La Junta tribune., 1899-01-21
WHAT THE COLORADO
LEGISLATURE is DOING.

| members OF the legislature 10 coiislnci
| In connection with the framing of bill
to revise and adjust the state revenue
/ laws"
Representative Eugene Engley has
! introduced his pet measure. H. u. No
! I5t, relating to the rearranrenen' CT
=. the congressional districts OF the state.
| Under his arrangement the First con-
| gresstonal district consists of: ArapS'
! hoe, Boulder. Cheyenne. Douglas.
Eagle, Ebert, Giipln. Grand. Garfield.
jefferson Kit Carson I-ar!mer Logan,
| Lincoln. Morgan, Park, Phillips. Routt.
/ Rio Bianco Sedgwick. summit Wash
| ington. Weld and Yuma counties. The
| Second district is composed Of: Archu-
le;a, Baca. Bent, ChafYee. Concjos. Cos
| tilla. Custer, Delta. Dolores. FL Paso.
| Fremont. Gunnison. Hinsdalc. Huer-
| fano, kiowa. Lake. la Plata. Las Ami
| mas, Mesa, Mineral. Moniezuma. Mont
rose. Otcro. Ouray. Pitkln, Prowers,
Pueblo. Rio Grande, Saguache, San
Juan and San Miguel counties
| The House expressed its opinion that
| the S1J0,cC6 loaned from the internal
| improvement income fund TO the state
| capitol fund should be returned, with
| interest. A bill Will doubtless follow,
| detailing how the return IL TO be made.
Mr.. Montgomery, who evidently spoke
| for the Capitol Commission. told the
| House plainly there was no money In
the hands Of the managers to repay this
loan, and that they We're nearly half
| million behind in paying current war
| rants He insisted that the internal i'm
provement fund did not need the
money now. anyway, and that IL gath
| cred there II would endanger the safe
| ty OF state interests by leaving a
| chance for the establishment Of "cor
ruption fund" The Supreme Cour,
had decided tina, the Improvement
fund could be used only on such i'm
proyements as roads and bridges.
Senate bill 123. introduced by Scna.
tor Crosby, attempts to grapple with
the problem of the state insane asy
lum. II provides for state board Of
lunncy commissioners of three mem
bers, one OF them woman. The
board shall be appointed by the gov
ernor and confirmed by the Senate:
holding Office for six years and serving
| without pay. They shall have full con
troll In every way of the state Insane
| asylum: appointing as superintendent,
a fully qualified medical practitioner
| OF not less than ten years practice
and five years experience in hospital
| FOR the insane The superintendent
shall reside In the hospital, giving his
| entire time and attention to 1t, receiv
| ing $4,000 n year and maintenance.
Two resident physicians. one OF them
| woman. shall be appointed by the
commissioners. to receive no compen
sation except lodging. board and wash
| Ing. The state treasurer shall be treas
urer OF the asylum.
| Members OF the committee on cleo
| tlons, although reticent about the mat
ter, evidently believe that there Is
something to the protest Of Lee A. Tan
quarry against Albert T. Fisher In the
contest for the seat from the Twenty
seventh district. representing Pueblo
| and Huerfano counties. Senators Por-
| terfieid. chairman OF the committee
presented memorial TO the Senate
| asking that power be conferred 10
summon Clerk Greer OF Huerfano
county before the committee and also
| compelling the clerk to bring certain
| records with him. Among the docu-
ments which have been presented to
the committee since it began its ses-
sion several days ago. is an affidavit
from Lee A. Tanquary. stating that
| he was denied permission to see the
poll books. tally sheets and certain
oaths administered by the judges Of
election to illiterate voters II Is al
legged that although 1.40O ballots We're
marked by the judges in Huerfsuo
county. that not one-half of that num-
ber OF illiternte voters exist there.
Chairman Porterfield. after the petition
had been read. stated that the commit
tee had not made thorough inyestiga-
tion, but sufficient had been developed
| to show that the complaint was NOT
without foundation. but what there
was to 1t they were not ready to make
public. The Senate passed resolution
empowering the committee TO issue
| subpoenas for Hosea Santa Stepeni
and r. ID. Larncd. as well us the coun-
ty clerk and others the committee may
deem necessary.
Through the efforts OF NJ. G. Saun-
ders, attorney for the Southern Colo
rado Cattle Growers Association at
Pueblo, and Attorney George Q. Rich
mond Of the Colorado Cattle Growery
Association. bill will be introduced
In the Legislature in relation TO the
fencing Of railroads and providing for
the payment OF damages for animals
killed or injured by railway companies,
The bill requires every road in the
state to erect fences along their lines
within six months of the passage OF
the act. The roads shall maintain
suitable gates at crossings and erect
cattle guards where none now exist.
In case the companies refuse to COM
ply, the killing OF any animal shall be
prima facie evidence of negligence, and
the road shall be liable. In case Of
death Of any animal the owners shall
present sworn statement to the near
est ticket agent, with a demand for pay.
The schedule established by the bill
is $3 for American sheep and s.. 80 for
Mexican sheep. For cattle the sched-
ule runs from $3.50 for calves and
Texas yearlings to $35 for American
steers years old and over. Higher
grade cattle, thoroughbred sheep.
horses and mules shall be paid for at
their market value. In case payment
ia refused, the owners may recover.
with legal interest. Insall cases where