Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1895-02-01
PIERRE POrPOURRI.
An Interesting Batch of miscellaneous
Items From the Capital.

An Interesting Batch of miscellaneous
Items From the Capital.
PIERRE, Jan. 24.-The artesian we'll
at this place is certain to prove a valu-
able acquisition to Pierre. 1t is full
of gas, and by touching match to the
water as it comes from the faucets a
bright flame burns from the water.
They have now arranged itso that they
can separate the gas from the
water to small extent, and the Locke
hotel has q tube with small jets ar
ranged in the lobby fireplace, from
which beautiful fire burns, throwing
out much heat When they thorough
ly understand the method of saving
the gas from the water, the city of
Pierre will have ample gas for heating
purposes as we'll as lighting.
AS an intimation of what this legis-
lature is likely to do along the line of
economy, the fate of the bill for taking
the census this year is a fair illus
tration. It was at first supposed that
a very modest appropriation was
being asked for as it remained for the
county assessor to take the census at
the same time they make the assess
ment, and they accordingly only asked
for 5000 for making the computation
of the returns and having them printed.
The appropriation committee of the
senate, however, decided that the
clerical force of the auditors Office
must do the work, and that it was not
necessary to have SO many copies of
the census returns printed as the bill
calls for, SO they recommended the
reduction of the amount from $1,000
to 1880, and it will probably SO pass.
This is but one instance of the pairing
that is going on.
There is some talk of an early ad-
journment of the legislature, but it is
hardly expected that the work neces-
sary to be accomplished can be done
much short of the constitutional limit
of time. The demand for rigid
economy, small appropriations, ETC.,
requires more time for reconsideration of
the various perplexing questions that
arise, than would be otherwise required.
To make 100000 do what $4,000 has
heretofore done is problem that
puzzles the wisest, and accordingly
takes much time to solve. Many
people want the same garments that
other legislatures have given them,
while there isn't half as much cloth on
hand from which to cut the garments.
Therefore more time is required of
those who are expected to satisfy all
the demands.
Senator MCGEE has intoduced bill
granting power to the courts of the
state to hear, try and determine prose-
cutions, upon information for crimes,
misdemeanors and offences, and the
abolition of grand juries except in
certain cases.
Mesdames Cranmer and Simmons,
two of the most brilliant and indefati-
gable workers in the west, are here in
the interest of the w. G. r. u. to aid in
defeating resubmission, but their
labors were in vain. These ladies
held services in the house of represen-
tatives last evening, Mrs. Cranmer de-
livering the address of the evening,
making strong, eloquent, and i'm
pressive plea against resubmission-
not that they feared defeat of prohi-
bition before the people, but that the
people did not vote, only one-half of
them having that privilege, and that
it was unjust and cruel to force upon
the people during these panicky times
one of the fiercest contests ever brought
upon the people through the ballot
box. The house was crowded and all
seemed to enjoy the eloquent words
of this gifted lady.
We believe there is more anxiety
over the possibility of closing the
state institutions than the condition
justifies. True, it is most embarrassing
that the treasury is SO depleted but
there are some counties and school
districts in the state that are deeper in
debt than South Dakota is. The draw
back at this time is in the scarcity of
capital that is seeking investment in
the west, but monied men are already
here looking over the situation and
express great confidence in being able
to take up all warrants that the state
may issue, and with general cutting
down of expenses the state will lleventu.
ally come out in good shape. There is
now general belief that considerable
money will be realized from the bonds.
men of defaulter Taylor.
When the resubmission question was
up for consideration in the senate the
speeches were decidedly interesting
upon both sides. Senator McGee
made a very able and eloquent plea
against resubmission and, evidently in