Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 1906)
The Valentine Democrat Valentine , Neb. 1. M. Rice. Publisher BIG STICK IN SIGHT FRANCE GETTING READY TO CHASTISE CASTRO. Situation Becomes Serious Ultima tum Likely to bo the Next Move in Paris Little Progress Made in 1 Settlement of American Claims. I _ 'A Washington special says : All diplo matic relations between Venezuela and Prance are broken , it is said at the state department , and although it is stated no formal or official information has been re ceived , officials assume that in accord ance with the usual procedure this will involve the early departure from Vene zuela of M. Taigny , French representa tive there , and from France of M. Mau- borguet , Venezuelan agent at Paris. Officials at Washington are awaiting the turn Qf events with keen interest. The trouble between the two nations originated in a cable concession. The breach has been threatened for months. Paris advices state : The Venezuelan question , although subordinated in public opinion to the Moroccan conference , is occupying the serious attention of the foreign office , but the strictest discretion is observed ia this connection. A highly placed diplomat , however , declared Fri day that it might be considered certain that the moment was rapidly approaching when a crisis would occur in Venezuela. He was unable to state the exact character which events would assume , but asserted that a perfect understanding had always existed between France and the United States. The two governments were in absolute accord on the question at issue , France's line of conduct being based on that of the United States. Though M. Maubourguet , the Venezue lan charge d'affaires , has not received liis passports , diplomatic relations be- Prance and Venuezuela are considered to Lave been broken off. There is no ques tion for the present of a naval demon stration , but there is no doubt that the French government intends to have the fullest recognition of and respect of its rights. An official note issued Friday night says that although an ultimatum has not yet been sent to Venezuela , France can not tolerate much longer President Cas tro's refusal to accede to the French de mands without considering the advisabil ity of taking stronger means to enforce them. LONG MARCH ENDS. v Artillery Covers 1,1 OO Miles in Quick Time. The Sixth field battery of United Stnte artillery , commanded by Capt. G. W. Getchell , entered Fort Sam Houston , at Houston , Tex. , Friday amid the cheers of the local garrison. The battery broke the world's record Tor a long distance practice march of artil lery , having covered the estimated 1,100 miles from Fort Riley , Kan. , to Fort Sam Houston in fifty-five days. The battery was compelled to make several detours in order to avoid bad roads and unusually rough country. The artillerymen were a sorry appear ing set. Their clothing was in tatters and so covered with mud and dirt that the color of the cloth could not be distin guished. The men were haggard and Jean. Many of them were scarcely able to travel. The horses resembled movin skeletons. Private Arthur Hall died at Austin from exposure and the hardships encouu tered on the march. SHE IS NOW A CONVICT. Mrs. Chadwick Begins Her Sentence in Ohio Prison. Mrs. Chadwick arrived at the peniten tiary at Columbus , O. , at 11 o'clock Fri day. No special preparations had been made in the woman's department for her reception. She will be compelled to sleep on a cot in the corridor , as the woman's department is filled and every bed occu pied. The prison officials are skeptical as to the illness of Mrs. Chadwick. She will be treated as any other prisoner , and af ter examination , if it is found she is able , will be put to washing or other heavy work. If not , she will be placed in the sewing department. Oku Gets an Ovation. Gen. Oku , who commanded the left army during the war with Russia , made a triumphal entry into Tokio Friday morn ing. The greatest enthusiasm was mani fested by the people. Would Bar Football. Delegate R. S. Powell has introduced In the Virginia assembly a bill to prohib it the game of football in Virginia. A penalty of from $300 to $100 is prescrib ed for each offense. Sioux City Stock Market. Friday's quotations on the Sioux City live stock market follow : Butcher steers , $3.55@5.00. Top hogs , $3.30. Bill Clear d of Charges. Judge Audenreid , at Philadelphia , Pa. , Friday , instructed the jury in the case of John W. Hill , former chief of the filtra tion bureau , who was charged with forg ery and falsification of the records , to bring in a verdict of acquittal. The trial has been in progress nine days. Greene and Gaynor Lose. 