TPhe Valentine Democrat
Valentine , Neb.
f. M. Rice. Publisher
GAS WRECKS BLOCK
EXTIIIE BLOCK IN RUI.VS AT COF-
PEVVILLE , KAX.
Gas is Supposed to Have Escaped
from Leak Somewhere i" the Block
Owners Carried No Insurance1
. Against Gas .Explosions.
Two persons were killed , one is
missing , four were seriously injured
and twenty more were more or less In
jured in a terrific explosion of natural
gas which completely demolished five
two-Htory business blocks at Coffey-
ville , Kan. , at noon Sunday.
The dead arc Jesse Ross , a negro ;
Mrs. J. E. McDaniel.
The missing are a young son of C. J.
Clcssen , a grocer.
The seriously injured are" C. J.
Clossen , a grocer ; Cotton Ray , a cab
man ; Mrs. Pearl Keeler , and a 3-year-
old son of Mrs. Keeler.
It is reported that the gas escaped
from a leaking main somewhere in the
block and that after a sufficient quan
tity had accumulated it become ignited -
-ed , causing the explosion. The build
ings were in a row in East Eighth
street and were occupied by a real es
tate office , three stores and a restaur
ant. The second floors of all the
buildings were occupied by rooming
houses.
Neither Ross nor Mrs. McDaniel
was was killed outright by the explo
sion , but both were frightfully injured
and died shortly afterward at a hos-
pital. Brick and glass struck the ne
gro cabman , and Mrs. McDaniel was
crushed by falling debris.
The entire block of five buildings
was leveled to the ground , and only
broken bricks , scattered lumber and
twisted iron remain. The buildings
and stocks in them are a total loss ,
and none of them was insured against
gas explosion.
A fire broke out immediately after
the explosion , but the flames were
quickly extinguished and little dam
age was done from that source. Sev
eral persons were buried in the debris ,
"but Mrs. McDaniel was the only one
fatally hurt. The others who were
rescued were only slightly injured.
One littue girl , a daughter of S. D.
Frazier , of the Kansas Land com
pany , was under the timber and brick
lor twenty minutes , but was taken out
nninjuied.
ALASKA WANTS HOME RULE.
.People Make Campaign for a Legis
lative Body.
Delegate Thomas Gale , of Fair
banks , Alaska , is on his way to Wash
ington. "The people of Alaska , " he
said , "are more interested in secur
ing a territorial form of government
than in anything else that is before
them at present. We don't mean to
go into all the ramifications of local
self-government , into townships , coun
ties , etc. We simply wish and it is
a natural want of American citizens
to be empowered to legislate for our
selves.
"We are anxious to secure as much
government assistance as we can for
road construction in Alaska. We
want s. road from some point on the
coast , Valdez , or some other , through
the Yukon country. We would like
to have the road tap all the interior.
If the government will attend to the
construction of the main trunk roads
Alaskans thelmselves will attend to
the construction of the branches.
"The present provision for schools
away from the incorporated limits of
towns is meager and unsatisfactory
and people in many places have to
educate their own children after pay
ing their revenue to the government.
We look for more government assist
ance along this educational line.
"Alaska is sadly neglected in the
matter of life saving stations along
the dangerous coast. Navigators
should be given a great deal more
protection. "
Washington Bank Fails.
The People's Savings bank , of
.Washington , was closed Wednesday by
order of the comptroller of the curren
cy. An examination by the national
bank examiner showed the institution
to be in an insolvent condition. The
assets and liabilities are given at
$210,000.
Africa's Biggest Gold Shipment.
The largest consignment of gold
ever shipped from South Africa ar
rived in London Saturday. Its value
was $5,700,000.
Sioux City Live Stock Market.
Saturday's quotations on the Sioux
City live stock market follow : Top
eteers , $3.20. Top hogs , $6.15.
Believed Several Drowned.
Several persons are believed to have
been drowned as a result of a colli
sion In Wrangel Narrows , near Seat
tle , Wash. , on the morning of Oct. 22
between the Canadian steamer Prin-
.cess Beatrice and a gasoline lanuch.
Roosevelt Is 48 Years Old.
