NEBRASKA NEWS
6TATE BOARD OF ASSESSMENT
WINS ITS CASE.
NOT REQUIRED TO EXPLAIN
Doesn't Have to Tell Railroads by
What Reasoning It Arrived at
Assessed Valuation of
Railroad Property.
Under a decision of the supreme
court tho state board of equalization
ami assessment Is not required to
explain to tlie railroads by want
reasoning it arrived al the assessed
valnn of railroad property for tilt!
year 1I07. Sixteen questions wore
propounded by the Union Pacific an.l
other railroads and the board declined
I i answer, saying Hint it bad coin
idled wllb the .statute in taking into
consideration physical property fran
chise values and otJier matters In
assessing tho property. The Union
Pacific road asked the court for a
writ or mandamus to answer questions
mill to grant I'111 exceptions. The
court lias refused to grant a writ of
mandamus, Judge Reese, having been
counsel for the statu In (bo Hull, did
not participate in the decision. It
has been understood that the right
of the railroad company to appeal
from tho assessment of 1M07 depended
on the Issuance of the writ. The com
pany desired to take Hie justness of
the assessment into the courts by
nppoal Instead of trying the old way
of unjoining the counties from col
lecting the. taxes.
The court holds that a writ of man
damns will not lie id compel the board
to make a record of objections- an.l
requests for ruling which nrc not
required by law to be spread upon
the record of its proceedings. Such
matters should, if desired, be pr
served and made a matter of recor 1 by
a proper bill of exceptions. The rail
road compauy may present requests
(or special findings wbidi should b
censldered by the board and may oh
jeet to the rulings made thereon and
hike exceptions to sucn rulings, but if
ir desires to have such matters an.l
rulings reviewed it must preserve the
same by a bill of exception;) settled
und allowed as provided by statute.
GASOLINE STOVE EXPLOSION.
Omaha Woman Probably Fatally
. Burned in Oil.
Mrs. Jacob Hoffman. 2.r.22 Itecs
Ktreet, Omaha, was probably fatally
burned when a gasoline stove ex
ploded in hor kitchen. Her clothing
was Immediately Ignited from the
blazing oil and before help could
reach her, terrible burns had been In
dicted over about two-thirds of the
surface of the body. She was cared
for by Doctors' Tyler and Fitzglbbon
and tnken to St. Joseph hospital in
the pollen ambulance. Doctors sav
there Is but little chance of recovery.
Something seemed to be wrong with
the stove over which Mi's. Hoffman
was working and sue set about to
remedy the trouble. Suddenly with a
flash and roar the gasoline exploded.
The flames wrapped around Mrs. Hoff
man and she was a living mass of
fire In a moment.
Her seventeen-year-old son was in
the yard and heard his mother's fran
tic screams for help. The young fid
low ran Into the llery kitchen and
with blankets an 1 heavy quilts suc
ceeded lit extinguishing the Humes.
In so doing ho was badly burned about
the hands.
Fined $100 for Chasing a Deer.
William Gregg of Maxwell, Lincoln
county, olmrged with pursuing a deer,
has pleaded guilty to tho charge
under the slate game law and paid a
line of $100. The deer was chased by
hounds until it was exhausted and
overtaken. Gregg took the deer away
from the dogs nnd brought It ".illve to
Ills homo, lie did not account for the
unimnl oxcept by stating that someone
stole it from the shed in which it had
been locked. Whon the llrst report
of the pursuit was received by the
game warden It carried with it a tale
of how Gregg had rescued rtie deei
from hounds of unknown persons.
I utter it was charged that, he was re
wpousible for the chase.
Reports on Partridges.
John W. Gilbert, who keeps a door
park at Friend, Is tho first to report
to the state game warden tho condl
Hon of the Hungarian partridges ills
trlbuted In Nebraska Inst fall at pri
vute expense. Ho says thirteen of
the sixteen birds turned loose near
Friend have coiuo through the winter
In good shape. Ono was killed and
the. others have not boen neoouuted
for,
PERKINS COUNTY FAVORED.
State Proposes to Reappraise School
Lands.
Governor Sheldon, chairman of the
board of educational lauds and funds,
has made a tabulation which shows
that, school hinds In Perkins county
are appraised for lease: purposes lower
(ban school lalids In adjoining coun
ties and also lower than the assessed
valuation of other lan.fs In that
county. The county commissioners of
Perkins comity last fall appraised all
school lands In the county al 57 cents
an acre. This appraisement was re
jected by the state board as being too
low and not In accordance with the
actual value of the different tracts,
and the board has ordered a new
appraisement by three freeholders.