'At Savannah , Ga. , Jndge Speer denied the petition of the counsel for Greene and Gaynor that the men be discharged from custody MILLIONS ARE INVOLVED. < f Packers Are in Danger of Losing Vast Foreign Orders. A Washington , D. C. , dispatch says : "Unless congress speedily grants the emergency appropriation for $135,000 re quested by me for additional inspectors and microscopists it is probable that over $30,000,000 worth of orders for Ameri can pork and beef products placed by German dealers will go unfilled. " This statement was made by Secretary Wilson Thursday. Anticipating the high rates of duty on products emanating from the United States imposed by the new German tariff , which becomes effective o March 1 next , and Germany at the pres ent time being in urgent need of meat supplies , Secretary Wilson said that Ger man dealers have flooded the packing houses of this country with orders. Speaking of this condition of affairs ho referred to recent strictures upon his ac tion in creating what was stated to be a deficiency of $135,000 , the amount asked by him , in alleged violation of the statute on this subject enacted during the last congress. "These statements , " he said , "do me a grave injustice and do not credit me with trying to relieve our packers from the desperation in which they have been placed by reason of the lack of a proper inspecting force. He declared that he had created no deficiency , but that on the other hand he was asking only for an emergency appropriation to meet the con ditions which an enormously increased business of the last three mouths , with no increase in the inspection force , had cre ated. "I am strongly in favor of having the packers pay all expenses of inspections , " continued the secretary , "such inspections to be under federal supervision , of course. In fact , they voluntarily have expressed a willingness to do this , and in the pres ent instance have offered to do it , but there is no law by which such an arrange ment can be made. " JUMPS THE TRACK. A Pullman Car Drops Fifteen Feet to the Pavement. The rear Pullman sleeper , the "Har- court , " on a Wabash train , was derailed on the terminal elevated tracks at Carr Street , St. Louis , Mo. , Thursday morn ing and fell broadside fifteen feet to the pavement below , injuring seven passen gers. gers.The The crash of the car , as it landed on the pavement after the fall from the tracks , resounded through half a dozen warehouses and factories that stand near. Many volunteers among the workmen broke open the vestibule of the sleeper and carried out the injured passengers. The sleeper had just swung into the elevated tracks that skirt the river front when the derailment occurred , and , after running for a few feet along the ties , the car careened to the westward , and broke the wooden railing that runs along the tracks. Toppling as it fell , the car land ed in a triangular space bounded by the steel supports of the elevated road and the walls of the buildings facing the levee. The remainder of the train proceeded to the union depot. RAILWAY STOCK FORGERY. Now Believed Operators Did. Not Secure Large Sum. Following the arrest at New York Thursday of Samuel Humphreys , o "newspaper writer , " on the charge of selling a bogus certificate of 100 shares of the Norfolk and Western Railway Company to a dealer in securities in this city , it was learned that 500 bogus cer tificates were printed and that operations had been planned on a large scale. As only four or five certificates have been discovered , and each of them is for 100 shares , with an aggregate market value of about $8,000 , it is evident the amount realized by the operators was not very large. RIOTOUS CAMPAIGN. Intense Feeling Shown in the Con tent in England. A London dispatch says : The election fight is daily growing in intensity and the party leaders , with the aid of motor cars are displaying the greatest energy in ad dressing meetings at different places on the same day. The premier , Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman , who spoke at Shrewsbury Thursday night , was howl ed down by a Chamberlainite minority , and was compelled to shorten his speech. Disorderly meetings of this kind are not uncommon. Hart > Meet Burns. Arrangements for a match between Hart and Tommy Burns for the heavy weight championship of the world have been completed at Butte , Mont. The bout will take place in Los Angeles Feb. 23. Trial of Divine Opens. The case of Rev. George Ware , presi dent of the U. B. I. Cattle Company , charged with conspiracy to defraud the