President Roosevelt was 48 years
old Saturday. He was the recipient of
many congratulations , but passed the
'day very much according to the rou-
which marks his every day life.
' ' * * *
'
JAPAN FEELS SORE.
President and Cabinet Move to Avert
Trouble.
Friday's cabinet meeting lasted two
and one-half hours and was attended
by all the members except Secretary
Shaw and Postmaster General Cortel-
you. Among the important matters
discussed was the situation growing
out of the anti-American sentiment
In Japan and the exclusion of Japan
ese children from the public schools
of San Francisco. It was stated by a
member of the cabinet after the meet
ing as the general opinion of the mem
bers that the Japanese situation was
exceedingly grave and would require
the most delicate treatment to avoid
an open rupture.
It developed that the proceedings
initiated in San Francisco to compel
the authorities to receive Japanese
pupils into the public schools were di
rected by the department of. justice.
Japanese restaurant keepers have
suffered indignities in San Francisco ,
as well as Japanese school children ,
according to reports received by the
Japanese ambassador "Viscounte Aoki
from Japanese consular officers in that
city.
city.At
At least seven or eight reports have
been made concerning a boycott in
augurated against Japanese restaur
ants and in several instances stones
have been thrown and windows brok
en , according to the statements of
Japanese officials.
These cases have been brought to
the attention of Secretary Root by
Viscount Aoki , who says it is with
great reluctance he brings to the at
tention of the central government the
demonstrations against Japanese ,
which are purely local in their nature.
DUAL MURDER IX DAKOTA.
Mystery Surrounds a Tragedy Xear
Bristol.
The d.sad bodies of two farm hands
were discovered in the hayloft of a
barn a mile northwest of Bristol , S. D. ,
Friday by a Bristol teamster who
went there for a load of hay. The
teamster brought the bodies to town
and an inquest is in progress.
That both men were murdered there
is no doubt. Bullet holes in their fore
heads and burned flesh indicates they
were slain while asleep. Both bodies
are badly decomposed and it is almost
impossible to establish identification.
In the clothes of one of the victims
was found two beer checks marked
Wellington hotel bar , St. Joseph , Mo.
Beyond this there was absolutely
nothing to aid the authorities.
Both men arrived here two weeks
to joint a threshing crew.
BODIES DUG OUT.
Recovered from Fire Ruins in Kansas
City , Kan.
Four bodies were removed Friday
morning from the ruins of the Cham
ber of Commerce building at Kansas
City , Kan. , making the total known
dead eight.
The bodies , although badly charred
and disfigured , were identified as Ed
ward Winslow , city solicitor of the
Nelson Morris Packing company , his
wife and two young daughters.
A systematic search of the ruins is
being made.
Four persons are still unaccounted
for.
for.At
At the hospitals two of the injured
are in a serious condition , but it is
believed all the others will recover.
Wants $10,000 for His Skin.
W. G. Doll , of Cincinnati , O. Thurs
day sued J. S. Atkins , G. A. Fackler ,
and J. C. Oliver for $10,000 damages
for taking forty-two inches of skin
from his leg. Doll had consented to
part with six inches of skin to repair
damages sustained by Atkins in an
auto wreck. While under the influence
of anaesthetics Drs. Fackler and Oli
ver , he alleges took forty-two Inches.
Bandits Make Escape.
The Bank of Odin , 111. , was dyna
mited and looted by a gang of safe
blowers early Friday. The report of
the explosion attracted a crowd of citi
zens to the scene and a running fight
ensued , in which more than thirty
shots were fired. The bandits escaped
with their booty. The amount is not
known.
Fatal Lodging House Fire.
In a fire the Chamber of Commerce
building , in the Riverview district of
Kansas City , Kan. , at an early hour
Thursday morning , it is reported that
one woman was burned to death and
seven persons were badly injured. The
building has been used for a boarding
house.
Knife for Xavy Quarter Back ?
Homer Norton , quarterback of the
naval academy football team , Annapo
lis , was taken to the hospital suffering
with what is thought to be appendi
citis. Every effort is being made to
avoid an operation.
Bellamy Storer Returns Home.
Bellamy Storer , former American
minister to Austria-Hungary , arrived
in New York Friday on the steamer
La Province.
Plays Villain AVhile Wife Dies.
While Jerold Havener was playing
the role of villain at the opera house
at Racine , Wis. , Thursday night his
wife lay dying in the St. Mary's hos
pital. He was informed of her condi
tion and arrived at her bedside just
before she expired.
3fissouri Bank is Robbed.
The Bank of Jamestown , Moniteau
Bounty , Mo. , was entered Thursday
light by robbers , who blew the safe ,
secured $2,700 and escaped.
FARMERS OAIX POINT.
Opposition to Their Elevators is
. Out.
The hearing on grain trade condi
tions before Interstate Commerce
Commissioners Clark and Lane at
Omaha was resumed Thursday.
E. P. Peck , an Omaha grain dealer ,
told of the methods of arranging
prices a year or two ago , during the
life of the Nebraska Grain Dealers'
association , but said no agreement of
that kind now exists. He said he re
garded "shovel houses" as unfair com
petition , and used all means to drive
them out of business.
C. G. Crittenden , of the Central
Grain company , of Lincoln , Neb. , said
his company operated elevators on the
Burlington line. They received from
that road an allowance of 1 % cents a
hundred pounds to cover elevation
charges , until last summer , when it
was discontinued. He knew of no-
"shovel houses" in his territory.
F. M. Terry , a general merchant of
Little Sioux City , la. , who operates a
"shovel house , " said he was formerly
discriminated against by the North
western railway. For the last two
years he had no reason for complaint.
The Missouri Valley mills , at Missouri
Valley , la. , he said , refused to buy his
grain , giving as a reason that the -Up
dike Grain company , of Omaha , would
not sell them grain if they did , and
would bid up the price so that they
could not buy from farmers. Millers
at Marshalltown , la. , also refused to
buy his grain , he said , because he had
no elevator and was not a member of
the Iowa Grain Dealers' association.
Mr. Terry said he received a letter
from President Wells , of the Iowa
Grain Dealers' association , some time
ago from which he learned that the
association fixes prices paid for grain
and provides for pooling by its mem
bers.
UNUSUAL RAILWAY MISHAP.
Fast Train's Engine Hit by Caboose
and Five Men Injured.
Running at a speed estimated at fifty
miles an hour the fast train between
Cleveland and Pittsburg on the Penn
sylvania railroad known as the "Cleve
land Flyer , " was sideswiped by the
caboose of a freight train near Bellevue -
vue station shortly -after noon Thurs
day , five trainmen being injured in
the wreck , all of whom will recover.
A score of passengers were cut by fly
ing glass , but none was seriously hurt.
They were brought to Pittsburg on a
wrecking train which reached the
scene eighteen minutes after the acci
dent and proceeded on their journey.
The collision with the caboose threw
the engine down an embankment thir
ty feet high and it slid into the Ohio
river.
CHAUFFEURS GO ON STRIKE.
Three Hundred Auto Drivers Make
Demand for Higher Waggs.
Three hundred chauffeurs employed
by the New York Transportation com
pany , which operates 350 public elec
tric cabs in New York City , went on
a strike Thursday for an Increase in
wages. As a result nearly all the cabs
remained in the garage. A non-union
man attempted to take one of the
electric vehicles from the garage end
was set upon by a crowd of strikers.
He drew a revolver and fired into the
crowd , but no one was hit. A big force
of policemen arrived just after the
shot was fired. They charged the
crowd and made two arrests.
A Traitor is Assassinated.
A man named Sprogge , once a
prominent revolutionary leader in the
Baltic provinces , was killed at Mitau
Friday , while on the way to America ,
because he had betrayed his party.
School Boys Fined for Hazing.
The first conviction for hazing in
the state of Ohio was secured in the
probate court at Marietta Thursday
when Sidney Colt and Clarence Tib-
betts were each fined for attempting to
kidnap and haze their schoolmate ,
Frank Bartlett , son of a wealthy oil
operator.
Exonerate Gov. Fraiitz. !
The president has received the re
port of a committee recently sent to
Oklahoma to Investigate the charges
preferred against Gov. Frantz. . The
report completely exonerates the gov
ernor , and undoubtedly Avill be ap
proved by the president.
Shooting Will Be Taught.
Rifle shooting will hereafter be in
cluded in the curriculum of the elementary - . i
mentary schools of England , according - |
ing to Mr. Blrrell , president of the
board of education , who made the
announcement in the house of com
mons Thursday.
Disastrous Hurricane in Japan.
A hurricane swept southwestern Ja
pan Wednesday. Several hundred
coral fishing boats are reported miss
ing. Each boat is manned by at least
two sailors.
Mallory Steamship Line Sold.
Charles Morse , of New York , the
banker and steamship operator , an
nounced Friday that he had purchased
the Mallory line of steamships.
To Punish Seal Poachers.
Secretary Root has requested the
Japanese government to cause the ar
rest and punishment of Japanese
poachers who attempted to land on the
seal islands of Alaska recently , and
who escaped to Japan after some of
their party had been killed.
Gen. Bell's Wife Goes to Cuba.
Mrs. Bell , wife of Gen. Bell , left
Washington Thursday night for Cuba , }
taking passage on the army transport
Sumner from Newport News.
STATE OF NEBRASKA
I
XEWS OP Tins WEEK IN A CON
DENSED FORM.
A -Year-Old Child Takes Long Jour
ney Disappeared from Koine In
Hastings After Much Telephoning
He is Located at Holdredgc.
After his parents , aided by the city
authorities , had vainly searched
throughout the city for him , John
Greenlee , the 4-year-old son of Mr.
and Mrs. L. B. Greenlee. of Hastings ,
was located at Holdredge. The. child
left home Sunday morning , and when
he failed to return at dinner time his
parents instituted a search for him.
Late Sunday morning Manager Knee ,
of the Nebraska Telephone company ,
instructed his operators to advise ail
subscribers when they called for con
nections that the boy was lost and to
ask if they had seen him. The oper
ator on the long distance lines passed
the word along to other towns , and at
7:30 Sunday night word came that
the boy had been picked up by Swede-
burg & Roth in front of their real es
tate office in Holdreffe.
The father went to Holdrege to
bring him home. How the lad man
aged to get as far away as Holdrege ,
when he was without money , is a mys
tery yet unsolved. He rode on a Bur
lington train , which makes several
stops between Hastings and Holdrege ,
and why he was not put off at the first
station is not known.
FACE SERIOUS CHARGE.
Two Young Men Charged with Entic
ing Girls From Home.
Last Monday evening two young
men , accompanied by two young girls
about 15 years of age , arrived iu
Plattsmouth and spent the night In
the Perkins hotel , registering as broth
ers and sisters , but failed to give their
residence. The next day they went to
Maynard. Thursday morning Deputy
Sheriff A. J. Grace arrived from Pot-
tawattamie county , Iowa , and took the
four young people back with him.
The girls gave their names as Mary
Horst and Gady Sandiland and stated
that their residence v.-as in Avoca , Ta.
The young men were traveling with
a carnival company when they be
came acquainted with them. The war
rant charged the young men with en
ticing the girls away from home for
immoral purposes.
PREFERS DEATH TO PRISOX.
Young Convict Hangs Himself in He
bron Jail.
At noon Tuesday James Dickson. a
young farmer from near Gilead and
whose home is at Decatur , 111. , com
mitted suicide in the county jail at
Hebron. Mr. Dickson had been con
victed of forgery and was sentenced to
two years in the penitentiary. He
killed himself by hanging and used an
ordinary towel , which was tied around
his neck and then to the bars of the
side of his cell. His sentence to the
penitentiary and his dread of serving
the time seemed to have prompted him
to commit the deed.
Trains Delayed at Stella.
While a freight was switching in the
yards at Stella the track spread , let
ting the engine , one of the large battle
ship type , 'down on the ties. Several
hours were spent In trying to raise
the engine , which was then given up
and a temporary track built around
the wreck and traflic was resumed af
ter a delay of seven hours.
Xcw Odd Fellows Hall.