Under Hie existing appraisement
school land in Perkins counfy is up
pialsed at !lfi cents an acre for leasing
purposes. A lessee pa' ' per cent of
Hie appraised value to the state whlcn
In the case of Perkins county under
the existing appraisement is .021 per
acre. The average appraised value of
school land In adjoining counties is
as follows: Chase, $2.P.ft; Keith, $2.50;
Hayes, $:t.l8; Lincoln, $1.5(5.
State Superintendent MeRiien has
given tho board a letter stating that
Perkins county gets twice as much
levenue front the state as It did under
the old apportionment of school funds.
It receives under state aid for schools
and the semi-annual apportlonme.nl of
school funds '$1.(12 per pupil per year.
Lancaster county receives no state aid
and gels from the state $2 per pupil
per year.
TOWN TO CHANGE NAME.
Sm.irtville, In Johnson County, Will
Become St. Marys.
The village of Smarlville, founded
in Johnson county years ago by the
lute Robert Smart, Is to experience
a change of name. Four yeais ago an
effort was made by the people of the
town to change the name to Helena
and the plan met some opposition and
was given up. Recently the effort to
rid the town of the cognomen "Smart-
vllle" was revived and the result is
the postofllcc department has given
notice that on and after April I.
i:0S. what has heretofore been known
a- Smaitville will be called St. Marys
The villagers will then go to the dis
trict court of Johnson county to
have the named changed, and it is
believed in time the railroad and ex
piess companies will use the name.
A new Catholic school is to be erected
in Sniartville this summer and it is
t ) be called St. Mary's school. Father
Charles Cwilinskl. rector in the little
town and who has the building of the
school In baud, has raised $(5,000 of
tin. desired $7,500 for "building pur
poses. Plans will soon be adopted
and lite building commenced.
FARMER KILLS HIMSELF.
Despondent German Near Adams
Blows His Head Off.
John Kreitner. a prominent Herman
fanner residing three and a half
miles front Adams, committed suicide
by blowing the top o' his head ot!
with the contents of, a single-barreled
shotgun. Kreitner. who was well to
do, bus been blooding of late. The
coroner was immediately notified and
went to the scene. The unfortunate
man was an old resident of Hooker
township. He was Industrious and
was held In high esteem by all who
cnew lil in Hi' us liii'tv vimi i c lit :i!
- - " ...... ........ . ' n -
and is survived by his wife, one son,
three daughters and a brother.
Paid a Heavy Fine.
It cost $llf and costs for 11. Tom-
son, a creamery man or Hurton, Keya
Paha county, to try to ship prairie
chickens to a commission man In Chi
cago. The game warden got one tub
of alleged butter out of the railway
station at Massett that Toniseu had
sent for shipment. It contained 12
prairie chickens and one beef hide to
give the package weight. Eleven
prairie chickens were found hanging
in Tomsen'ti creamery at Hurton, mak
ing a total of 2:t birds. He pleaded
guilty and naid a line of $115. Chief
Game Warden Carter has placed
the confiscated birds In cold storage in
Lincoln and will send thorn to the gov
eminent department of agriculture as
Nebraska's contribution to a series
of government experiments In cold
storage.
Wants a New Depot.
The Commercial club of Auburn
has asked the Missouri Pacific tor a
now passenger station, and General
Manager E. A. Gould and Superintend
ent Dr. Hernnrdl met the Commer
cial club and discussed tho advlsabll
Ity of conceding their request. The
officials promised a new freight
depot, but would not give any assur
ance of a new passenger station.
Village Takes Appeal.
Tho village- of Henkolmun has ap
pealed from a judgment for $ t ,300 ob
tained by Willi Forniau, who alleged
that she had been permanently Injured
by falling on a defective cross wulk.
FLEET GOES ON TO JAPAN
A CORDIAL INVITATION WAS RE
CEIVED FROM THE EMPEROR.
A Cabinet Meeting Decides to Send the
"Big Sixteen" and So Notify
Ambassador Takahira.
Washington, D. C The American
battleship Meet Is to visit Japan. The
deslro of the emperor of the island
kingdom to play host to the "Hlg Six
teen" was laid before Secretary Root
Thursday by Maron Takahira, the Jap
anese ambassador. The invitation,
which was couched in most cordial
terms, was made the subject of ex
tended consideration by President
Roosevelt and his entire cabinet Fri
day. Secretary Root was directed to
accept the invitation and the accept
ance was laid before the Japanese
ambassador late Friday.
It Is regrded in olllclal circles here
as more than likely that China win ne
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iic-At iu mi. uu u unm ,u uu- iici-t, aim
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that should this be the case the invi
tation would be accepted.
Secretary .Metcalf and Admiral Pills-
bury, chief of navigation, are arrang
ing .the details of the new itinerary.
With the exception of China, it Is be
lieved to have been determined that
all other Invitations, should any be re
ceived, will be declined for at best the
Meet will not now be able to reach the
Atlantic seaboard before the first ot
next March.