government , went to trial at Omaha , Neb. , Thursday , Judge Munger having overruled the motion to quash. TheVst Hotel Fire. Mrs. Samuel Spiesberger , of Chicago , died Thursday afternoon , making the ninth victim of the West Hotel fire at Minneapolis. All the others who sustain ed injuries are recovering rapidly. Traveling Alan Cuds Life. Will B. Foland , a nursery salesman of Danville , 111. , committed suicide at a Bloomington , 111. , hotel Thursday by drinking carbolic acid. He was despond ent over the loss of his position a week ago. Carlisle's Grandson Hurt. At Mobile , Aln. , John G. Carlisle , a grandson of the former secretary of the treasury , accidentally shot himself Thurs day. It is not thought the wound will nrove fatal. V DR. WM. R. HARPER DEAD. Famous Educator Made a Brave Fight for Life. Dr. William Rainey Harper , president of the University of Chicago since its in ception , one of the foremost educators and one of the most learned Hebrew scholars of his time , died at Chicago Wednesday of cancer of the intestines. Three years ago Dr. Harper underwent an operation for appendicitis and symp toms were then discovered which led the surgeons to suspect that graver troubles might arise in the future , but they were then of too indefinite a character to per mit of an operation , and it was not until Feb. 22 , 1905 , that an operation was de cided upon to determine the nature and cause of severe abdominal pains from which he had suffered for several months. Dr. McBurney , of New York , the fa mous specialist in abdominal surgery , came to Chicago expressly for the opera tion , in which he was assisted by Drs. Billings and Bevans , of Chicago. At the outset of the operation it was discovered that Dr. Harper was suffering from a concer at the head of the large intestine and that the malady had progressed so far that an operation which would have removed it would have been fatal to the patient. A brief consultation of the sur geons resulted in the conclusion that there was nothing more to bo done by , them , and the only hope of Dr. Harper lay in remedial measures alone. In a short time he lef the hospital , knowing well that he was a doomed man , that his disease could not be cured and that his death must ensue within a short time , no matter whawas done in the ef fort Ao avert it. lo braver fight was ever made by any man than by Dr. Har per. per.He He took up his duties at the university as though nothing had happened or was likely to happen to him , and he was at all times apparently confident and cheerful. The x-ray treatment was elaborated in the effort to afford him relief and every thing was done for him that the ingenui ty and skill of his physicians could sug gest. gest.Although Although Dr. Harper never deluded himself with false hopes , he faithfully at tempted whatever offered him a hope of recovery. At times his condition would improve and then would come relapses that would leave him weaker than be fore. Despite all thatwas done for him he lost steadily in all things save courage. Several times the malady progressed in such a manner that small surgical opera tions were necessary to afford him a tem porary relief. FATAL HOTEL FIRE. A Number of Lives are Lost in Min neapolis Blaze. At Minneapolis , Minn. , nine persons lost their lives in a fire which burned the fifth , sixth and seventh stories of the West Hotel Wednesday morning. The financial loss is estimated at $23,000. The blaze started in an unknown man ner in the packing room on the first floor. Ascending the elevator shaft , it spread when it reached the fifth floor. Awakened by the ringing of alarm bells in their rooms , the guests , who num bered in all about 700 , rushed wildly about seeking safety. Those on the up per floors were driven back into their rooms by the smoke which filled the hallways. 'The death roll includes the following : Mrs. J. E. Hodges , Minneapolis ; Capt. John Berwiu ; Alice Larson , chamber maid ; W. C. Nichols , grain merchant , Minneapolis ; J. P. Peisinger , New York ; J. B. Wolfe , New York ; Clinton Lamme ; Thomas Somerville , Springfield , 111. ; one unknown man. FAILURE FOLLOWS SUICIDE. Denison , Prior & Co. , of Cleveland , O. , Forced to Close. Formal announcement of the suspen sion of the firm of Deuisou , Prior & Co. , of Cleveland , O. , investment bankers and brokers , was made Wednesday. The action was taken as the result of a large number of the firm's checks being thrown out by the banks , who hold that since the death of L. W. Prior , who com mitted suicide Tuesday , the checks could not pass the clearing house. It is said the banks hold ample funds