THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
LANDS REAPPRAISED
WILL REVALUE SCHOOL LANDS
IN FIFTY COUNTIES.
LATE NEWSFR0M CAPITOL
Items of General Interest Gathered
from Reliable Sources Around the
State House
Western Newspaper Union News Service.
The board of educational lauds and
funds has decided to reappraise school
landB In fifty counties. All lands not
appraised since 1910 will again be ap
praised in the hope that the increased
voluo will add to tho Income of the
state. County commissioners make
the appraisements and tho state board
has power to revlow. Some lands in
Cherry country aro now valued for
leasing purposes at 15 cents an aero.
As tho lessees must pay tho state 6
per cent of tho appraised value, thvy
are in some Instances paying the state
9-10 of 1 cent an acre rental. Land
Commissioner G. L. Shumway believes
no land will bo appraised in tho fu
turo at loss than $1 an aero for leas
ing purposes.
Railroad Acreage Increasing.
For somo reason not explained li
roports to tho state board of assess
ment tho acreago used by railroads
for right-of-way in Nebraska has in
creased since 1916 from a total of IOC,
933.55 to 112,947.60 acres. Each road
roports some increase. Tho acreago
of each as reported to Secretary O. E.
Bernecker is as follows:
1917 1916
Union Pacific ....30,746.92 30.544.84
C, It. 1. & P...... 3,925.84 3,616.66
Missouri Pacific .. 3,858.70 2,394.59
C St. P. M. & O.. 5,801.50 4,191.37
C. & N. W 19,459.29 19,210.02
St. J. & G. 1 2,055.60 2.054.47
C B. & Q 47,040.00 45,970.55
112,947.60 106,936.55
COST OF STATE GOVERNMENT
Nearly $2,000,000 For Four Months,
Including Legislative Expenses.
State Auditor Smith has compiled
a statement showing that state war
rants Issued the last four months ag-
gregaled $1,857,741.12. This period
included expenses of tho legislature
For the same period one year ago,
when there was rio legislature in
session, the warrants Issued on tho
state treasury totaled $1,693,658.22.
, The warrants Issued by months to
taled January, $738,422.74; February,
$327,194.48; March, $518,281.97; April,
$273,841.93.
Tho warrants issued in April wore
on the following funds:
General $120,879.63
University 15.221.58
Smith-Lever 1,421.74
University cash 23,448.40
Morrll 100.00
Experiment station 697.50
University Income 3,756.18
Special University bldg. 23,314.69
Fi'e commission 481.68
Institution cash 27.663.12
State library 5.00
State aid bridge 27.663.13
Special motor vehicle reg 936.44
Total '. $273,841.93
All Veterans are Eligible
Circular letters to all civil war vet
erans, both union and confederate,
who havo lived In Nebraska for one or
more years, aro being mailed out by
J. H. Presson, secretary of tho com
mission in charge of the $20,000 stato
appropriation for transportation ex
penses to and from VIcksburg anni
versary celebration next October. The
purpose is to ascertain how many of
the old soldiers wish to make tho trip
nnd aro physically able to do so. Any
veteran Is eligible to go, no matter
whether ho fought at VIcksburg or not.
However, the commission calls atten
tion in its letter to tho fact thot tho
journey will bo over 2,000 miles long,
going and returning, nnd that each
man should consider his physical con
dition beforo he undertakes tho trip.
Arrangements havo been fully com
pleted by the board of control for the
joint operation of tho orthopedic hos
pital and tho state homo for dependent
children, under one management
Labor Bureau and Farm Help
State Labor Commission Norman
has recolved oppllcatlons from eight
Chicago men who want farm work in
Nebraska. The applications came
through tho labor bureau conducted
by a Chicago newspaper. Two of tho
applicants were born in Nebraska and
deslro to como back. Tho applicants
ask for wages ranging from $20 to
$40 a month and board. Labor Com
missioner Norman is receiving appli
cations from farmers for farm hands
nnd Is furnishing many farmers with
tho names of men who want work.
War Prices Will Hit Farmers
War prices this year will atriko Ne
braska farmers when thoy como to
nav their taxes. Secretary O. E
Ilorneckor of tho state board of as
sessment instructed county assessors
to see to It that grain on hand April
1, Is assessed at tho markot prlco on
thnt dato, loss 10 cents a bushel.
Tho prlco at tho nearest markot on
tho "dato of assessing property, which
is April 1, ia to govern. Tho 10 ennt
deduction In supposed to roprosont
tho cost ol getting tho grain to mar.
ket,
COUNCIL OK DEFENSE
State Organizes to Co-Operate With
the Government
Tho stato council of defense was
organized at a meeting at the olllco
of Governor Neville by electing of
ficer and selecting mrosentntlva
Henry Richmond, a member of thu
legislature, to servo as secretary at
a salary of $2,000 a year. Tho council
established departments in conformity
with the wishes of the national coun
cil, each member being given a depart
ment to supervise. It also arranged
to have county councils of defensa
organized.
