and approved by the Director of Public Works, was incorporated with the Jamaica Railway, and a notice to that effect published in the Jamaica Gazette of February, 12th, 1891, by order of the Governor.

On the 10th day of March, 1892, a further Section of 18 miles (making 30 miles from Porus), having been examined and approved by the Director of Public Works, was incorporated with the Jamaica Railway and a notice to that effect published in the Jamaica Gazette of 24th March, 1892.

L. F. Mackinnon, Esq., General Manager and Secretary to the Directors.

THE JAMAICA STREET CAR COMPANY (LIMITED).

THIS undertaking has proved one of the most successful of local enterprises and the laying down of the Tramway was one of the quickest operations that Jamaica

has ever seen.

When application was made to the Governor and Legislative Council for the necessary parliamentary powers for laying the line the bulk of the community believed that this would be one of those still-born projects which would not go further than the obtaining of the bill.

The inception of the enterprise is due to Mr. Tracy Robinson, an American Engineer, formerly on the Panama Railway Company, and Samuel Constantine Burke, Esq.

Mr. Robinson on arrival in Jamaica saw that facilities of locomotion were largely needed in the city of Kingston and the suburbs, which numbered 40,000 inhabitants, and he proposed if Mr. Burke would raise the necessary capital they should jointly operate for the purpose of establishing a Tramway. Mr. Burke having investigated the plans as to expense of laying, equipping and working the line, and the calculations as to traffic, became satisfied that a Tramway would not only be of great importance to Kingston but would prove a financial success. He therefore agreed to obtain the necessary capital and to finance the concern. Six gentlemen agreed to find the capital and the Company was started.

The subscribed capital at the beginning of operations was £6,150 in 1,230 paid-up shares at £5 per share. It having become necessary to raise further capital to complete the lines debentures were issued to the amount of £4,000, bearing interest at 10 per cent. per annum, the same having been first offered to the public at 6 per cent. without success.

The first four miles and 51 chains of the Tramway were completed and opened for traffic on the 13th November, 1876. In 1878 the principal line was extended to Halfway-Tree; and in the following year a line was laid down from the Kingston Parade, along East Queen Street, to Paradise Street. The cost of the extension of the two last lines amounted to £4,000, which was taken from the profit arising from the working of the former lines, making the cost of the then entire line £14,150.

The Shareholders drew no dividends for six years, and having paid off all the debentures and the other liabilities of the Company they issued new shares to the extent of

£5,850 at £5 per share as a bonus to the original Shareholders, making the capital £20,000. Since then shares of the Company have been sold to capitalists at premiums of 10, 13 and 15 per cent.

In 1884 the Directors laid down a line of one mile to May Pen Cemetery on the Spanish Town Road, and in the early part of 1885 they began the extension of the Halfway-Tree line to Constant Spring in the parish of St. Andrew, a distance of three miles from the Halfway-Tree Station and of six miles from Kingston. The cost of these Extensions was met by the issue of new shares, which extended the capital to £28,000.

On 27th January, 1891, the East Street Line was extended and opened for traffic to the Exhibition.

The passenger traffic on the several lines has been as follows:

S. C. Burke, Esq., Chairman.

1,331,305

1,335,150

1,327,909

1,267,104

1,346,688

1,363,731

1,850,289

1,283,548

Hon. Lt. Col. C. J. Ward, C.M.G. W. R. McPherson P. E. Auvray Louis Verley, Esqs. SECRETARY-Mr. E. G. A. Garsia. MANAGER-Mr. G. A. Douglas.

THE PEOPLE'S DISCOUNT AND DEPOSIT COMPANY. THE People's Discount and Deposit Company (Limited) was established in 1879 by the Rev W. Clarke Murray, aided by a few gentlemen to whom he made his plan known. His main object was to provide help for a large class of industrious and enterprising people who, not having influence to secure them business relationships with the Colonial Bank, were reduced to the necessity of applying to private individuals for the means necessary to aid them in their business undertakings. A Company was therefore formed to raise a capital fund, by the issue of shares, for the purpose of discounting island and other bills of exchange or promissory notes, or other obligations, making advances of money on mortgage and other securities, and otherwise transacting business as Bankers, save and except the issuing of a paper currency or bank notes, and also to receive deposits on current account or otherwise.

The Company commenced to work in February, 1879, with a capital of £958 and on the 11th March, 1892, the completion of the 14th financial year, the amount to the credit of the shareholders was £14,371 8s. 6d. The amount of bills in hand on the 11th March, 1892, was £6,418 8s. 4d. and the amount on open account £4,974 5s. 10d.

