Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-06-07
NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL
DIES MONIES, June 4, 1900

The dedication of the new Auditor
ium as playhouse under the manage
ment of W. F. Chase was a decided
success. Maurice barrymore and his
company and long list of vaudeville
stars received an enthusiastic welcome
and the audience was well pleased
with the excellent program. Arthur
Dunn and a big company of vaudeville
artists appear next week.
Treasurer Herriott has discovered
that counties appear to be ignorant OF
the tax ferret law passed at the recent
session of the legislature, and which,
under a publication clause, is now in
force. The treasurer has just been in
formed by county auditor that one
county at least has made a tax collec-
tion contract in which it is agreed that
the collectors shall receive so per cent
of all collections. The law specifically
provides that not to exceed Is per cent
of collections shall be paid to the col
lectors. The county authorities have
been notified that they are entering
into an illegal contract, and it is pre-
sumed the same information will be
needed by other counties before the
tax ferrets are suppressed.
The executive office has received
another United States warrant for
swamp land indemnity funds. The
check just received is for 81 ,979. Al, be-
longing to the following counties:
Hardin, S5s1.53; Howard, S52s6S;
Wapello, SS69. 20. The funds have
been turned over to the state treas
urer, who will pay them directly to
the counties which are entitled to
them.
The Cheshire law for the taxation of
express company property requires the
distribution by the state of the taxes
levied to the assessment districts.
This increases the work of the state
auditor about ten fold. The list of the
districts, alone, covers 125 pages of
typewriter legal cap single space.
The reports are not all in yet and the
work of making this assessment will
be taken up as soon as they are. The
telephone and telegraph assessment
this year does not come off till in July.
John Cownie, of the state board of
control, has returned from Clarinda,a
where he had been for three or four
days looking after the contracts for
the Improvements which are to be
made at the asylum there. The gen.
eral assembly gave total of Sll 900
with which to enlargen the kitchen,
convert large well into a cistern,
cover a system of reservoirs with T.
beams and brick arches, and build
new COW barn. When the appropri-
alton was made 1t was suggested the
amount would be ample to cover the
different improvements desired to be
made. The board advertised for bids
and when these were received it was
found that the lowest made a total of
Sl4,022 for the work. This was alto
gether too high and there was a good
deal of uncertainty as to what course
should be taken. various plans were
discussed, and finally it was decided
to make few changes in the plans
for the work, and endeavor to bring
it within the appropriation. This
was the matter which took Mr.. Cow
ME to Clarinda. AS result of his
visit the necessary changes were made
and the contract was closed at the
figures allowed by the appropriation.
The firm of Welch & Lueder secured
the contract and work will begin at
once on it.
Wesley Greene, secretary of the hor-
ticultural society, has prepared sum-
mary of the reports of the fruit crop.
Considering one hundred an average
crop, the per cents are: Apples, 81
per cent; pears, 43 per cent; plums, n
per cent; cherries, So per cent; peaches,
so per cent; grapes, AZ per cent; red
raspberries, SO per cent; black rasp-
berries, 40 per cent; blackberries, 81
per cent; Strawberries, IS per cent.
Chintz bugs are becoming the terror
of gardeners around Des Moines. VIM.
Marshall, North Des Mones farmer,
said: "The pests are as thick as
locusts in my meadow, and fear they
will tackle the vegetables. Some of
them seem awfully anxious to get at
the little sweet cornN and if they do
light on it they will not leave stem
alive. The insects are not content to
eat part of field, but go after the
whole business, and hope something
will happen to drive them away"
Another gardener said he was troubled
with them already, as they were eat
ing the tops of tender vegetables, but
he thought they had not come to stay.
tn pRoMOTE NIIrs