The Valentine Democrat
Valentine , Neb.
I. M. Rice. Publisher
; PROBE CAR SHORTAGE
MATTER TAKEN UP BY COM-
3IEKCE COMMISSION.
Agents Already Gathering Evidence
on the Complaint of Farmers that
Other Traffic is Given Preference
Over Grain.
The car shortage throughout the
United States will be investigated by
the interstate commerce commission.
Commissioner Franklin K. Lane , who
has been looking into this subject , said
.Monday that the commission would
take up the situation in the northwest
first. Agents are now in that section
investigating complaints against the
-wheat carrying roads. Farmers in
many states have reported that the
railroads are preferring other traffic
and that they are unable to get their
grain to market in time to share in
the high prices now being paid in
Minneapolis and Chicago.
The commission has issued a circu
lar asking the grain growers to sub
mit specific information regarding the
amount of freight offered for ship
ment and the reasons given for not
transporting it.
Acting on reports submitted by the
interstate commerce commission Attorney -
-torney General Moody has directed
that suits be brought against a large
number of additional railroad compa
nies to recover penalties for violations
of the safety appliance law through
failure to keep their equipment in
proper condition. The attorney gen
eral recently issued a similar order di
recting suits against a large number
of other roads.
A mass meeting of orange growers
-was held at Lindsay , Cal. , Saturday to
devise ways and means to induce the
Southern Pacific company to furnish
cars for the transportation of oranges
to eastern markets. The car shortage
was considered and it was the unani
mous opinion that the railroad com-
tpany had no excuse for its failure to
handle the business offered. A com
mittee was appointed to secure legal
advice and consider the proposition of
taking the matter before the interstate
commerce commission so that action
may be taken by congress at once
should the commission find legislation
necessary.
CAPTURED AFTER A FIGHT.
J
Texas Robber is Believed to Be Mor
tally Wounded.
After a desperate fight with officers
during which he was shot several
times and wounded several of his pur
suers , A. R. Sibley , the sheep buyer
who is alleged to have murdered and
robbed B. M. Cawthorn and W. Eal-
ston and another rancher , on three
successive days in Valverde county ,
Texas , was captured Saturday night in
the mountains near Sanderson , and is
now in jail at El Paso , believed to be
mortally wrounded.
The circumstances attending the
murders are said to have been almost
identiacl. Sibley purchased large
'herds ' from his alleged victims. In
, each case the rancher delivered the
stock at Del Rio , received a check ,
which he promptly cashed , and later
'was ' found murdered and robbed. The
murders , which caused intense excite-
II dnent , were first attributed to a feel
ing growing out of the arrest of alleged - '
leged revolutionists. The disappear
ance of Sibley directed suspicion to-
tward him , and he was pursued. He
was overtaken in the hills , and a des-
iperate fight followed. He was not tak
en until after he had wounded several
'of the pursuers and had been rendered -
; dered helpless by his own wounds.
HE THREATENED HARRIMAN.
Washington Man is Arrested and
Found to Be Insane.
Brooke Macall , aged 60 years , a
well known retired real estate man ,
was arrested at his home in Washington -
; ton , D. C. , Sunday because of threats
( he is alleged to have made against
jPresident E. H. Harriman and other
officials of the Union Pacific railroad.
'He ' was examined by police surgeons
and adjudged insane.
When searched a threatening letter
addressed to President Harriman waa
found. According to the police Ma-
call has been making complaint for
weeks that he lost thousands of dol-
jlars on account of the change of pres-
iidency of the Illinois Centra" ! railroad.
New Turbine Steamer Launched.
The Tale , the second ocean going
turbine steamship to be built in this
county , was launched Saturday at
( Roach's ship yard in Chester , Pa.
Sioux City Live Stock Market.
Saturday's quotations on the Sioux
City live stock market follow : Top
( beeves , $6.25. Top hogs , $6.10.
Aged Artist Dead.
Prof. Ferdinand D. Lee Boyle , an
artist of sarier times , died in Brook-
jlyn Sunday of pneumonia. He was
Jborn in Ringwood , Hampshire. England -
land , eighty-seven years ago.
Dr. Lapponl in Critical Condition.
The condition of Dr. Lapponi , of
/Rome / , physician , to the pope , is grow-
jing more serious. He now has a fever ,
.apparently caused by the beginning of ;
( blood poisoning.