and securi ties to provide for all claims. The firm of Deuison , Prior & Co. was one of the heaviest dealers in stocks and bonds in the central west. Mr. Prior had been foremost in financing a number of large brewery consolidations in Ohio and in other states. A GREAT STEAL. Great Northern is Bobbed of Many Thousands. George Smith , a clerk in the Great Northern division superintendent's office at Minot , N. D. , charged with carrying "straw men" on his pay roll , was Wed nesday bound over to the district court. Bogus time checks aggregating over ' $200,000 have been located , but the spe- cific charge against the alleged default * er is for $38. To Investigate Collision. A Newport News , Va. , special says : A naval board of inquiry composed of offi cers of the Atlantic fleet was convened aboard the battleship Iowa off Old Point by Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans , and an investigation into the collision of the battleships Kentucky and Alabama off llSre Fathom Bank , N. 1. , Saturday , was begun. Big Steals in Chicago. Assistant Corporation Counsel Thomas Sutherland has appeared before Mayor Dunne's "contract graft" committee at ; Chicago and cited specific instances in support of his charge that at least $5- , 000,000 has been paid by the city in the last fifteen years in "graft" to contract ors. Bluejackets are Withdrawn. All the foreign bluejackets who have been patrolling the foreign concessions at Shanghai , China , have been withdrawn. 'STATE ' OF NEBRASKA NEWS OF THE WEEK IN A CON. OENSED FORM. i New Clue in Murder Mystery Grip and Clothing Found Near the Scene of the Crime Slayer of Un identified Man still at Large. Late Fiiday afternoon a grip 1 found on Bridge island not far from the site of Callaghau's grading camp near Fremont , which may throw some light on the Saunders County murder. It was cov ered with snow and had evidently been lying there for several days. It contain ed a quantity of underclothing and some ' shirts and collars , which evidently belong ed to two parties. On the collars were laundry marks and on some the name Hugh McDonald and on others that of A. F. Adams. There were also some haud- kerchiefs and a number of toilet articles , a bible that had been read , a number of letters and a diary. The entries in the diary begin last spring in New York City , where the two men evidently lived. There are cards and addresses of a number of employ ment agencies from Buffalo to Omaha. The men had been working for Callaghan. | Judging from the clothing both were la boring men and a pair of long stockings such as worn by linemen indicates that one of them may have worked at that trade. , The New York City police were noti fied and an attempt will be made to find out something of McDonald and Adams at their former home. Callaghan's grad- ! ing outfit broke camp Saturday afternoon and the men were paid off and left. Hun dreds have viewed the remains of the murdered man at Bader's undertaking rooms at Fremont and a good many peo ple are positive that they saw him in town on diffeient days last week in com pany with another parly. Since the fail ure of Charles Pierce and wife to identi- , fy the body as that of Thad Browning | the grip appears to fuinish the best clue that the officers have had. Mrs. Pierce informs Sheriff Bauman that she has re ceived a telegram that Browning is living and is at Kansas City , Mo. Saunders County people are taking an inci easing interest in trying to solve the mystery. A number of farmers from Saunders County have agreed to pay the burial ex penses of the man found murdered on the Booth place last week and the body will be taken to Cedar Bluffs for burial. The affair is as deep a mystery as ever. Sheriff Bauman received a telegram from the marshal of Bonaparte , la. , stat ing that Thad Browning was at Win- field , la. , Monday. The offer of $200 reward by the state , which makes the total reward for the ar rest of the murderer $300 , has stimulated considerable activity in looking into the matter , but with no better results than before and with little prospect of ever finding out the identity of the man who killed him. STILL "UP IN THE AIR. " I Little Done at Meeting of Sioux City-Homer Line. A Dakota City special says : Outside of the election of seven out of nine of a boaid of directors , nothing developed the annual meeting of the stockholders 01 the Sioux City , Homer and Southern Railway held at South Sioux City on the 9th inst. , at which time it was expected the future of the proposed interurban route from Sioux City to Homer would be definitely settled. Col. J. H. Aiken and Joseph Crow , both