From this base, the public and local acts and the various pamphlet law editions are biennially compiled and revised, which involves the proper and orderly arrangement of the laws, numbering, sidenoting, indexing and annotating with supreme court decisions. The preparation of the Michigan official directory and legislative manual or "red book", as it is usually called, requires the collection of a great deal of miscellaneous and useful data, and great care is exercised to have the information presented in an accurate and reliable form. The monthly publication of the lists of automobile, motorcycle and chauffeur licenses devolves upon this division. That portion of the duties of the Secretary of State relating to general and primary elections requiring the notification of elections, checking of nominating petitions, certifying of candidates, receiving of election returns, etc., and certain other duties in connection with the initiative and referendum are performed by this division. It also has charge of the files and records pertaining to the organization, change of boundaries, etc., of townships, and likewise the incorporations and charter revisions or amendments of cities and villages, under the general and so-called " Home Rule" laws. The various lists of state and county officers and folder publications informative in character are also prepared here.
THE BUILDING AND LOAN DIVISION.
The supervision of the building and loan associations of the state is the business of this division. An examination of the books of the companies is made annually, and oftener if the secretary of state deems necessary. Not only the books are examined, but the securities upon which loans are made are, in many cases, investigated, in order to secure greater protection to members of the associations. Annual financial reports of the associations which are kept on file in the division are compiled and published. The secretary of state has authority to terminate the existence of associa- tions which are in a bad financial condition.
THE VITAL STATISTICS DIVISION.
The vital statistics division has charge of a kind of department work which is of great value to the citizens of the state. The various township, village and city clerks (or health officers) are required by law to report monthly to the secretary of state the deaths and births occurring within their jurisdictions. The compilation of these re-
107
850
MICHIGAN MANUAL.
turns, and, incidentally, the furnishing of blank forms for the purpose, constitutes the principal work of the division. The Michigan system of registration is widely recog- nized as among the best in the world. For the proper dissemination of the information gathered, a bulletin is issued monthly. This publication, the Michigan Monthly Bulletin of Vital Statistics, also furnishes a means of communication with registrars other than that by correspondence. The registration of marriages and divorces also belongs to the vital statistics division. The compilations of all these statistics are published yearly in registration reports. The value of the work of the division lies not only in the statistics compiled, but in the keeping of the records in such a form that official information can be given of all births, deaths, marriages and divorces in the state.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.