The Odd Fellows are making prepa
rations to erect a $7,000 building at
Eustis. The structure will be a double
store building , two stories high. The
upstairs will be fitted up for a hall , to
be used as a lodge room and opera
house. The work of construction will
be commenced as soon as material and
help can be procured.
Body of Missing 3Ian Found.
The mystery surrounding the disap-
.pearance of Michael Shannon from
North Bend about three wfcks ago
was solved by the finding of a bad
ly decomposed body on the bank of
the Platte river near that town. It was
identified as the body of Shannon by
the clothing and especially by a red
necktie which his sister had given him
a few days before.
College Cornerstone Laid.
A memorable event In Wayne's his
tory was the laying of the cornerstone
of the new main building of the Ne
braska normal college Saturday after
noon by the grand lodge of Ancient.
Free and Accepted Masons of Ne
braska.
Prisoner Is Pardoned.
Gov. Mickey Thursday morning
again took up his pardon pen and re
leased from the county jail of Seward
county William M. Campion , against
whom there was a judgment of $1,000
in favor of Nellie Latimcr , who sued j
him on a paternity charge.
Child's Leg Broken by Door.
The 7-year-old son of A. E. Hand J
was seriously injured at the cereal |
mills in Beatrice by a largo door fall
ing on him. His leg was broken and
he was terribly bruised about the !
body.
Morphine Habit Causes Suicide.
Fearing that he would go inpsne
from the effects of morphine. Benja
min F. Ayres committed suicide Ly
shooting at Kearney.
Valuable Ccw Dead.
Christian & Lang , cf York , breeders j
and importers of thoroughbred Aber- !
deen-Angus cattle , met with quite a |
loss in the death of an imported Tro
jan Erica cow , bred in King- Edward
of England's herd , a show animal that
cost them several hundred dollars.
Death was caused by pneumonia.
Accident at Fairmont.
While working in the yards at Fair
mont Brakeman Lantz slipped while
switching and caught his foot , under
the wheel of the engine , cutting it off.
. FOUXD DEAD IS JAIL.
Thomas CofTey Apparently Commit *
Suicide : it MiHard.
Thursday night a man named Thos.
Coffey , recently employed by Con
tractor Fitzgerald on the railroad
grade , came to the town marshal and
asked permission to sleep in the Jill-
lard jail. This v.-as granted and the
door v.-as left open so he could leave
when he was ready. About .10:30
o'clock he came to the marshal and
asked that the door be locked , as
"they are after me and I'm afraid
they'll gzi me. " .His request was
granted.
Friday morning , when the marshal
unlocked the door , the body of Coffey
v.-as found hanging from the top of
one of the cells , to which it was at
tached by his suspenders. The top of
the cell is so low it permitted his feet
to touch the floor and he had bent
his knees to produce strangulation.
Little Is known of the man around
IJHiard. Mr. Fitzgerald says he has
known him casually for twelve or fif
teen years and that he was a well edu
cated man , but had been ruined by
drink and drugs. He was about 44
years old.
CL/AUSE IS HELD VALID.
Railroad Must Pay Ten Dollars Per
Hour for Delay.
A.mo g other cases decided in court
at Burwell was one of more than gen
eral interest to the stock shippers of
this state. The action was brought un
der the provisions known as "The
Stock Speed Bill , " introduced by Sen
ator E. D. Gould , of Greeley county ,
and passed at the last session of the
legislature.
As to the time of departure of cars
from their place of shipment and the
arrival of same to their destination
there was but little dispute between
the parties and the questions involved
was the constitutionality of the law. On
this point the court held that the $10
per hour was not a penalty , but was
liquidated damages that the legislature
had a right to determine and that the
law of the state is a part of every con
tract ; that the liquidated damages , as
fixed by the legislature , was reason
able. There were many other points
raised , but the case seemed to turn on
the questions stated.
CONVICTS WILL HUSK CORX.
Applications Maefe to Governor of Ne
braska , for Paroled Men.
Even the convicts from the peniten
tiary are being taken out to labor in
the Nebraska corn fields. Never before
were there so many applications in the
governor's office for paroled prisoners
and never before was the need for
corn huskers so pressing and so hard
to fill.
Rollin Rivers , colored , left the pen
itentiary on parole to husk corn for
his old employer. Claus Sass , of Gret-
na , who wrote a personal letter to
Gov. Mickey , begging that his old farm
hand be returned to him.
The state labor bureau is unable to
supply the demand for workers in tlu
corn Melds. Not a name is now on file
in the department and the constant
applications of the farmers for help
have to be refused. This scarcity has
undoubtedly caused the unusual de
mand for paroled prisoners.
Woman Fatally Burned.
Mrs. Harwarger , living south ol
Minden , was badly burned while try
ing to light a fire with coal oil. Mrs.
Harwarger was alone at home at the
time of the accident , her boys being at
work in the field , and upon returning
home found their mother lying on the
floor In the house , her clothes com
pletely consumed by the fire , and the
building on fire. There is no hope for
her recovery.
Stole Railroad Property.
John E. Stevens , who lives northeasi
of North Plp.tte. was arrested the lat
ter part of last week and fined § 50 for
larceny of property belonging to the
Union Pacific. The property consist
ed of a car door , cross arms for tele
graph posts , lantern , hammer and
enough other articles to fill a dray.
Memorial Windows.
Two memorial windows have just
been placed in the Methodist Epis
copal church , at Valley , one by Chas.
Harrier to the memory of his de
ceased wife , and the other by Mrs.
June Lentell to the memory of her
father and mother , Mr. and Mrs. J. M.
Williams.
Fanner Killed In Peculiar Way.
Mr. Ira Moore , a prominent farmer
living about four miles south of "Long
Pine , was killed by being hit by a
broken singletree. Mr. Moore was
stacking , and through some heavy
strain the singletree broke and flew
hack , hitting Mr. Moore In the region
of the stomach , killing him instantly.
Decapitated by Train.
Robert Mattcrn , employed at the
stone crusher at Wymore , was struck
by a train and instantly killed. The
boc y was fjund a short distance below
the crusher with the head decapitated.
Mattcrn har been drinking heavily
for the Ust week , and his friends be
lieve he committed suicide.
Colin Lcses Commission.
Gov. Mickey will revoke the notary
commiFFion of MaCohn , of Nebraska
City , who is charged with having at
tached hi > . c2l to an instrument which
he failed to see the party sign.
KcalSi of J. C. McBride.
w'ortl was received in Lincoln Mon
day announcing the death of Gen. J.
" " . McPrKe , of Savannah , Ga. , former-
'y a citizen of Lincoln and ex-state
treasurer.
Tail IJi'catcr Captured.
Sheriff Phipps ? , of Eurt county , and
thp Fhe'-iY rf Onawa captured the last
-f t'io jo'l breakers who broke pall at
Onaivp. in. , last week , four miles west
of Oakland Sunday afternoon on the
'a.rr.i cf Swan Strand , where he was
buskins corn.
7"ailicad ! Water Works.
The Northwestern railroad has a
'arpe ' force of men at work In West
Point erecting a water tank and putting
tingIn an extensive system of water
Dorics.
In his biennial report to b > is uet-
the first of the year Secretary of tftatc-
Galusha will recommend to the LITIS-
lature that the cash fund at the vari -
ous state institutions be abolished , or
that the present methods of { jetting ,
money out of that fund be changed
Under the present system the cash.
fund is made up of the receipts from
the superintendent of
sales made by
stock raised at the institution or a" > -
money that is received from SSUPU-
sources. The superintendent practi- al
ly has free rein in spending this ?
money. The cash fund in some oi
the institutions at times amounts lc * >
$8,000 to $9,000. It is not turned into
the state treasury at art , but is ktpt
by the superintendent and checker !
check. ShouM a
out on his personal
superintendent be so disposed he could
for speculating or he-
use the money
could buy state warrants with it incP
collect the interest and no one would :
be the wiser. Mr. Galusha will recom
mend this money be turned over to the
state treasurer and be paid out on ;
warrants just as the other money ap
propriated for the maintenance of
state institutions is paid out.