USED IOWA SOLDIERS.
Many Involved in Nebraska Land
Fraud Cases.
An effort was made at Omaha Fri
day by the defense in the Richard-
Comstock land fraud trial in the Unit
ed State district court to discredit one
of the government witnesses , Irving D.
EIull , of Mirage , who announced him
self as a professional land locator. It
was claimed by the defense that Hull's
testimony was given in consideration
of his Immunity from prosecution on
'charges in connection with the land
fraud cases. Hull admitted having
been arrested and bound over to the
grand jury by a United State commis-
Bioner , but said no indictment was
found against him arid that he was
not promised immunity.
Hull's testimony developed an
Agreement between himself and Thos.
M. Huntlngton to secure soldiers' fil
ings. The soldiers were to be given
$300 for their land after proving up.
Preparatory to final proof they were
to lease the land to Comstock and
Huntlngton was to get $100 for each
tease , and out of this $100 the ex
penses and improvements were to be
paid for. When final proof was com
pleted the consideration for each sec
tion was to be $600. Three hundred
dollars of this was to go to the soldier
and the other was to be divided be
tween Huntington and James Hull , a
brother of the witness.
Hull testified to meeting Huntington
at Norfolk about the middle of June ,
1904. He said :
"We talked about securing old sol-
fliers to file on government land. He
wanted me to get all I could and have
the men on the land the day the Kln-
kaid law went into effect. He said ar
rangements had been made whereby
he could place all the filings he could
get. He preferred soldiers who had
the longest service in the army , be
cause they could prove up sooner. He
said he had a talk with my brother ,
James J. Hull , a few days before , and
I being an old soldier he thought 1
could get old soldiers to file better
than he. He said a man named Comstock -
stock would place the filings. The
agreement was that the soldiers were
to go out to the land , make a lease
of it , and when it was made out he
would pay $100 , the filing expenses to
be taken out of the lease money and
*
the balance of the proceeds of the
$100 would go to Hunting and my
brother.
ADMIT THE ARE GUILTY.
ITiree Chicago Teamster Leaders En
ter Pleas.
Albert Young , former president of
Jhe teamsters' union ; William Kelly ,
business agent of the coal teamsters'
union , and William Murphy , said to be
a member of the "wrecking crew , "
on trial with Cornelius P. Shea , on the
charge of conspiracy connected with
the teamsters' 'strike in 1905 , entered
pleas of guilty in Chicago .Friday.
All the men declared their intention
of turning state's evidence. The inci
dent caused intense excitement in the
court room and took the other defend
ants completely by surprise.
After Young , Kelly and Murphy had
entered pleas of guilty it was an
nounced Joseph Schultz , who is said to
have been one of the "body guard"
of President Shea during the strike ,
will also turn state's evidence.
SAW THEIR WAY TO LIBERTY.
Ten Persons in the Jail at Long Island
City Escape.
Ten of the most desperate prisoners
In the county jail at Long Island City
escaped from that institution early
Friday and are still at large.
The prisoners sawed the bars of
their cells and of a window opening
Into the corridor of the jail. Once in
the yard they had only to climb a
fence and were free.
The delivery was not discovered un
til four hours after it had been effect
ed.
Philipine Hospital Tragedy.
A dispatch was received at the war
flepartment Friday from Gov. Gen.
Smith , of the Philippine islands , say
ing that the deaths at Manila of ten
BHibad prisoners , inoculated with an
ti-cholera serum , are believed to have
been caused by the act of a visitor in
misplacing a bottle of plague culture
with anti-cholera serum.
Express Agent Held for Rohhery.
C. E. Adams , agent at Kayford , W.
Va. , has been arrested charged with
the robbery of the express office at
that place last Saturday morning
when over $6,000 was stolen. Assist
ant Agent Disbar was also arrested as
an accomplice. Seven hundred dollars
lars , supposed to be part of the money
lost , was found in Adams' house.
Tragedy of Dakota Plains.
Vincent Spilner , his wife and two
children , of Wells county , N. D. , lost
their way while driving home from a
neighbor's. Mr. Spilner and.one child
were frozen to death , while Mrs. Spil
ner is in a precarious condition.
Congressman-Elect Garvey Dead.