HOTEL COMPANIES IN JAMAICA.

THE AMERICAN HOTELS COMPANY IN JAMAICA.

THIS Company has been formed in Jamaica for the purpose of erecting hotels in the island, to be worked on the system of American Hotels. The capital of the Company is £30,000 in 15,000 shares of £2 each. The sum of 5/ was payable on application for shares and 15 on their allotment, and the balance in calls not exceeding 5/ each and at intervals of not less than three months. The number of shares allotted up to the 21st October, 1890, (the end of the Company's financial year) was 6,418, representing a capital, when fully paid up, of £12,836 upon which all the calls had been made but a balance of £920 38. 11d. was still left to be collected.

Operations were begun upon the hotel at Constant Spring which occupies a fine site on Constant Spring Estate in the parish of St. Andrew, in 1888. It is about six miles from Kingston and is in the immediate vicinity of the line of the Car Company. The Company having been admitted to the privileges of the Hotels Law of 1890, were permitted to issue debentures to the extent of £16,750 for the purpose of completing and equipping the Hotel. The building which was finished in the early part of the present year contains more than one hundred sleeping rooms, with sitting rooms, dining rooms, parlour, and a magnificent swimming bath attached and all other modern improvements. The grounds are about sixty acres in extent and are very tastefully laid out. Several avenues, lined on each side by native fruit and ornamental trees, will eventually form beautiful shady walks.

The hotel commands to the south an excellent view of the Kingston harbour and to the north of the hills that skirt the Liguanea plains. It was liberally patronised during the winter months by visitors from the United States and Canada as well as from the mother country.

Secretary-Mr. Joseph Phillips, Kingston P.O.

THE KINGSTON HOTELS COMPANY.

THIS Company was formed in 1890 for the purpose of providing a first class Hotel in Kingston. An excellent site was secured at Myrtle Bank in the Eastern portion of Harbour Street, and the Company have erected there a substantial and commodious building. Some of the rooms are very handsome and all of them are well furnished. The Hotel is capable of accommodating a large number of visitors while its convenient position and excellent arrangements render it popular. The Company have issued debentures to the extent of £30,000, the debentures and interest thereon being guaranteed by Government under the provisions of Law 27 of 1890. The Secretary of the Company is Mr. H. A. Cunha.

THE JAMAICA HOTELS COMPANY.

THIS Company was formed in 1890 for the laudable object of providing a comfortable lodging for the respectable peasantry of the island, large numbers of whom were expected to visit and did visit the Exhibition opened in January, 1891.

The Hotel erected by the Company is situated at the corner of Heywood Street and Princess Street, and is known as the Queen's Hotel. It is admirably suited in its arrangements and charges for the purpose for which it was intended. During the time of the Exhibition, it was visited by large numbers of the respectable peasant proprietors, members of the Rural Police Force, and country tradesmen. The Directors have supplied a want long felt by country folk of the humbler classes, that, namely, of obtaining in Kingston comfortable quarters at prices within their

means.

The Secretary is Mr. R. Parkinson.

THE ST. CATHERINE HOTELS COMPANY.

THIS Company has built at Spanish Town the Hotel Rio Cobre, so called after the river of that name, which runs past the grounds.

The building is commodious and comfortable, and has been constructed with special regard to the necessities of a warm climate.

The Company is one of those which is under contract with the Government in accordance with the provisions of Law 27 of 1890.

The Secretary is Mr. J. A. S. Vaz, Spanish Town.

THE MONEAGUE HOTELS COMPANY.

MONEAGUE is a village in the beautiful parish of St. Ann. A few gentlemen of the parish, availing themselves of the provisions of Law 27 of 1890, formed themselves into a company and purchased in that year the greater part of a property called Rose Hall lying just beyond the village of Moneague, on which they have built a fine Hotel The building stands on an eminence commanding charming views in every direction; the climate is perfect and the arrangements for the entertainment of visitors are satisfactory. This is the only Hotel of those built under the Hotels Law of 1890 which is not placed in the lowlands, the elevation at which it stands being 950 feet above the sea.

There are many beautiful drives in the district, and the Roaring River Falls, the famous Gully Road, Ocho Rios Bay and other places noted for their picturesque beauty are within easy reach. Vehicles can be had at all times at Moneague. The Hotel is nine miles from the Railway Terminus at Ewarton, where conveyances from Moneague await the arrival of each train. The Moneague Hotels Company have issued debentures to the extent of £7,000, guaranteed by Government under the provisions of the Hotels Law, 1890.

