The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1890-01-31
Pierre Notes.
spccial Corrcepondcnce to The srAn

Of interest to the readers Of the STAR
will 10 the information that a memori-
al to congress has been introduced in
the State Senate asking for the estab-
lishment of national Soldiers home at
Hot Springs. 1t is understood that
Senator Moody has signi6ed his willing
ness to champion such measure in the
United States Senate. Unqnestionably
the United States could not select bet
ter place for a National Soldiers home.
DR.. Stewart, senator for the 41st dis
trict and a resident Of Hot
Springs. is the father of this bill, and
with DIR. Stewards energy behind it, it
is practically sure top pass.
Economy or the cry of economy is
heard on every hand, and it looks as if
every Office that can lie dispensed with
will get knocked out. 1t looks decided
ly as if the railroad commission, veteri-
nary surgeon, commissioner of emigra-
ton, and public examiner would have
to go.
A bill has been introduced which
provides for the taxation of railroads.
Representative Godard's bill defining
trusts and providing penalties for con-
nection with them isa pretty stringent
measure, nevertheless it should become
law. Itprovides thatany corporation
that violates the provisions of the act
shall forfeit its charter. Penalties are
not less than $50 nor more than $4,000
and imprisonment of not less than one
nor more than ten years.
A bill making the railroad commits
sioner's election for terms of two, four,
and six years has been introduced in
the legislature: also one fixing the rate
Of passenger traffic at three cents per
mile.
The silence of death fell all over the
house when a member from kingsbury
county introduced bill on Saturday
last prohibiting county, state, or muni-
ciN;al officers from accepting railroad
passes. Mr.. Schuanhcr from Yankton
was the first man to recover from the
shock and he straightway moved that
the bill I've refused 10y the house. The
backing he had when the question was
put will make it necessary for agreat
number OF mcmbcrs to explain this vote
when they return to the home shire.
The house did not vote to abolish the
Office of railroad commission when the
bill came up for passage. The measure
was valicntly championcd by Col. Park.
er and MIR. Gordon.two lawyers, aclass
of men that don't usually get credit fo,
being economists, but nevertheless the
economic house did not vote for its re-
peal.
Our inside pages this week contain
accounts of natural gas explosions a,
Columbus. Ohio, and P,ttsburs, Pa.
resulting in much injury of person
and loss of life. Apropcs to the occ:l-
sion we publish the following extract
from the recent issue of the Popula.
Science Monthly, the theories of scien.
tific men OH the danger involved in
boring into the earth for natural gas
Prof. Joseph r. Jones assumes the
earth to be a hollow sphere filled with
a gaseous substance, called by us nat.
aral gas, and he thinks that tapping
these reservoirs will cause disastrous
explosions, resulting from the lighted
gas coming in contact with that which
is escaping. He compares the earth te
a balloon tioated and kept distcnded by
the gas IN the interior. which, if ex.
hausted, will cause the crust to col
lapse, affect the motion of the earth in
it's orbit, cause it to lose its place
among the heavenly bodies. and fall III
pieces.
Another writer thinks that drilling
should be prohibited by stringent laws
He, too. thinks there is possibility Of
an explosion, though from another
cause. Should such disaster occur
the country along the gas belt from
Toledo through Ohio, Indiana ant
Kentucky will be ripped up to til,
depth of 1900 or 1900 feet, and tloppe(
over like q pancake. leaving a chasn
through which the waters of Lake Fri,
will come down, filling the Ohio ant
Mississippi valleys and blotting then
ont forever.
Still another theorist has investiyat
ed the gas wells with telephones an,
delicate thermometers, and he an
. nounses startling discoveries. lie dis
tingulslled sounds like the boiling O
rocks. and estimated that mile an,
a half or so beneath the Ohio and In
diana gas field, the temperature of TIL
earth is $500 degrees.
The scientist says an immense cavit
exists, and that here the gas is stored
that a mile below the bottom of til
cavity is q mass of roaring, seethin
fame. which is gradually eating int
the rock floor Of the cavern and thin,
ming IL. Eventually tim flames w;I