of Omaha , were the only two outside interested parties present at the meeting. At present the future of the road is much of a perplex ity. The meeting adjourned subject to call. call.John John H. Baker , of the Great Western Brokerage Company , Topeka , Kan. , who was expected to be present , and who is the party who is negotiating the sale of the bonds , was not present , being detain ed , it was reported , owing to sickness. Barn and Horses Burned. At Nebraska City two horses , the prop erty of Carl Brown , a teamster , were burned to death in a fire that partially destroyed the barn. The fire had gained considerable headway before discovered and no one was able to rescue the horses. The loss on the barn and adjoining buildings will amount to $200. The ori gin of the fire is unknown. Gillstrap Again Gives Bond. Abner Gillstrnp , who on Monday last was released from jail at Dakota City on bonds of $ r 00 for his appearance at the j next term of district court on the charge of selling liquors illegally , was arrested again on a complaint sworn out by C. J. O'Connor , charging him with selling li quors to Indians. lie was released on his j own bond of $300. Signal Officer Resigns. Lieut. Richards , of the Fremont Signal coips , stationed at Fremont , has resign ed because his business required his en tire time. Inasmuch as he has .been ap pointed an aide on the governor's staff the National Guard will not entirely lose him. His services in the guard have been ? of the highest order. lowan Accepts Place. Secretary Walter S. Whitten , of the Muscatiue , la. Commercial Club , has been invited to come to Lincoln as secie- tary at a salary of $2,500. His accept ance has been received. New Telephone Corporation. Aitides of incorporation for the New Home Telephone Company of Gage County were filed with the county c'- Tuesday. The capital stock is $200 , ( [ Farmer Killed by Train. Marion Blackwood. a wealthy farmer of Glenwood Township , was struck by the Burlington fast passenger westbound one-half mile west of Odell and so badly injured that he died Saturday. He was walking along the track and failed to hear the approaching train. Elkhorn Valley Doctors. The Elkhorn Valley Medical Society will meet at Norfolk Jan. 16 , with after noon and evening sessions. A number of papers of interest to the profession will be i cud. ' BRIDAL PAIR SEEK DIVORCE. Apply to Dakota City Judge Who Married Them. County Judge J. J. Eimcrs , of Dakota City , had a novel proposition submitted to him a few days ago , when a couple he had but recently married presented themselves to him asking for a divorce. On Dec. 13 the usual unlucky 13 Harry G. Spencer and Myrtle M. Sumner , both of Sioux City , presented themselves at Judge Eimers' office to offer themselves upon the altar of matrimony. Tin's was agreeable to County Judge Eimers , who , after issuing the license , offered his serv ices to perform the ceremony , which was acceptable , and in the presence of the usu al hangers-on around the court house the Spencer-Sumner nuptials were celebrated. All the proceedings seeir 1 to be as nappy as the proverbial ' .vedchir bell. On Tuesday , Spenc.and ' : * new made spouse again appealed at the office of County Judge Eimers seemingly as happy as they were on the day of their wedding , but this time their mission was one of a different nature. They wished undone that which they had done. Judge Eimers informed the couple that while his official duties allowed him to tie couples it prohibited him from untying them , and that they would have to seek relief in a district couit of Iowa. FELT THE EARTH QUAKE. Plate Glass at Falls City Broken by the Disturbance. The earthquake shock reported to have been felt over Missouri , Kansas and Ne braska Sunday evening at 0:20 o'clock was very distinctly felt in Tecumseh by many persons. At 6:30 o'clock Sunday night residents of Lincoln felt an earthquake shock that was severe enough in several instances to shake globes from their fasten ! " s on chandelieis. No damage is reported to buildings. The earthquake shock that was general over the middle west was felt very de cidedly at Falls City Sunday night. It shook all the business houses and made considerable commotion among the dish es and pans in the dwelling houses. The plate glass in the south front of Crook & Co.'s hardware store was cracked , but outside of that there was no damage . done. I At Humboldt the inhabitants were somewhat startled Sunday evening about 6 o'clock to experience a distinct earth quake shock , something quite out of the ordinary in those parts. The disturb ance came with sufficient force to rattle dishes and windows. The earthquake shock was felt distinct ly at Table Rock Sunday night at about G:20 o'clock. Shutters , doors and in some instances dishes rattled. FATAL INDIAN FRENZY. Poisonous Food as Part of Winne- bago .Religious Rites. A Homer special says : Thomas Hill , one of the most prominent men in the Winnebago tribe , is dead , a dozen more violently insane and will probably die , and half the tribe suffering more or less from the effects of the eating of large quantities of Mexican mescal beans as a part of the rites of a new religion that was introduced into the tribe by visiting members of a southern tribe some mouths ago. ago.Agent McFatridge reports that he is unable to check the frenzy or stop the importation from Mexico of the beans which are said to first drive insane and .hen cause the death of those eating them. LIGHTING CONTRACT VOID. Forced Omaha Deal Knocked Out in District Court. An Omaha special says : Judge Sut- ton in the district court declared invalid the street lighting contract with the Omaha Gas Company on the ground that the rate per light was exorbitant , the contract made in disregard of a restrain ing order of the court , and the action of the mayor and chief of police in keep ing members of the city council in the council chamber by force in order to pre serve a quorum during the passage of the contract , was illegal. The question has been the basis oj much bitter contention and litigation. Norfolk's Sewerage System. Enthusiasm for the sewerage system proposed for Norfolk continues to in- ; crease. A public meeting held Wednes- day night , at which City Engineer An drew Rosewater , of Omaha , delivered an interesting address , was attended by 1 most of the business men of the city and 1 many converts to the sewerage system were made. It is planned to vote $30,000 ; bonds for the main ? . Gift to Omaha Seminary. The Presbyterian Theological seminary t at Omaha has just received $50,000 as a * zift from John H. Converse , one of the t : controlling factors of the Baldwin Loco motive works of Philadelphia. President , t ; Lowrey , of the seminary , says the money ] ivill be devoted to the endowment fund , t : cvhich is yet small. Dross Catches Fire From Stove. Mrs. Fred Snyder , of Vesta precinct , lohnson County , was quite seriously s ; jurned Tuesday morning. She was stand- * ! ng with her back to a red hot stove . tvhen her diess caught fire and she be- 1 ame enveloped in flames. She is rest- ° > ng easily and will probably recover. c : ( Laborers Return to Plattsmo-ath. t About twenty laborers who were sent o Sheriden. Wyo. , to assist in a rush . ! f repairing cars theie , have returned and csumed work in the Burlington shops at 'lattsmouth. West Point Gaining. During the month of December sixteen liiths were registered in the West Point li&tiict and during the same time four oaths only have occurred. Adjudged Insane. LG. . Rathbun. a farmer and stock a aiser who has lived near Ellis , Gage ci 'ounty for many yeai.s has been ado udged insane by the board of insanity 1 ommissioners and ordered taken to the n svlum. Ic Tracklayers Reach Fremont. The Great Northern track-laying ma- hine reached Fremont Monday afterj loon and will be there a day or two lay- ] t ng sidetracks. A large gang of men S ' ] 4\vorking putting in tho crossings of the , , , 'ulon Paci-ic ; rucly. j f K f * ft K KV After a conference with Attorney Gen eral Brown at Lincoln Saturday morning , Insurance Auditor Pierce announced that fire companies in other states which have refused to pay the 2 per cent reciprocal tax , as required by the statute , must pay- up within a reasonable time or be barred : from doing business in the state. Thirty- six fire insurance companies arc involved. In the states in which they are organ ized Nebraska companies must pay a special tax , and Nebraska desires to play even. Companies located in Penusyl- vanijfj Ohio , Massachusetts , New Jersey , Illinois , Wisconsin , Minnesota , Missouri and California are chiefly affected by this order. When the Nebraska law Avent into effect the companies brought a test case and won in the supreme court. Lat er Mr. Brown got a rehearing and the court held that the law was good. The- companies immediately filed a motion for another hearing , and this matter is now pending in court. * * * Nebraska dairymen are badly wrought up over what they term the careless- handling of cream by shippers and cream eries alike , and at the coming state con vention this question is to be taken up- and debated. The assertion is made that farmers do not take the care of their sep arators that they should and