Richard J. Garvey , representative-
lect in the Second Missouri district ,
Is dead of pneumonia , aged 42.
Oil Men Fined for Sabbath Breaking.
Twenty-five employes of the Stand
ard Oil company arrested last Sunday
at Decatur , Ind. , for working on the
Sabbath were Friday convicted and
fined , the total of the fines and costs
amounting to $245.
3Iany Killed in Peasant Riot.
An agrarian riot broke , out Friday
it Vetroff , Russia. The rioters looted
the communal granary. The police
guard fired a volley , killing and
wounding many peasants.
JAPAN GROSS ALARM.
Military Activity In Korea Cause.1/
Uneasiness.
Active military preparations are be
ing made by Japanese in northern
Korea , according to advices received
at Victoria , B. C. , by the steamer An-
tilochus , which arrived Thursday
from Liverpool and the orient , with
the object of the enforcement of Ko
rea's claim in the dispute between
China and Korea with regard to the
ownership of Kando , the island prov
ince enclosed by the headwaters ot
the Tumen and Yalu rivers. Advices
from Vladivostok say the military
preparations are causing alarm there.
The Korean Daily News says : %
"The military activity of the Japan
ese in north Korea certainly in a
measure justifies these apprehensions.
Light railroads , built from the coast
to the central frontier , and posting
stations similar to those which were
established on the roads from Fusan
to Seoul previous to the last war have
been built every three miles along the
road connecting the east and west
coasts. The existence of large garri
sons in the north , the frequent arriv
al of Japanese troops on the east coast
and Gen. Hazzewa's recent tour of in
spection all offer excuses for the fears
of the Vladivostok people. "
The Korean paper believes the pre
parations Indicate Japan's intention to
pick a quarrel with China regarding
the ownership of Kando.
ZION CITY OWES MILLIONS.
All the Interests of the Church Are to
Be Assigned to Creditors.
Announcement is made that John
Alexander Dowie , Wilbur Voliva and
the leaders of Zion are willing to as
sign all the interests of the church to
the city's creditors. Henceforth Zion's
factories will be administered by a
board of directors consisting of seven
members , headed by Receiver John
C. Hately. Its constitution will include
three capitalists who are not followers
of Dowie's faith , and this , is is believ
ed , will insure the disinterested man
agement of the affairs.
The indebtedness of Zion City , it is
said , amounts to approximately $6-
000,000 , distributed among Zionists
throughout the world , owners of the
land on which the city is built , and
small individual holders of Zion pa
per.
FATALLY SHOT BY ROBBER.
Bogus Customer Turns Weapon on
Proprietor of Hardware Store.
W. L. Dilworth , proprietor of the
Dllworth Hardware company store at
Oklahoma City , Okla. , was shot and
probably fatally wounded Thursday
morning by a man in an attempt to
rob the store. The robber escaped.
A stranger entered the store and ask
ed to see a revolver. He then asked
for cartridges , which he put into the
revolver and turned it on the clerk ,
telling him to hold up his hands and
turn over the cash in the drawer. Mr.
Dilworth , happening in at the moment ,
was also told to hold up his hands.
Thinking it a joke Dilworth laughed
at him , when the man began to shoot.
Two shots took effect , one in Dil-
worth's wrist , the other in his side
It is believed Dilworth cannot live.
WAR OF 200 YEARS ENDS.
Holland Finally Conquers Rebels in
South Celebs.
Holland's in
two-century-old war
South Celebs has finally ended. Aftei
a siege of many months the Holland
ers captured the mountain fortress ol
Barupu , where the rebels made their
last stand. This was almost like an
eagle's nest impregnable , almost in
accessible and impossible of being
taken by storm. The Hollanders made
a cordon , seeking to prevent supplies
reaching the rebels , and finally the
rebel leaders , seeing that further re
sistance meant annihilation , surren
dered with 900 men. The insurrec
tion in South Celebs will end with thi ?
surrender.
Twelve- Hours as Working Day.
The Russian Emperor Friday ap
proved the resolution by the council
of ministers fixing twelve hours as a
working day , including two hours foi
meals in all industrial establishments.
This law will become operative sb
weeks after its promulgation.
Fire Threatens Roosevelt Home.