Tho officers elected by tho state
council aro: Robert M. Joyco of Lin
coln, chairman; George Coupland o(
Elgin, vice chairman; C. A. McCIoud
of York, treasurer; Henry Richmond
of Omaha, secretary. The work ot
organization Is to bo further pushed
at a meeting to bo hold at Lincoln
on the owning of May 15.
Tho following departments were es
tablished:
Publicity Chairman, Robort Joyco.
Finance Chairman, C. A. McCloud,
Robert Joyce, Georgo Coupland.
Stato Dcfenso and Security Gener
al P. L. Hall.
Food Production, Conservation and
Distribution Georgo Coupland.
Co-operating Agencies Miss Ger
trude Keating.
Hygiene, Medicine and Sanitation
Dr. E. O. Weber.
Labor T. P. Reynolds.
Industrial Survey and Topography
Georgo E. Johnson.
Secret Service Richard L. Metcalfe.
Volunteer Recruiting and Selectlvo
Draft General George H. Harries.
Organization of County Defonso
Councils Robert Joyce, Georgo Coup
land. It was agreed to organlzo county
defense councils in each county of tho
state. This council Is to bo organized
in a mass meeting to bo called by
someono designated for that work by
tho governor.
This mass meeting Is to organlzo
by tho election of a chairman, vice
chairman, secretary and treasurer, to
all of whom commission will be Is
sued by tho governor. Then there Is
to bo chosen by either tho mass meet
ing or the four officers named a pre
cinct chairman In each voting precinct
In tho county. Every officer of the
county council, including tho precinct
chairman, must subscribe to tho cus
tomary oath, the same to bo filed with
tho state defense council. County
councils aro to report to tho chairman
of tho stato council.
County councils aro to have tho
following described committees: Fi
nance, publicity, food production, con
servation and distribution; co-operat
ing agencies; hygiene, medicine and
sanitation; recruiting.
Tho governor has sent letters to
each county, urging immediate or
ganization of these defense councils.
Is Well Pleased With Nebraska
Washington. Major General A. W,
Greeley, a man of long years' serv
ice on tho frontier, much of it in Ne
braska, is alive and hale and living
in this city. Interest in the approach
ing semi-centennial celebration in tho
Goldenrod stato is no keener any
where than in this venerabta warrior's
bosom.
As he expressed it while standing
on the war department steps the
other morning, "I saw that stato fifty
years ago, just a short time beforo
it entered tho union. I was on duty
there, and often thought-it would take
several hundred years to put it along
with tho other states in all matters of
civilization.
"I certainly wps wrong. Nebraska
has leaped to the front within my
own lifetime. I'd like to see Ne
braska now."
To .Take Half Million of Bonds
Stato Treasurer George Hall has
telegraphed United Stato3 Treasurer
McAdoo that tho state of Nebraska
will Invest $500,000 of its educational
trust fund in the liberty loan bonds
Mr. Hall was authorized to tako
such action at a meeting of tho board
ot educational lands and funds.
Tho temporary school fund of Ne
braska will suffer $7,500 a year as a
result, representing the difference in
interest which tho liberty loan bonds
draw and thoso Investments which
can bo secured in this state.
Tho board thought tho sacrifice
could well bo made, however, and a
movement will bo startod to have all
Nebraska municipalities subscribo to
tho liberty loan.
Registration Breaks Record
For tho first time In her history
Uio registration at Nebraska Uni
verslty has passed 5,000, totalling
5,405, May 1, according to figures
given out by Miss Florence McGahoy,
acting registrar. Tho net increase
for the past year is 579. Of tho total
nuinbor of students, 3,141 aro men
and 2,264 are women. Half the num
bor are in tho froshmen class of
tho arts and science college, with a
total of 2.584, 1,227 men and 1.357
women. Two women are registered
In tho college of law.
Wholcsalo and retail druggists who
desire to buy and sell alcohol must
apply to tho governor for a permit
Twenty days beforo doing so, how
ever, thoy must file with tho county
judgo notice of tliolr Intention to
mako such application. If there is
no protest tho county judgo shall so
certify to tho governor, who will
grant tho permit. Any person desir
ing, however, may fllo a protest and
a bearing will be had before tho coun
ty judge. If ho decides against the
applicant the latter may appeal to
tho district court
mm uul m
& MARY GRMIAJ1BQ11
FANCY DRESS PARTY.
"flic Brownies," commenced Dad
dy, "were giving u fancy dress party.
"'You must nil come In queer cos
tumes,' said the Brownies, when they
went around to give their invltntlons.
You may be funny, or you may bo
beautiful, but you must be different
from tho way you arc now. That
will ninko you queer. It's only when
you look nutural that you don't look
queer.'
"Now the Brownies said this little
speech to everyone they invited to
the party. They nsked Mr. Giant, old
Witty Witch, the Elves, Fairies,
Gnomes and the little Goblins.
"The Fnlrles laughed when they
heard the long speech of the Brown
ies. For each Brownlo said It nil
without taking a breath, nnd nt the
end of It ho was quite red In tho face
and gasping n little bit for n good,
long breath.