The Itinerary which seems to be
the most direct includes stops at the
Hawaiian islands, Samoa, Melbourne,
Sydney, Manila, Yokohama should
that, port be selected as the stopping
place in Japan possibly a Chinese
port, back to the Philippines, and
then home by way of the Suez canal,
with only such stops as are necessary
for coaling.
Liquor Dealers Responsible.
Lincoln. Neb. The supreme court
Friday handed down two opinions in
which liquor dealers are held respon
sible indirectly for deaths and declai
lng that ;lamages can be collected. In
ono the widow of a man who died as
the result of a debauch at David City
was empowered to collect a reasona
ble sum for support from the saloon
keeper who sold her husband liquor
In the other the Willow Springs
Brewery company of Omaha Is de
clared liable for the death of a boy
who Is alleged to have become Intox
icated at the brewery, wandered on
the railroad tarck and whb run over
by an engine an:l killed.
Death Sentence for Orchard.
Caldwell, Idaho. Stating that he be
lieved Harry Orchard, In his testimony
in the trials of William D. Haywood
and George A. Pettlbone for the mur
der of ex-Gov. Frank Steunenberg, told
tho exact truth, attempting to conceal
nothing, Judge Fremont Wood, in the
district court Wednesday recommend-
oil that the state board of pardons
commute Orchard's sentence of death
to Imprisonment In the state peniten
tiary. The sentence of death was pro
nounced In accordance with the plea
of guilty by Orchard Tuesday of last
woek when arraigned. Judge Wood
presided at both the Haywood and
Pettlbone trials.
They Indorsed Work of Congress.
Abilene, Kan. Republicans of the
Fifth congressional district in conven
tlon Wednesdny elected Capt. R. T
Stanfield of Relleville, and Capt. J. D.
Housted of Clay Center.as delegates
to the national convention and In
structed them for Secretary Taft for
president. President Roosevelt's ad
ministration and the congressional
work of the session were indorsed.
ALLISON INDORSED IN IOWA.
Delegates
Instructed for
Tariff Revision.
Taft and
Des Moines, Iowa. The Republican
state convention Wednesday elected
four delegates at large to the National
convention, instructed them to vote for
William H. Taft. indorsed Senator Wil
liam II. Allison by a vote of 072 17-24
to ."07 7-21, and approved the plank of
the Ohio platform calling for a revis
ion of the tariff at a special session
of congress.
The Allison people dominated the
convention from its opening to its
close, and had things their own way
throughout. The Cummins people, al
though defeated in the convention,
took especial delight in having, as they
declared, forced the standpatters to
indorse a plank calling for a revision
of the tariff, and they made a point of
frequently reminding the Allison peo
ple of the fact.
It was generally expected before the
final session of the convention that
there would be a majority and minor
ity report on the tariff, and the Cum-
llns nu, ,Uj ,,r(!j)areil to HUlkC U
strong fight tor the adoption of the
Ohio plank. When the committee ac
tually settled down to work, however,
It was evident that the Allison people
were determined to indorsed the plank
themselves and the only light that was
made on the report of the committee
on resolutions was against the indorse
ment of Senator Allison.
Will Build to Topeka.
Kansas City. The .Missouri & Kan
sas Interurban railway, known as the
"Strang line," in operation between
Kansas City and Olathe, and projected
to Topeka, has been sold to the inter
ests controlling the Kansas City-Western
Railroad company, owning and op
erating the trolley line between Kan
sas City and Fort Leavenwort, and in
the city of Leavenworth. Tho immedi
ate promise of the purchase by the in
terests owing the Leavenworth line is
that the Strang line is to be completed
to Topeka and probably extended
southward to link with the big interur
ban system now in operation in South
eastern Kansas and Southwest Mis
souri.
Two Oklahoma Orders.
Guthrie, Ok. Col. A. P. Watson of
tho State Corporation commission
drew two proposed orders Friday
night, on which companies Interested
will be given hearings, which will
bring about a radical change in the
railway operations. The first pro
vides that railway companies cannot
change their present passenger sched
ules or abolish any station or tele
graph office without first having sub
mitted it to the commission. The sec
ond order fixes telegraph rates at 25
cents for ten words and one cent for
eacli additional word, to and between
points in this state.
Judge Evans Opens Campaign.
Joplin, Mo. Judge W. N. Evans of
West Plalnes, chairman of the Demo
cratic state committee and candidate
for governor, opened his campaign In
Joplin at the club theater Friday
night, lie declared himself In favor
of the Folk policies, in favor of the
Initiative and referendum, the stato
primary law, against Injunctions and
in favor of the submission of a pro.
hihition amendment.
Facing a Coal Famine.