President Roosevelt's slimmer home
on Sagamore Hill , N. Y. , was threat
ened with destruction by a forest fire
which swept over Copper bluff. A
fortunate change in the wind , how
ever , turned the fiames and they were
finally subdued.
Preaches to Insane ; Goes Insane.
The Rev. Wilbur Hayes , of Amable ,
111. , was adjudged insane and sent to
the Jacksonville asylum. He was
stricken with epilepsy following a six
year pastorate in Wisconsin , where he
preached once a week in an epileptic
hospital.
Chicago Steel Freighter Launched.
The 440 foot steel freighter , John
Mitchell , built for C. W. Elphickle , of
Chicago , was launched at St. Glair ,
Mich. , Wednesday. It was christened
by Miss Isabella Mitchell , of Cleve
land.
Senator Smoot's Niece Weds.
Miss Virginia Lee Smoot , niece of
United States Senator Smoot , of Pitts-
burg , Pa. , were married Thursday
night by Rev. J. L. Brandt , pastor of
the First Christian church of St
Louis , her residence.
Australia to Attack Oil Trust.
It is rumored at Melbourne that the
federal government contemplates
prosecuting the Australian represent
ative of the American Oil company
combine under the anti-trust act
STATE OF NEBEASKA
NEWS OF TIIE WEEK IX A CON
DENSED FORM.
Sack of Old Coins is Dug Up Money
Buried Half Century Ago Is Found
Near Rule Dates of Money Ranged
from 1729 to 1858.
William Evans , of Rule , while dig
ging near the Rule elevator , discover
ed a small sack of old money. He
was widening the ditch that leads
the 'surplus water from the engine
room , when his spade struck a hard
substance. H. H. Mann , the general
manager , examined it and found it
was two 50-cent pieces that had be
come stuck together by mud. Digging
still deeper , he dug up a small sack
containing about $25 in money , mostly
in small pieces , dimes , half dimes , dollars
lars , half dollars , quarters and a few
$2.50 gold pieces. Some Spanish and
Mexican coins were mixed with It. The
dates of the coins varied from 1729 to
1858. One gold piece bore the latter
date and was as bright as though new.
The corners were sharp , as if it had
"
been handled but little. This money
was probably buried in the sixties ,
during the Jayhawker times there.
Mr. Easly , a retired merchant of
Rule , used to live in a house that was
'located ' over this spot. Mr. Randolph
lived there later , but when the $1,000-
000 bridge was built this house was
moved to make way for the laying of
the new road bed. There was a cellar
under this and the grade thrown up
went down to. it , and indications go to
show that this money was hidden or
buried in this cellar. One piece of sil
ver , as large as the bottom of a tea
cup , bore the words , "Peru , M. J. "
The dates represent nearly every
year from 1729 to 1858 and their val
ue , according to the prices advertised
by buyers of rare coins , will perhaps
amount to several hundred dollars.
WOMAN KILLED NEAR BLAIR.
Mrs. Catherine Hendricks Thrown
from Buggy and Dies.
Mrs. Catherine Hendricks , a widow ,
aged 79 , was killed and Mrs. Kate
Hendricks , widow of her deceased son ,
severely injured in an accident on a
road four miles northeast of Blair
Thursday morning.
They were driving to town , when
their horse became frightened at an
automobile driven by C. A. Hoff , of
Blair. The animal turned sharply ,
throwing the woman from the buggy ,
and then stood still. Mr. Hoff lifted
the women into the automobile and
took them to. the home of Hans An
derson , with whom they resided. The
elder Mrs. Hendricks died a few min
utes after reaching home , her back
having been broken. The collar bone
of the younger woman was broken
and she was severely bruised.
No blame is attached to the a'uto-
mobilist , who stopped his machine as
soon as he saw the horse was fright
ened.
TO FIGHT DIVORCE.
Mrs. Sample Unwilling to Release Ne
braska Husband.
Mrs. Susan O. Sample , of Boston ,
has retained counsel to fight the suit
for divorce brought by her husband ,
Thomas Sample , of Beatrice. She
came here last August with her three
children after her husband's alleged
desertion of her , and was surprised
to learn a few weeks later that he had
obtained a divorce from her in South
Dakota. She immediately secured
counsel and succeeded in having the
decree set aside. Sample has now
brought suit for another divorce in or
der to remarry Mrs. Grace Rackley , of
Beatrice , whom he had married im
mediately after the Dakota divorce.
Fire at Arcadia.
The Hotel Robinson was totally de
stroyed by fire at Arcadia. How the
fire started is unknown. The build
ing was well in flames before the
alarm was given and chance to save it
was so meager that no attempt was
made to get out some of the furniture
and but a small part of that was sav
ed. AH the guests were safely out of
the building , although some of them
lost their clothing. The insurance is
14,000 and the loss about $5,000.
Son of Rich Man a Forger.
Ed Elmerdorff , .who claims to be
the son of C. H. Elmerdorff , a wealthy
stockman of Lincoln , and the grand
son of George W. Frank , a New York
millionaire , is under arrest in Sioux I
City for forgery. Elmerdorff confess
ed his guilt. He forged the name of
Postmaster G. R. Badgerow to a
check for $40 , but the fraud was detected - ! j
tected when the check was presented.
Missing Girl Not Yet Found.
Viola Ayers , 14 years old , myste
riously disappeared at Waterloo ,
Douglas county , on the night of Nov.
16. Search has been made by the
citizens there and the police and
probation officers in Omaha , but no
v.racc of her has been found as yet.
Increase in Pay of Teachers.
Reports of county superintendents
filed with State Superintendent Mej j i
Brien indicate the average salary of
teachers during the last year has been
$47. In Pawnee county every teach
er received on an average an increase
of $5 a month.
John J. Trompcn Dead.
John J. Trompen , a pioneer resident
of Lancaster county and ex-sheriff and
ex-state senator , died Wednesday
aight at Colorado Springs , Colo.
Burlington Pays Taxes.
The Buffalo county treasurer has re
ceived a check from the Burlington
railroad fer the sum of $7,524.27 in
payment of the taxes of the road for
the year $1906. Of this amount $1-
909.84 was paid under protest , leaving
$5,614.43 as the sum the road consid
ers its just tax.
Lyons Wins Two Games.
The Lyons team defeated the Blair
Commercial college basketball five at
Lyons Tuesday night , 31 to 17. Lyons
.high . school defeated Liberty , 17 to 1G.
HARDSHIP TO HOKSS OWNERS.
State Official Lacks Frr.cls to Investi
gate Cases cf Glanders.
Although several horse owners in
the state are chafing under the restric
tions of quarantine established by
State Veterinarian C. A. McKim , there
seems to tre no prospect of speedy re
lief , as the expense account of the de
partment has been overdrawn and Dr.
McKim will have to pay his own ex
penses if he visits his patients and
withdraws the restrictions. At Wil-
sonville , St. Edwards and Monowi ,
horses have been placed under strict
quarantine because of exposure to tha
glanders. The veternarian expected
to visit them this week , but when he
found out the condition of his appro
priation he changed his mind.
No legal manner In which the ban
can b'e raised from these horses which
have been ordered into confinement
can be figured out unless the owners
offer to pay the veterinarian's ex
penses. He will not release them by
mail because he has no idea whether
they have developed the disease or not.
If the horsemen take the matter In
th.eir own hands and use the animalq
again without the approval of the
state veterinary department they lay
themselves liable to the law.
The appropriation for the veterinary
department for the last bienaium waa
$4,400 , which is $600 less than that of
the two previous years. This came
aobut because Dr. Thomas turned
back $600 of his appropriation of $5-
000. Of the $4,400 , the salary of the
chief amounted to $3,000 , while $400
goes to assistants with $500 for each
year for expenses. The state auditor
has even refused to allow the assist
ants their expenses. Several of the
warrants for this item are now "held
up" in the office of Mr. Searle.
Dr. McKim consulted Gov. Mickey
Tuesday afternoon and was directed
to incur no expenses , as the governor
does not wish to report a deficiency in
the department.
SAMPLE GETS DIVORCE AGAIN.
Beatrice Man May Now Marry His
Wife a Second Time.
Thos. Sample was Saturday grant
ed a divorce from his first wife , Mrs.
S. O. Sample , of Boston , by Judga
Kelligar at Beatrice. This Is the second
end time the same couple have been
divorced. The former decree was is
sued about a year ago and Sample
soon afterwards married Mrs. Grace
Rackley of Beatrice. The decree was
then set aside , making Sample the
husband of two wives.
