7,425,079 58 209,1 7,794 29 820,819 64

559,327,209 18 227,282,248 78 187,836,227 85 72,968,662 17 61,396,250 46

45,347,257 71 42,387,428 37 39,016,913 25

New York. Massachus'ts. Pennsylvania. Ohio. Connecticut. Illinois.

559,327,209 18 227,282,248 78 187,836,227 85 72,968,662 17 61,396,250 46 45,847,257 71 42,887,428 37 39,016,913 25 40,214,526 84 84,096,143 48

Aggregate.

23,501,232 54 18,839,573 03

16,401,371 56 15,267,419 66 13,213,656 78 12,011,606 97 10,778,686 02

4,523,076 21 7,547,017 91

7,843,246 05

DEBT AND FINANCES OF BUFFALO.

The Comptroller of Buffalo, under date of July 1st, 1867, has issued his report on the financial affairs of that city for the year ending December 31, 1866, embracing the whole field of its valuation, taxation and indebtedness, and the receipts and disbursements on all accounts. The report also contains a comprehensive exhibit of the progress of the city, as relates to its finances, for the ten years ending as above. From this very valuable document we have compiled the following summary.

The debt liabilities of the city are ranged under the two heads of funded debt and temporary loans, which together amount to $905,334. The following are the details of the Funded Debt as it existed at the close of the year 1866:

The temporary loan liabilities have been contracted for purchases at the annual tax sales and for payments for school lots.

follows:

Date of issue. July 1, 1862.

The details are as

Amount - - Interest.

Prin.

Dec. 31,'66. Rate. Payable. paya'le $40,000...7...Jan. & July...1867

For what purpose bonds were issued.

Purchases at tax sales, 1869.

1, 1863.

25,000..6..

...1868

...1869

1, 1864.

1864.

24,538 .7...

66

..'68'69

..'67'70

..'68'71

Sep. 18, 1-63.

.School lot in Dist. 34

July 1, 1865.

4,567...7...Mar. & Sep.1878

Apr. 15, 1866.

4,904...7...Jan. & July...1867

3,840...7..Apr. & Oct...1871

-total December 31, 1866, $293,334.

Buffalo, including Squaw and Cranberry islands, covers an area of 23,874.64 acres.

The distribution of the area is thus-taxable lots, 20,856.74 acres; streets, 2,043.64; creeks, canals, slips and basins, 483.73; school lots, 28.54; engine-houses and police-stations, 1.27; market grounds, 10.90; church lots, 18.09; cemeteries, 257.32; public grounds, 31.29: hospital and asylum lots, 43.80; pest-house lots (on Squaw and Cranberry Islands), 8.75; Erie County property, 60.31; New York State property, 2.77; United States property, 38.89 acres.

The public improvements of the city consist of-paved streets, 54.17 miles; plank side-walks, 217.24; stone sidewalks, 63.11, and sewers, 57.76 miles. Total length of streets, 297.57 miles. The Assessors' valuation of property belonging to the city in 1866 was $697,060, viz., engine lots and houses, $63,360; central school property, $39,400; squares and parks, $329,250; markets and market grounds, $177,000; public burying grounds, $16,000; police-stations, $13,000; courthouse and jail, (5-8ths of 90,000) $56.250; pest-house and grounds $2,800. These values are not assessable for taxation. The total valuation of school property (general and local) is $321,970.

The population of the city by the United States census was, in 1810, 1,508; in 1820, 2,095; in 1830, 8,668, in 1840, 18,213; in 1850, 42,261; in 1860, 81,129. The Erie Canal was opened in 1825, and the Albany and Buffalo line of railroads in 1842. The population by the State census of 1855 was 74,214; of 1860, 81,129, and of 1865, 94,502. The increase from 1860 to 1865 was 16.49 per cent., or a fraction more than 3 per cent. per annum compounded. At the same rate the population in 1866 would be 96,872.

The valuation of real and personal property for taxation in each of the past ten years has been as follows:

It will be seen that the total valuation in 1857 was larger than in the year 1866. This may be attributed to the fact that the general revulsion of business during the former year occasioned severe losses to the business community, and the valuation of property gradually fell for several succeeding years, until it had reached its minimum in 1860 and 1861. After that time it has as gradually increased to its present valuation. It may be remarked, also, that the valuation placed on personal property is not commensurate with that of real estate, which may be accounted for by the general investment of surplus capital in national securities, which are not liable to taxation.

The accounts of the city are kept so as to show the receipts and expenditures based on general tax and other city income separately from the receipts and expenditures dependent on local assessments. The latter are chiefly for street, district school and other improvements. The receipts and expenditures of the general fund, according to the comptroller's statement, for each of the last ten fiscal years:

The general fund is raised by a tax levied annually upon the whole valuation; the income from markets, fees, and interest upon taxes, licenses, fines and penalties are also credited to this fund, which furnishes the means to defray the ordinary expenses of the city government. Of the receipts

in 1866, $460,262 03 was from taxes, $32,219 75 from school fund, and the remainder ($38,526 89) from miscellaneous sources. The tax receipts would indicate a rate of $1 on the $100 valuation. The principal objects of expenditures in the same years were: schools, $151,909 66; police, $56,772 77; fire department, $45,841 03; public debt interest, $36,542 13, and principal, $8,000; lamps, $32,405 96; water, $20,004 25; treets, $13,856 22; public health, $11,930 11; harbor, $13,8C2 10; &c., &c. A table in the report specifies the expenditures of each department

for ten years.

The financial condition of the city, as shown on the general balance sheet of December, 1866, was as follows:

The following compares the population, valuation, income and expenditures, debt, and the total liabilities and resources of the city in 1860 and

From this it appears that the valuation is lower in 1866 than in 1860 by $12.12 per capita. In the meanwhile the expendi.ures have increased from $3 23 to $5 01, or 34.32 per cent. The funded debt is but a fraction higher. Considering the increased cost of labor and commodities, this result exhibits a rare instances of municipal economy.

LIFE INSURANCE IN THE UNITED STATES.

The following table, compiled for the MERCHANTS' MAGAZINE by Mr. John Eadie, Secretary of the United States Life Insurance Company, of New York, exhibits, at a glance, the condition, number, date of organization, &c., of the Life Insurance Companies of the United States: