THE. NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE COMMITTEE REPORTS TAX INVESTIGATIONS DAWSON COUNTY TAX PAYERS' LEAGUE GETS INTERESTING FACTS Following Is a copy of tho report mentioned nhnvft which wna from the Gothenburg Independent. I Tho report appeared In all tho Daw- eon county papora of last last week. It la worth reading: Lexington, Nob., April 3, 1922. To the Officers and Members of tho Dawson County Tax Payers League: Honorablo Sirs: Pursuant to in structions given at tho meeting of tho league hold in Lexington on Febru ary 8, 1922, we, tho committco you appointed to investigate conditions concerning our present high taxes, tho resoons thereof, and nlso as to whether or not the taxes for tho com ing year could bo lowered or not, beg to report as followb. On February 19 we met in the county court houso and spent tho day searching and investigating coun ty records, questioning and Interro gating tho commissioners and other county officers. Tho commissioners were in session this day and received us very cordially. We found that the commissioners had. prepared In ad vance a statement showing tho amounts levied in 1921 for tho var ious funds, also showing estimate of tho amounts being contemplated by them for this year's levies, these showing in tho total a contemplated reduction of 41 per cent in county taxes for this year. Tho greatest pro portion of this reduction being in the special bride, old indebtedness, and judgment funds. Wo find this state ment shows they aro contemplating but a nominal reduction in the gen eral fund. We find they have consid erably reduced the fixed labor wages for the coming year, placing the same on a basis more in common with tho general average of labor wages in the county. Wo greviously deplore the fact that tho bridge fund cannot bo greatly lowered for tho coming year, duo to tho many blunders made In the con struction of the state aid bridge at a repltltion of such careless and in the spring of 1921 this bridge settled PASTURE FOR LEASE Six sections in Lincoln County, Nebraska; nine miles north west of Sutherland; two wells, mills and tanks; rolling land; mixed grass; Immediate posses sion. I will be In Sutherland about May 1st. Write for informa tion and I will advise by let ter or wire exact date to meet mo In Sutherland. JOHN IV. UAUGnaiAN Address Liberal, Kansas. badly and became unsafe for traffic. Duo to faulty construction and ma terial and poor supervision and in spection on tho part ot Btato author ities in the building of this bridge, it has proved to bo almost an, entire failure. This bridge originally cost tho tax payers of Dawson county and tho stato $39,000, and now, due to ncgllgonco and incompetency on the part of stato authorities in construc tion of tho original bridgo, repairs must bo paid by tho tax payers of Dawson county. Wo recommend you request of our county officials a thorough investigation of this matter with tho end in view of preventing a repitition ot such earless and in competent uso of publio funds. Wo rocommond that you request of our Commissioners a thorough and competent investigation and auditing of all county offices aB far back as tho law will both permit and protect. aB it is at present being done in many counties In our state. Tills auditing to bo done by parties thoroughly cap able and reliable for Buch an Investi gation, For General Information. Wo find that tho following offices aro provided for by tho state legis lature and that it is mandatory on tho commissioners to furnish funds for tho same when conditions required by tho legislature aro met to-wlt: Tho County Farm Bureau, tho County Fair fund, the County Truant officer, tho Recorder of Deeds, tho Highway Commissioner. If tho tax payers deslro relief from any of these, it will bo necessary to secure repeal or amendment of these laws through Uio legislature. Wo find that tho office of county assessor and tho payment of bounty on scalps of predatory animals can bo abolished by petition to tho com missioners to have this question placed on tho ballots at any general election. Wo recommend a striving on tho part of our county officers for great er efficiency and stricter economy in all county work, especially do wo rec ommend this bo their endeavor In all road and bridge work where we feel great savings may be made the tax payers, and also wo recommend that all employes on road and bridge work being employed on a monthly salary be compelled to give their en tire working time to the county. Wo feel this is no time for ex perimenting with fads and fancies but a time for real visible tax re ductions. Wo recommend careful scrutiny on behalf of our county authorities of al lthe "matching .dollars" proposi tlons. The stato has made a fair start in reduction of taxes, tho county Is contemplating a reduction and work' ing with this end in view and now wo recommend that all school dls tricts, villages, and cities within our county the levies of which wo find very largo and by far tho greatest proportion of our taxes do their share in this lowering tho levies in their lino. Their appropriations should be cut down to meet present day conditions. Wo recommend that all proceed ings of our county commissioners bo published inihe paper receiving the contract for same, within ten days after each meeting of tho county board and that all items bo publish ed in such a manner that tho general public may understand Uicm. Wo recommend thnt our stato rop rosontativo and sonator bo requested to endeavor to havo repealed tho law forbidding tho commissioners to un dertake bridgo construction to nn amount greater than $500, bolloving our commissioners might bo enabled to save the tax payer considerable monoy wore they given freer hand in this matter; also that our representa tive and Bcnator bo requested to on- dcavor to havo tho laws regulating salaries of various stato and county officials repealed to an extent that will place said salaries on a basis ot present day prices and conditions. Wo recommend that no county monoy be used to defray any expense of any county officer attending any mooting or gathering that Is not totally and solely business concern ing Dawson county and tho tax pay ors thereof, and thnt all such moneys provlously used In this manner bo returned to tho county by thoso who may havo used samc. Wo find a vast dlfferenco in the assessed valuations of both real and porsonal property in Lincoln and Dawson county. In many coses wo find tho assessed valuation of person al property in tho western part of Dawson county to bo doublo that ot similar property in tho eastern part of Lincoln county. Wo recommend that the authorities of Dawson county investigate this matter thoroughly and strive to havo tho assossed val uation of Dawson county properly placed on a par with that of Lincoln county. We recommend tho attention of tho county board and tho highway com mission be called to tho following Btato laws: Sec. 30G3, 1917 S. L. P. 172; Sec. 3007, 1913 R. S.; Sec. 3068, 1913 R. S.; Sec. 30G9, 1913 R. S.; Soc 307f, 1913 R. S,; Sec. 3072, 1913 R, & Sec. 3073, 1913 R. S., and Sec. 3075, 1913 R. S., with tho view of facilitat ing their knowledge of tho duties ot tho highway commissioner and creat ing greater efficiency and economy In tho construction and malntainenco ot all roads and bridges within tho county. We further recommend that all bridgo work, both repairing and now work that has been paid for but not checked over as to cost of construc tion and repair be checked and ex amined by tho highway commissioner at earliest possible moment and re ported to the county board with Iho view of ascertaining if said work has been performed and charged for according to contract. m Nfr w naw and Exhibition CTII-NAMEL DEMONSTRATOR will be at Our Store on the dates given below, to give Valuable Sutrcrestions for finishing old or new. hard or soft wood floors, furniture, woodwork, doors, walk, ceilings, radiators, stove pipes, porch furniture, screens, autos, etc. witli Chi-Namel High Quality Enamels, Pairus and Varnishes. The Ready-to-use, Practical and Inexpensive Method. Simplifies and Beautifies by giving old and dingy softwood furniture and woodwork that New, Lustrous, Hardwood Effect. Costs only 3c per sq. ft. and OUTWEARS most Hardwood Finishes. THIS FREE COUPON one 30 cent Namel FREE at our Store upon purchase of a 25c Varnish Brush to insure a fair trial or .... . i ii i. ; iT i n 1 . will be accepted as isuc upon purcnascaoi iaigcr uaiu ui v-hi-iiiii.i:i 1 1 uuul, Name Address DEMONSTRATION DAYS MAY 1 AND 2 STONE'S DRUG STORE -:o:- COMMJSSIONEHS' PROCEEDINGS The board of county commissioners met s in the Court House Monday, April 24, with present Commissioners Springer, Cohagen and Coker. The following bills were approved and allowed: Dr. S. J. Richardson, services $ 42.50 Mrs. F. J. Cook, care of poor 1G.00 L. B. Ludwlg, Com. 1 72.OO Cy Cochran, bridgo work 5.00 N. C. Bowen, bridge work 42.00 Davo Murry, bridgo work 15.00 Cy Clark, bridge work 28.00 Nick Camblln, bridgo work 20.50 Win! Earhart, bridgo work 10.00 E. II. Dow, bridgo work 13.00 Dick Earhart, bridgo work 12.50 Lon Perkins, bridgo work 24.00 Geo. Brown, bridgo work 15.00 P. Phillips, bridge work 12.00 N. S. Cover, merchandise 10.37 Leo Toillion, dragging COO Ollie 55 Toillion, dragging 3.75 Clarence Mathers, road 10.00 E. E. Feaogn, road 70.00 Henry Hansen, road 10.00 Dan Carlisle, road 15.00 Wm. Scroeder, road dlst 43 G.00 Prankel Carbon Co. 7.00 J. N. Keeney, Com. 3 10.G0 Ralph Clough, road dlst. 44 15.00 Win. Horner, road dlst. 44 7.50 Robert Horner, road dlst. 44 33.00 Clarence Clough, road dlst. 44 25.00 Milton Itaney, road dlst 44 29.00 Ray Ranoy, road dlst. 44 16.00 Deo Raney road dlst. 44 30.00 Worth Kenney, road dlst. 44 20.00 Walter Singlo, Com. 7.00 N. O. Dean, county poor 446.81 J. W. Roso, county poor v.bO Adjourned to April 25. :o: Dixon Optical Co., oyo service. The above map shows the territory swept by the sleet storm on April I Oth $950,000 of Telephone Property Lost in a Night The chilly afternoon of April I Oth a light rain began to fall over a strip nearly a hundred miles wide, fromsouth western Minnesota to southwestern Nebraska. As evening came on the rain began to freeze as it fell on the telephone wires. Before midnight the wires in many places were coated with ice nearly an inch thick. Under the weight of the ice, and whipped by a rising wind, mile after mile of telephone poles and wires swayed back and forth, and then crashed to the ground. A survey of this company's damage from the storm shows the following result: 26,944 miles of wire out of service 21,200 poles broken down or destroyed 71 exchanges in the storm area $950,000 property loss Nearly all of the long distance lines damaged by the storm have been restored by more than 1 ,200 telephone repair men who have been on the job constantly since the storm. And in those cases where the local lines were damaged, the repair work is going forward as rapidly as it is possible to do so. It is a man's size job to reset more than 20,000 poles, to re-attach the crossarms and wires to them, and to re-establish communication over telephone wires that if extended in a single line would reach more than around the world. We take this opportunity to thank our customers for the splendid spirit of co-operation with which you have accepted the unavoidable interruption of tele phone service, and we want to assure you that we have been doing everything possible to hurry the reopening, of communication. Northwestern Bell (3 JSBL V) Telephone Company You Don't Buy Inexperience or Take Chances When We Work on Your Car. EXPERT AUTO TOP MAKERS AND TRIMMERS PLATTE AUTO TRIM CO. PHONE 30OJ 107 West 6th Street ALMOST ONE An accident that narrowly missed being serious occurod Tuesday after noon east of this city when an oxtru west bound freight with 71 cars and double-header pulled tho front truck out from under tho olovonth car Jn tho train. Luckily the truck remain ed on tho track and tho damaged car with tho train following did not turn over. Tho train was going about 35 miles an hour and it seems strango that a sorlous wreck did not occur. As it was practically no damago or delay occured. Lexington Clipper. LIBERTY BONDS We will purchase a limited amount of Liberty Bonds at par (full face value) and accrued in terest in exchange for investmeuts bearing a higher rate of interest, or will pay cash less a very small handling charge. GOODMAN-BUCKLEY TRUST CO. 114 East Front Street. MRS. M. HENRY GILFOYL Teacher of "Volco Culture and tho Art of Singing Res. Studio 108 W. Third Phono 114J The Farmer's Auctioneer H. M. Johansen, North Platte, Nebraska. Phone 783F3 For thOBO who do not havo enough stock or machinery for a general farm salo, I am located bo I can hold' a comblnaUon sale at North Platte or at tho Falrvlow dairy 1 miles west of town, I havo always got enough stock or machinery listed with mo so wo can hold a combination sale any tlmo. NOTICE OP TAKING UP ESTRAY FOR SALE Cholco lot of young Hod Poll bulls nt farmors prices nt PAYNE'S DAIRY FARM South Dowoy Stroot JOHN S. SIMMS, M. I). Special Attention Given to Surgery McDonald Bank Building Office Phono 83 Rosldenco 33 DR. L. A. SNAVELY Dentist X-Rny Diagnosis Oxygen and Gns Anesthesia for Extractions. Over Union State Bank Phono 29G. Taken up by tho undorslgnod, 4 horses, near tho stock yards, Coun ty of Lincoln, Stato of Nobraska; on tho 2Cth day of March' 1922: two bay goldlngs, wolght about 130O pounds; ono black goldlng. wolght about 1305 pounds; ono bay mare, weight about 1200 pounds. ' Dated this 28th day ot March 1022. (Signed) J. B. STEVENS. DERRYBERRY & FORBES Licensed Emfonlmors Undertakers and Funeral Director Day Phono 41 Night Phono Black 548 GEO. B. DENT Physician and Surgoou Special Attontion Given to Surgory and Obstetrics Offlco: Building & Loan Building Phones: Offico 130 Rosldenco 115