The case came up for hearing Sat
urday to determine whether the first
decree should have been granted or
not , and the first Mrs. Sample resist
ed her husband's effort to secure re
lease. Since the setting aside of the
decree Sample and his second wife
have been livingapart , fearing a com
plaint of bigamy would be instituted
against them. The decree granted
simplifies the tangle considerably , and
Sample and Mrs. Rackley will now be
married again , the former marriage
having been annulled.
GOES FOR KIDNAPED BOY.
Father Takes the Little One with Him
to Baltimore.
Sheriff James Dunkel left Tuesday
for Baltimore where L. Winakur , a
traveling man , is held on the charge
of kidnaping a 12-year-old boy , the
son of Mrs. Bruner , head waitress ol
the Koehler hotel , formerly of Lin
coln. It is stated that the man was
attached to the child and held out to
it that he could secure for it a better
home. Letters from the boy after he
had reached Baltimore indicated that
he desired to come home and his
mother should be quick to
act as the man was going to
take him farther away. Mrs. Bruner
was almost frantic at the loss of the
boy and upon hearing from him Sher
iff Dunkel immediately telegraphed
to have the boy and the man in whoso
company he would be found , held.
CAN DRINK , BUT NOT TREAT.
Liquor Drummer Victim of Long Un
used Section of Slocum Law.
After lying dormant for nearly
twenty years , the anti-treating section
of the Slocum liquor law was revived
at the cillage of Dorchester.
A representative of a Kansas City li
quor house named Mitchell , who treat
ed some of his customers and others ,
was arrested and fined $50 and costs.
It was the first conviction under the
statute.
Alleged Safe Blowers Arrested.
After a week's chase for the Gallo
way safe wreckers , Sheriff Richardson
and Deputy Thompson arrested J. R.
Goddard and his son , Earl , nine miles
south of Gandy , whom they think
constitute part of the gang. Young
Howard , a sweetheart of Goddard's
daughter , also thought to be implicat
ed , succeeded in getting away , while
another son of Goddard is reported to
have been arrested at North Platte.
Nebraska Winter Corn Show.
The fifth annual winter corn show ,
conducted by the Nebraska Corn Im
provers' association , will be held at
Lincoln , Jan. 14 to IS , 1907. All corn
growers in the state are urged to take
part. An exhibit will consist of twen
ty ears , ten of which will be judged.
After the show all prize corn will be
sold at auction for the benefit of the
association.
Shot His Heel Off.
Jim Stanley , of Auburn , while out
hunting met with a serious accident
recently. While carrying his shotgun
it in some way was accidentally dis
charged and the full load of shot en
tered his heel , thus necessitating the
amputation of the entire back part of
the foot. It is hoped the balance of
the foot * will be saved.
Depot at Alliance Burned.
The Burlington depot was entirely
destroyed by fire early Saturday morn
ing. This is the second fire in this
depot since last April , when the second
floor was destroyed and nearly all rec
ords were lost. An entirely modern
depot will be built as soon as the ma
terial 'arrives.
Standard Oil Depot.
The1 Standard Oil company has de
cided to make Schuyler a distributin'
point of oil and gasoline and will plac
t inks for the purpose east of he city.
Advance sheets from the biennial
report of Land Commissioner H. M.
Eaton convey the information that
the state of Nebraska In the last two-
years has sold 78,617 acres of school
land for the sum of 51,235.697.71.
This is equivalent to an average of
$15.72 per acre , or more than twice
the minimum figure of . , $7 as fixed by
the state constitution. The lands are
scattered over sixty or more counties
in the state. As originally appraised ,
the school acreage disposed of during
the biennium was given a valuation ot
$983,566.31. The practice of review
ing appraisements resulted in raising
that sum by $252.131.40 , or 27 pet
cent. Some of the tracts , however
were increased 200 per cent above th
first valuation. The prices received by
the .state ranged up to $65 per acre.
Knox county is the banner one fez
acreage that passed from the stata
to private hands , the sales there ag
gregating 6,032 acres. It also led tfi"e
list in the amount of money received ,
which was $105,342. Some of the oth
er counties where the volume of sale *
reached an extensive total were : Dawson -
son , 5,009 acres , sold for $77.128 ; An
telope , 4,400 acres , sold for $72.940.
No land was sold 'in a number ot
eastern counties where the school do
main has been practically exhausted ,
except for lands held by the state sub.
ject to lease only. .Among these coun
ties were Richardson , Nemaha. Otoe ,
Johnson , Douglas , Dodge and Cuming ;
In western Nebraska many counties
are not represented in the list because
the land they contain has not yet risen
in value to $7 per acre , -which is the
least that the state can accept for it
Hayes , Perkins , Cheyenne , Kimball ,
Banner , Cherry and others In thi >
class. This district may be said to in
clude about all of the North Platt *
country west of Holt and Custer coun
ties. Applications have been approv
ed for the sale of 12,013.07 acres foi-
which contracts are not yet issued.
These lands were appraised at $154-
367.06 , and have been revalued foi
sale at $195,777.72 , an increase oj ;
$41,410.66. Applications to purchase
11,780.30 acres have been rejected by.
the board on account of low appraise
ments. They were listed at $136-
45568 , and valued by the department
at. $205,816.70 , an increase of $ K9- ,
361.02.
* * *
The fifth annual winter corn show\
conducted by the Nebraska Corn Im
provers' association , will be held at-
Lincoln , Jan. 14 and 15 , 1907. All
corn growers in the state are urged to
take part. An exhibit will consist ot
twenty ears , ten of which will be judg
ed. After the show all prize corn will
be sold at auction for the benefit ol'
the association. Last year the first'
prize corn brought $40 , or at the rata
of $100 per buhsel , the highest price
on record ever paid for seed corn. Aa
usual a number of valuable cash and-
special prizes will be offered. A special -
cial two days' program will be given ,
with lectures by experts and practical1
corn growers. A big corn show and ;
good meetings are assured and every
corn grower in the state should help
push it along. For further particulars , .
programs and instructions for selec
tion and showing corn address thn-
secretary , E. G. Montgomery. Station-
A , Lincoln , Neb.
* * *
The telephone war in Lincoln has-
reached huge proportions and thr
mails are flooded each day with liter
ature from each of the companies. Aaa -
a result of the agitation , the commer
cial club has appointed a committee
to investigate the increase made by-
the Lincoln company in its rates to see
whether the increase was made to
enrich the stockholders and directors
or to keep up the present service and
Improve It. .Both sides are alleging
misrepresentation. The Nebraska
company has reduced its rates in order
to cut in on the Lincoln company ,
which raised its charges. In the long-
run , the people here expect to reap-
some benefit by the fight.
* * *
The biennial report by John L' .
Pierce , insurance deputy , shows that
327 insurance companies are dolrrg :
business in Nebraska at this time.
The total premiums received In Ne
braska by all classes of companies ir *
1904 was $9,030,559 , and in 1905 $9-
866,832. The total losses paid by all
classes of companies in 1904 was $3 -
808,958 and in 1905 $4,535,229.
The state library is crowded Into-
quarters fit for a library one-third the-
size , and it is absolutely unprotected
from fire. Many of the offices have no
water at all in them and the only safeguard -
guard from fire , except the city fire de
partment , is a tank on top of the-
building , but the hose to he connected"
with this tank has
not been located so-
far as anyone knows.
* * *
The state board of public lands and ?
buildings , with Mr. Mortensen absent ,
decided to readvertise for hids for pa
pering and painting the senate cham
ber and the house of representatives.
The bill will be paid out of the fund , '
? et aside for the maintenance and re-
nair of the state capitol. The contract
let to the Lincoln Wall Paper com-
oany was reconsidered officially.
* * *
Warden Beemer is going to recom
mend that every convict released fromt
the state penitentiary be sent back to
the place from which they were sen-j
tenced or given sufficient money to
take them there. It fs said he wiltf
also recommend in his report to the *
eovernor that the death penalty
abolished.
A bill will be introduced in the leg-
'slature to increase the pay of legisla
tes. Mike Lee , of Douglas county. '
-vill be its author. While here several
- ays ago Mr. Lee said there was no *
" 'oubt a 'law. would be enacted to pre-
"ent the giving or taking cf. railroad1
- asses , and because of srooh a law th&
xpenses of the ordinary legislator
vould be greatly increased , and there-3 -
* - re he should have more nay to makfr
' th ends meet. So far there has not )
en any appropriations to pay the !
ailroad fare of legislators to ancT
from home except one return trip.