Des Moines, Iowa. Des Moines is
facing a coal famine. On April 1 ev
ery mlno In the state of Iowa will close
down. Not a ton of coal will be mined.
Just how long the mines will remain
closed cannot be told but coal dealers
believe that the shut-down will bo for
a month at the very least. Every min
ing company In this city is storing Its
coal now.
THE SIXTIETH CONGRESS
CONDENSED NEWS FROM THE
NATIONAL CAPITOL.
Tha Most Important Items Gathered
From Each Day's Session of
Senate and House.
Standard Oil Bank Had the Cash.
Washington, D. C Claiming that
there was ample money in the treas
ury to do the legitimate business of
the country, Mr. Prince of Illinois
Tuesday, In the house, referred to the
Aldrlch currency bill, saying he was
opposed to temporary or make-shift
currency legislation." He called atten
tion to the fact that 5 banks of Illi
nois on December 111 last had about
thirteen million dollars of government
money on deposit, but said he waa
amazed that "one single solitary
Standard Oil bank" in New York City
had at that time on deposit over seven
teen million dollars of public money.
He charged "rank favoritism."
For Enlarged Homesteads.
Washington, D. C. The house com
mittee on public lands Wednesday
agreed to report favorably the bill In
troduced by Mr. Mondell of Wyoming
to inenmse from 1G0 to .".20 acres the
amount of non-tlnibered, non-irrigable
lands takable under tho homestead act.
The bill provides, however, that con
tinuous residence must be had on tho
homestead for five consecutive years,
and requires a certain amount of cul
tivation of the soil. The law govern
ing ordinary homestead entry on plots
of I GO acres is not in, any way changed
by ibis bill, whose sole object Is to
promote reclamation of semi-arid
lands by "dry farming."
The Pension Bill Passed.
Washington, D. C. After several
hours of spirited discussion over the
proposition to abolish 17 of the 18
United States pension agencies, and
consolidate pension disbursements In
Washington, the house Thursday
passed the pension appropriation bill,
carrying $150,8(50,000, the largest sum
ever authorized by that measure. The
house by a vote of 8(5 to HIM stood by
the committee on appropriations and
left unchanged its recommendation for
one general agency.
Would Exempt Railroad Bonds.
Washington, D. C. Senator Aldrlch
reported to the senate from the com
mittee on finance, amendments to the"
currency bill exempting railroad bonds
from classes of bonds to bd used to
secure emergency currency, limiting
the retirement of such currency and
providing that such issues should be
permitted up to the par value of bonds
used to secure them.
Ship Subsidy Passed Senate.
Washington, I). C. Nearly tho ,
entire session of the senate Friday
was consumed by the consideration
and final vote on the ship subsidy bill,
which was passed without a devlsion
of the senate being called for.
Gen. Hall to Be Promoted.
Washington, D. C Secretary Taft
announced Friday that Brig. Gen. Chas
P. Hall, in charge of the general staff
college at Leavenworth, Kan., Will
beprontoted to the grade of major gen
eral on the 27th lust.
Laid It on the Table.
Washington, D. C Ry a vote of 1 18
to 115, the house Friday laid on tho
table a resolution calling upon the
president to supply the Information 011
corporations gathered by the bureau
of corporations.
Gov. Hoch Paroles Prisoners.
Leavenworth, Kan. Isaac Patten
serving a ten year sentence for a
Wyandotte county murder, was re
leased from Lansing penitentiary Fri
day on a parole granted by Gov,
Hoch.
Told Men to Go to Work.
St I mile 1( llrinninninn,l!,.-ll.,U
( , ..
ctt'tlfinn- 11, mil tirit.i. if tlm l..... .... t,.'1.
.-.W....J. ...V. i.ljULlllllCllllllIK Mill....
ers labor organizations return to work'.
aim that the brewery owners re-instate
all the meu without prejudice, under
the contracts previously signed, the
state board of mediation and arbitra
tion Thursday night concluded Its in
vestigation into the walk-out of Tues
day which closed down 24 breweries.
. .... . T. .
Policemen Charged With Murder.
Muskogee. Ok. City Patrolmen Kep
ler, Fields and Stein were held by
Justice Hurks Thursday for the mur
der of Ed Parry, claim agent of the
Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroad.
The formal charge is first degree mur
der. Parry resisted arrest and was
clubbed to death. The officers were
immediately irrested and confined in
Jail In full uniform.
A Steel Cutter for San Francisco.
Washington, D. C. A bill was
passed by the house Friday authoriz
ing the purchase of a steel ferry boat
and steel cutter for tho immigration
service at San Francisco and authoriz
ing the donation of abseleto Spring
field tiiies, bayonet and bayonets scab
bards to Independent military com
panies composed of veterans of tht
war of the Rebellion.