"As for Witty Witch she said it
was ns good as nny story to hear tho
Brownies giving their Invltntlons, nnd
old Mr. Giant roared otit,
"'What's thnt you say?' For he
wanted to hear them say It all over
Mystery About the Alligator.
again, 'I'm so high up nnd you're
so low down that it would bo kind
of you to repeat it'
"Tho Brownies did repent It, nnd
then Mr. Giant laughed for all he
was worth.
"'We do believe,' said the Brown
ies, 'that you heard us the llrst time
of all.
" 'To bo sure I did,' said Mr. Giant.
'But I wanted to hear it a second
time.'
"'Well, well,' laughed the Brown
ies. 'That was a joke on us. We
thought you didn't hear the first
time. Wo might hnvo known that
you havo pretty good ears even if
you are way up in tho air from us.
" 'Never mind,' said Mr. Glnnt. 'A
good Joke is lots of fun, nnd I'll be
delighted to come to your purty.'
"'That's good,' said the Brownies
'It will be tomorrow afternoon, no
hurry and get ypur costume ready.'
'"Can't I just wenr'n mask over
my face?' asked Mr. Giant. 'I could
never disguise myself on account of
my height. No mntter what I wore,
everyone would say at once, "Oh,
hello, Mr. Giant.'"
"'Of course you must wear more
of a disguise than a mask,' said the
Brownies firmly. 'Your own clothes
and top boots will never do for this
party.'
'"Oh, very well, said Mr. Giant
with a smile, for ho had already
thought up his costume.
"Tho next afternoon nrrlved, and
no one guest could recognize anoth
er. It was very Jolly and mixing and
sometimes the funniest mlstukes were
mnde. Tho Gnomes thought they
recognized the Brownies, and then
they decided they recognized the Gob
11ns, but us they were quite wrong
both times, they decided they would
not niukc any more guesses.
"At last a great ulllgutor came
crawling in. Every few minutes he
held up his head and looked about
him. No one could Imagine what this
meant.
" 'I think, said Blllie Brownie, 'that
it is probably not one or two of our
guests coming In together in tills dls
guise, but that four of Jack Frost's
brothers ure there. We asked them
you know, for wo thought It would
be nice If things froze up a bit and
there was some skating by moonlight.
It's been too warm for that lately
nnd if we mnde the Frost brothers
laugh, things would freeze pretty
quickly.'
"But nothing seemed to be freez
ing. And .still there was the great
est mystery about the ulllgutor.
"'The time for unmasking has come".
said Blllie Brownie.
"And with a leap nnd a bound the
alligator came right out of his skin
Instead of the four Frost brothers,
out came Mr. Giant.
"'Oh,' he said, 'None of you knew
me I How fine that was! It was the
only wny for mo to como disguised
If I had come In walking, you all
would have known me, no matte
what I wore, so I had to come In
crawling l'
"'It was fine,' said the Brownies,
And then they all admired each nth
er'a costume. Tho Frost Brothers
como later in suits of fresh snow, car
ried by their cousins tho 'Cold
Breezes,' so there wns skating after
all, and tho creatures In their cos
tumes of turkeys, pigs, bornyurd nnl
mnls, Court ladles, and Kings uud
Queens, all Joined in tho fun."
1 United States battleship Wyoming at full speed. 12 Luon, a French
the Germnn line of defense anil townrd which (he allies are steadily making
who has been aiding the recruiting olllcers in Washington and will go next
EQUIPPING
GERMANS STRIP
xne mg American ireigut nncr Aiancnurin inning on guns ami animuniiion
i Inn (I pivsKi'd aro the Germans for iiiitnl that r s tin y titivated through
the city of Noyon, In France, they stripped the organ in tho catliedral of ull
the metal In its construction.
FIRST TOMMIES TO ENTER PER0NNE
This hplrlted ofllclal British photogruph shows tho first English soldiers
to enter I'cronno as they were crossing a roughly constructed bridge itito
tho pity after tho Germans were drlv ea out.
THE MANCHURIA WITH
ORGAN OF ITS METAL
town that Is an Important point In
progress. .'I--Miss Dora Rodriguez,
to San Francisco.
GUNS
preparatory to sailing for Europe.
I fourth u. s. grant serves
U. S. Grunt IV, grundson of I'rcsl
dent Grant, has enlisted an u private
In Company. II of the Seventh regi
ment, N. Y. N. G. He Is twenty-threo
years old and was born at Snn Diego,
Cal. Ills father is U. S. Grant, Jr., a.
retired lawyer of that city. The fourth
Grant to bear the faniouB inline wuh
graduated from Harvard in 1015 and
bus been employed In the offices of J,
P. Morgan & Co., the New York bank
ers. Going Too Far.
"As a rule, I don't censure the typg
of man who Is more ornamental than
useful."
"Yen?"
"But drat tho chump who poses In a
club window as If a sculptor somewhere
In the background were molding hit
faultless lines In clay!"
Great Pressure.
"The old-fashioned miser wns said to.
squeeze a silver dollar no hard he mado
the eagle scream."
"Yes. You don't seo muny silver dol
lars nowadays. The modem tlghtward
puts n crease In a dollur bill that stays
th,era until It Is redeemed by the gov
crnuiep' "