Mr. A. N. Sutherland, of Moneague, is Secretary of the Company.

THE KINGSTON ICE-MAKING COMPANY.

THE Kingston Ice-making Company, Limited, was established in 1884.

The Capital of the Company is divided into 25,500 shares of £1 each, the subscribed capital to 30th June, 1892, being £27,436

The Financial Statements shew the net gain for sale
of Ice for six months to be

Interest on Investments

£2,958 13 7 111 5 0

to be carried to Reserve Account, which will then amount to £10,130 3s. 2d. During the past six months 21,735 blocks of Ice of 208lbs. each were made, equal to 2,260 tons of Ice of 2,000lbs. each.

THE JAMAICA ELECTRIC LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY. THIS Company was formed on the recommendation of a Committee appointed by a Meeting held at the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce on the 27th of May, 1889, and the Memorandum and Articles of Association having been prepared and adopted, was duly registered on the 21st day of September, 1889, the Capital being £20,000 in 10,000 shares of £2 each. The total paid-up capital is £10,154. There have been 5,077 shares issued to 31st July, 1891.

After careful investigation it was determined to adopt the system of the Thomson Houston Company of Boston, U.S.A., and an order was accordingly placed with them for the necessary plant.

The exclusive agency for Jamaica of this most satisfactory system of Electric

Lighting and Power was also obtained, whereby business advantages of a very desirable nature were secured to the Company.

The Central Station in Kingston is situated on the sea-board premises at No. 38 Harbour Street, a site eligible in every respect, with an ultimate capacity for machinery for say 5,000 16 candle-power incandescent lights or their equivalent and 200 arc lights.

All the principal Churches, &c., and a number of stores and dwellings in Kingston are lighted by electricity. There are 49 arcs and over 2,600 incandescent lights in the city, and it seems clear that there is considerable business before the Company. Since the 1st November, 1892, the management of the Company has been transferred to the Thomson-Houston International Electric Company.

AUDITORS.

Thomas Arbouin, Esq.

BANKERS-The Colonial Bank.

John H. Aikman, Esq.
SOLICITORS-Messrs. Wolfe & Milholland.

SECRETARY-L. Foster Davis, Esq. OFFICE-38 Harbour Street, Kingston.

FIRE INSURANCE COMPANIES.

THERE is one Fire Insurance Company and twenty-five Fire Insurance Agencies in Jamaica insuring about £3,121,807 of property in different parts of the island. The Jamaica Co-Operative is purely local. The premiums paid amount to about £32,000 per annum.

The following is a list of the Officers referred to:

Jamaica Co-Operative (Limited)
Alliance Assurance Company
Commercial Union
Economic Fire Office

Guardian

Secy.-Henry Ford.

Agents-Archd. Munroe & J. J. G. Lewis.

City of London Fire Insurance Co. (Limited)

Union Assurance Society

Jas. H. McDowell.

Anderson & Jacobsen.
John C. Fegan & Co.

Hiam Barrow.

Turnbull & Co. and John Bonitto.
Martin & Spicer.

A. L. Malabre & Co.

Moses Delgado.

Wolfe & Milholland.

Davidson, Colthirst & Co.

Chas. Levy & Co.

Turnbull, Mudon & Co.

Bravo, Bros. & Co.
G. J. DeCordova
William Malabre & Co.
Anderson & Watson.
J. W. Middleton & Co.
Harvey & Bourke.
Wolfe & Milholland,
Wm. Schiller & Co.
Turnbull & Co.
George & Branday.
A. Mordecai & Co.
W. P. Forward.

RATES OF FIRE INSURANCE.

All the English Companies by Tariff Union. Kingston-Fire proof, 8s; non-Fire proof, 12s. to 40s. Estates, 10s. to 17s. 6d. Trash houses, 88s. 2d.

Jamaica Co-Operative, Kingston-Fire proof, 7s. 6d. ; non-Fire proof, 11s. 6d. to 388. Estates, 9s. to 17s. Trash houses, 86s.

JAMAICA CO-OPERATIVE FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY.

THIS Company was formed in July, 1873, under the patronage of Sir John Peter Grant, K.C.B., Governor of Jamaica, and under the Chairmanship of the late Hon. L. Q. Bowerbank.