Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-09-04

grOunu
Mccarthy & Newman seem to have
clncl on the dirt filling business for
the public school grounds. How about
that investigation by the board? Did
1t hzzle out?
Prosperity has struck the telegraph
companies. Not since $500 have the
reports from the test offices shown q
volume Of business I'm excess Of that
Of the last six weeks. The Postal Tel.
agrnph.Cable company reports n mark.
cd increase In Its local business. and
the Western Union officials say bust.
ness has been better during the last
six weeks than In the corresponding
six weeks Of 1893. during the Worlds
Fair.
Telegraph companies come into con.
tact with the trading world as no
other Institution does. and for that
reason are In II position to note the
first Indications of better times.
The sudden boom In the telegraph
business began with the passage Of
the tariff bill. As soon ~ that uncer.
tainty was removed from the business
world confidence began to return and
trade revive.
Colonel Il. G. ClOwry. superintendent
Of the Western Union. and l.. ID. Par.
ker. Of the Postal Telegraph company.
say TINT indications point to a marked
increase Of the volume Of business this
fall.
A dispatch from springfield, dated
Sept. I. says: ine State Board Of
Equalization held an uneventful SEES.
sion this morning and. without trans.
acting any business, adjourned 70 1O
o'clock next Tuesday morning. The
Railroad Committee held a meeting. ut
which arguments were made by w. 4.
Milllgan. tux commissioner Of the Chi.
cagO, Milwaukee and 1t. Paul Railway
Company; Al. II. Walker Of the Chicago.
Burlington ana Quincy; Mr.. Moses Of
the Big Four. and Judge Edward Scott
Of the Chicago and Alton.
Mr.. MIllIyan gave figures Of the cost
OF new rolling stock on May I. 1907,
and the average cash value Of the en-.
tire equipment Of his company on that
date, and M Il summing up OF the Ell
tire assessment heretofore made by the
board showed that the assessment Of
this class Of railroad property was
51.1 per cent. OF Its average cash val.
ne. In 40 fur MS his road was concerned.
He also talked on the general character.
lstlcs Of the road he represented In this
State. explaining Its location. physical
condition. etc.
Mr.. Walker explained that under the
law the assessment on main truck ana
rolling stock was appOrtiOned accord.
Ing 20 the mileage. ana that under the
operation Of the law an outside school
district was entitled to rs great u share
Of the tax ~ the city Of Chicago. Mr..
Mclienna Of Cook insisted that under
the law the city Of Chicago did not GET
i,s fair proportion Of the tax Of these
classes Of railroad property.
The Committee on Capital Stock held
session, looking over reports. ETC., but
had no representatives OF corporations
before II. The Lots Committee also
held meeting. hut nothing Of import.
ance was done.
There are thousands Of useless ana
miscellaneous laws passed annually by
the Legislatures Of the different States.
But the wrong II one that II II easier to
describe than reform. 4 cure will never
he effected till the people fully appre.
clate and net upon the necessity Of
sending none but honest ana cOmpe.
tent men to represent them In our leg.
islatlve bodies. The political Quacks
and ignOramuses must be chOked or
AMI relegated to merited Obscurity.
Men must he chosen to these high
offices who are not the tools of special
interests.
After IN investigation into cOllis-
lon which occurred In Milwaukee har-
bor over month ago the United States
inspectors have decided that the cap
tains Of both the steamers, which were
excursion boats Of large capacity, We're
guilty OF carelessness and must suffer
the penalty Of months suspension Of
their licenses as shipmasters.
Without going into the merits of the
present case II should be said that the
decision will DO regarded with great
qualification by the lake-travellng pub
lie. 1t has been suspected In many
cases that the captains Of excursion
steamers have been exceedingly negli-
gent about Obeylng the rules governing
lake navigation. And, as the inspectors
say In their report, 'there are too many
lives ut stake on these steamers to ad-
NIT Of any carelessness on the part of
, masters In constituting and acting In
compliance with rules
Many thousands of persons are car
ried annually on passenger steamers
leaving this harbOr. There Is just
ground for the belief that often,
through OvercrOwding or other viola
ton Of the rules of navigation, lives are
put In jeopardy. II the Federal author
tiles have taken occasion to make a
conspicuous and severe example, thus
showing their readiness and ability to
punish such negligence, they have but
done their duty.
Hon. i. +. Mccain Is making great
np,I