The executive committee of
State Teachers' association has tesu
announcement of
a preliminary
program of the annual meeting , to bt
held in Lincoln , Dec. 26 , 27 and 28. W
L. Stevens , president , is president ex-
ofiicio of the executive committee. Tht ,
other committeemen are W. H. Gard
ner , of Fremont , A. L. Vavines , of.
Fairbury , and G. H. Thomas , of Mc-
Cook. President Charles McKtnncjv
of the Milwaukee state normal , an ed
ucator of marked power and originali
ty , will address the Child Study asso
ciation , the teachers of histoiy ant :
the general session. Dr. S. H. C"ark ,
of the University of Chicago , authf of
"How to Teach Reading , " will tie !
an address and give a recital. He > "I I
read "Ulysses" or "King Lear. " Prof
T. C. BlaSsdell. head of the depart
ment of English in the state agricul
tural college of Michigan , will adflros ?
teachers of English and the genera ; ' '
session. Dr. Reuben Post Halleck wil- '
deliver three addresses one before *
the grammar school section , ono be
fore the high school section and the ?
third before the general session.
* * *
It is the general impression of thcsc-
risiting Lincoln that the next ler a-
ture will refuse to make an appro
priation for a new library building U
house the state library , the supreme
court and the legal department ot
state , as badly as such a building is
needed. Most of the visitors say it It
foolish to think of a new building here
as long as that § 2,500,000 debt i ?
hanging over the taxpayers , while oth
ers say Nebraska will need a new : capitol -
itol building by the time the Ftat.
debt is paid. It Is by no means ceiV
tain , some of the visitors say . th-F
the new capitol building will be erect
ed in Lincoln. Other towns nearer the
center of the state have long wanted *
the capital location changed and it ia-
said these towns will refuse to coun
tenance any more buildings arouno
the present state house.
* * o
The decision of the supreme- court ?
in the Central granaries assessment :
case , In which it is held grain dealer ?
must be assessed on the average
amount of capital invested during th < *
year rather than the amount of grair
on hand April 1 , puts a feather in the
cap of Geo. D. Bennett , secretary ot
the state board of assessment. This
plan of assessment was dug out bj
Bennett a year or so ago , after various-
plans were tried out to get a just as
sessment of this class of property. The
grain men iicked on the plan and
many of the assessors believed if
wrong , but Bennett held on to it , au
thorized the county assessors to work
under it , and finally he has been sus
tained by the supreme court.
* i > #
Deputy County Attorney Foster , o
Douglas county , has written to the le
gal department of the state asking :
how to arrange the constitutiona -
amendment proposition on the vc
machines. In his letter Mr. F . .
asks what can be done and then sayt-
it is impossible to put "for" an < T
"against" side by side on the machine.
Inasmuch as the legal department of
Douglas county has the machine be
fore it and is supposed to have some.
legal knowledge regarding the election
law , the state legal department is at a
jjloss to know what to answer , for
, the problem cannot be solved
Douglas county , it is hard for the state
attorneys to figure it out.
The federal grand jury made its re
port Monday morning and was dis
charged. Twenty-seven indictments
were returned , but the court refused'
to make public any of the Indictment ?
except those returned for illegal salei
of liquor. The most important r.re'
held back until arrests are made.It
is understood , however , that C. T.
Stewart , of Council Bluffs , has als f
been indicted for complicity In lan < ,
entries in McPherson county.
The interest on delinquent .
paid into the state treasury every yeas
has become an important item in the.
state's finances. The average amount -
of penalties paid In for the negligence >
of people in not paying their taxes
when due is § 39,049. This is the.
amount of Interest collected in 1903
and is said to be about the average
for the last few years.
* * *
S. JJaseba , a member of the parlia
ment of Japan , arrived in Lincoln last
week , accompanied by his secretary. "
Yamachita Y. Bryan , and the two'
gentlemen were entertained at dinner-
by Mr. and Mrs. William J. Bryan at
their home at Fair-view. Mr. Haseba ,
Is making a tour of this country.
Yamachita Y. Bryan Is the young Japi-
anese protege of Mr. Bryan , who camj
to Lincoln six years ago and made hla
home with the
Eryans four years.
adopting their name. He left for Ja
pan two years ago after
scouring a de-
from the University of Hebraska