The Monte Vista journal., 1899-06-10
GOSSIP FROM DENVER
AND THE STATE CAPITOL.

the hole in the top OF the dome, to
be ornamentally painted and to cost
S30S was ordered from C. w. Fair of
Eighteenth street. Four iron stairs
ways In ornamental bronze work will
be put In from the second to third
floors. Nine sets Of bronze doors for
the main entrances will be secured.
The doors will be Of statuary bronze.
which contains 90 per cent. copper.
Plastering work In the dome will be
done in ornamental style. UnglaZed
white vitreous tile will be used as floor.
ing in both state and law libraries,
with black marble border. The mar.
BILE work in the dome will be In decora-
tive styles. For the marble heads and
rises on stairways McMullin's gray
| Tennessee marble will be used Beu-
lah marble was to have been used for
the basement wainscotlng. Contractor
Kelley will be notified to use white
Vermont marble in order to make the
basement lighter. The price will be re.
duced, making n saving of about $1,000
to the state. Water bills paid showed
that 1t has only cost 500 To keep the
lawns in fine condition since November
LIST last Secretary Luedcrs OF the
board has paid particular attention to
the lawn this season.
Colorado will have convention ON
| Wednesday, June 7th. of county as
SCISSORS, chairmcn Of county boards of
commissioners and members of the
State Board Of Equalization to see
| what can be done toward making an
| equitable assessment of property of all
| kinds all over the state. II Is believed
lts of l.. Int ~
| amicable agreement can be reached
! between the assessors, the calling OF
an extra session OF the Legislature will
not be necessary. The letter calling the
assessors and others together explains
itself. as follows: THE inequalities
which have in the past been claimed to
exist between the assessments upon
the classes Of property falling within
| the Jurisdiction of the state board, and
those which are the subjects of local
assessment, and the complaints arising
| thcrefrom are said TO have been the
| primary cause for the decreased valua-
! tlon OF our assessablc wealth since
| 1892. which In turn has led to n de-
creased state revenue. If this contin-
ucs for another fiscal period the def
cheney for 1899 and 1900 may be SO
great rs to permanently impair the
credit OF the commonwealth, n calam-
ity which all would avoid. II Is believ-
ed that II the assessors OF the various
counties could meet with the state
board prior to it's final action in the
matter OF assessment and acQuaint
! themselves with all the facts within
! its custody, discuss the relative value
OF railway with other property and en-
deavor to harmOnlzc the assessment Of
various property interests upon ba-
| sis of such value the general assess
ment Of all property may be adjusted
/ to our common satisfaction. and suffi-
l Client revenue realized for the normal
/ requirements Of the state government.
/ thus dispensing with the complaint OF
/ favoritism and inequality, and posi-.
/ bly, with the ultimate necessity OF n
resort to special methods of taxation
| The motive which suggests n meeting
| OF the assessors equally suggests the
attendance of the chairmen OF the sew
| ernl honris of county commissioners
who. as chairmcn Of the county boards
| OF equalization. exercise functions
| common to those OF the state board,
thus finally determining the aggregate
| assessed valuation OF their respective
| counties" As the assessors in the dif-
| forent counties have not yet completed
| their assessments. the board of equal.
! izntion IL OF the impression that they
may De induced 10 make appraisc.
/ mcnts so that sufficient revenue will bc
/ derived for the state from the regu-
lar state levy OF 4 mills.
State Senator Buckley of san Miguel
county has n scheme that would solve
I III" present financial difficulties of the
state educational Institutions. lie says:
] The State University. the School OF
I Mines and the Agricultural College
should be combined. one president
would do FOR all, many other expenses
/ acgrcgaiin. thousands OF dollars annu.
| ally could he cut of and general ac.
commodatlons now needed for these
several colleges would lee limited TO
on. university This II the Idea fol.
lowed ont largely In the East. and Is
/ particularly notlccabl. at the Cnlvcr.
/ sity OF Pennsylvania. Harvard and Ike
institutions, where many interests are
/ successfully, advan'ngrously and eco.
nomically gathered under one general
head. The sit. for the combined cdu.
] cntlonal interests OF Colorado. ns point.
cd out. should bv In Denver or very
near II. Aside rom the apparent
economy of the scheme. even II the
state wer" Obliged to continue affordlng
entire support. there would be another
feature II the location chosen were In
or near Denver. There are large In.
tor"sts and wealthy men In Denver
who would he glad 20 contribute to mn
endowment fund FOR such an nrgrcga.
. tion OF educational interests In Den.
Yer. if the success OF the plan was
assured. ! am confident that u good
sized fund could bc secured from the
citizens OF Denver In n few weeks. and
Colorado would have one grand insti.
tuition of which 10 h. truly proud. The
stat" treasury. ms result. would bc
In great measure relieved. and. MS
III" state educators nrc mostly loudly
clnfnorlne for rcy"nu" reform and
greater taxation. the stat. also would
share the relief I wns graduated from
the University of Wisconsin. and the
plan OF nrvrcea'lne under one head
such courses NJ I have mentioned ~
successfully followed there. II such n
solution Of the problem ns I suggest
II not adopted within n few years,
some wealthy pcny"ri,c Will sub.tnn.
TALLY cndow III" Denver University.
AMI II Will pass by III" other institu.
tions Of Colorado In n moments time.
Endowm.nts might have been he.
tufions already hnd they not been M
widely separated. sinriy. they do not
seem 90 attract enough Interest 80 So.
cur" priynt" financial MD ON u large
scale. ~ present the Stat" University