that the- creameries have aided and abetted in the- wastefulness by fixing no standard for the- product to which they insist upon adher ence. The result has been a general low ering of the grade of butter. Secretary Bassett is of the opinion that tens o thousands of dollars are annually lost to. dairymen by reason of these facts. Some- of the creameries have begun to grade cream , and this will prove a great help in making the farmers more careful. Their principal fault lies in their neglect to keep their separators free from bacteria , and the result is that the product dete riorates rapidly. * * * Claiming that the recent decision of the ; supreme court in the Lauge case is a. blow at the fundamentals of fraternaL societies , the Royal Highlanders have ? filed a motion for a rehearing. They as sert that the court erred in the construc tion it placed upon the fraternal act irt that it held that under that act the clause' relating to suicide was a mere by-law and not a part of the charter or plan of organization of the society. Another con tention of error is in holding that the ace did not apply to domestic societies doingr business before its enactment. It is con tended that the court's decision is con trary to public policy in that the con struction placed upon the fraternal act renders that law retrospective and void ; under the constitution , as it destroys vest ed rights acquired before its enactment- The rule of taxation laid down by the- supreme court in the case of the Nebras ka Telephone Company against Hall County , just decided , will prove of inter * ) j | est to taxing authorities in the various counties of Nebraska , as it settles a muclt disputed question. The rule is "that thc- value of the tangible property of any ex press , telephone or telegraph company , apart from its gross receipts for the ysr prior to the time of assessment , and franchise or right to carry on busim"-- does not furnish the value of its property for taxation. Such values should be as certained from consideration of all of the- aforesaid items taken together , and by- treating the corporation as a going con cern. " * * * State Auditor Searle has rejected a- claim of a York County citizen who de clared that he had killed thirteen gray wolves and that he wanted the bounty of $5 each paid by the state for the scalps of that animal. The auditor is frank to- admit that he is doubtful if there is a solitary gray wolf in all of York County , and it is.his . opinion that the scalps are those of coyotes and not wolves. Gray wolves , according to the auditor , are none too common even in western Nebraska , although the few that infest that region cause stockmen no end of loss and worrj' . In fact , the stockmen are willing to pay a round $100 for every gray wolf scalp- presented. * * * Nebraska will send a full delegation to the Interstate National Guard Associa tion convention in Washington , D. C. , Tan. 22. Four officers of the state guards will go , their identity not yet liaving been established. C. D. Evan < af Columbus , is secretary of this associa tion , and Adjt. Gen. Culver is vice presi- 3ent , so that these two gentlemen will go is part of that delegation. The conven- ion is a school of instruction in military affairs and will discuss affairs of the Na- ional Guard and recommend legislation. . Lectures will be given by the heads oC he various departments of the War de partment. * * * In a case from the irrigated district the- upreme court lays down the rule that if in appropriator of water does not bene- icially use the amount he has diverted' nto his canal , but allows it to seep away r otherwise exercise economy he cannot ome to the courts for relief as against thers who are < entitled to use of the wa- er also. That is , if there is enough wa- er in the stream , if properly conserved , , o satisfy all demands of those who wish t. * * * The Nebraska Incubator Company has. iled articles of incorporation with Sec- etary of State Galusha. The capital tock is fixed at $100,000 , with Fairfield 'lay County , as the principal place r Business. The manufacture of incubators 5 its business. * * * Members of the insanity commission re engaged in a dispute with the county ommissioners over the payment to tLeiii f fees for hearing dipsomaniac cases , 'he county attorney ruled that the com- lissioners had no warrant in law for al- > wing these fees , and the claims , mounting to $100 , were rejected. * * * The Chase Company , of Oamha , has icoporated with Secretary of State Ga- isha to carry on the manufacture of pices and extracts and to sell grocery rodncts. with headquarters in Omaha. * t