Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-10-12
~ Pun. 90.
NOTES FROM The CAPITAL
Des Moines. October IL, 1900.

officials are now engaged in entering
up the Anal findings in the celebrated
O'Brien county land entry cases. These
are the cases growing out Of the
opening for settlement of lands Of
the Sioux City and st. Paul road in
O'Brien county, which had been for
feited BY failure to comply with con-
ilitions under which the grant was
made. AL this land was sold by the
company to settlers and the contests
growing out of the opening were be-
tween these purchasers and the per-
sons making the first entries on
them I'm Des Moines couple of years
ago. In the first hearing the claims
of some Of the purchasers were set
aside in favor of those making en-
tries on the lands, but on appeal and
rehearings all the contests have been
decided against those making entries
and in favor Of the purchasers. ex-
cept in very few cases. In these
cases the purchasers of the railroad
title were officers of the railroad
company and the officers of the de-
partment Of the interior before whom
the cases came, held that because of
their official relation they would not
be innocent purchasers, and SO de-
cided in favor of the first homestead
tntries.
A mastodon's tooth three feet long
md weighing twentyone pounds has
heen found near Polk City. Workmen
of the Northwestern Railway COM
pany discovered the tooth in a gravel
pit, and have taken it to Anes, where
it has been Dlaced Oh exhibition.
Those who have examined the tooth
pronounce it genuine, and think it
must have been brought down here
in a glacier thousands of years ago
from the north. 1t is in excellent
condition and is thought to be the
Several learned men who are versed
in the sciences say the animal from
whose mouth it came must have been
us large as a small barn.
The Standard Oil company is at
tempting to secure control of the
entire ice business of Des Moines.
THE negotiations. which are Just get
ting under Roadway, are being con-
Quoted through a. T.. Clinite, late OF
the Crystal Oil company. Mr.. Clinite
has received letter from NJ. j. West
iahe of Jersey City, who is connected
with the sales department of the
Standard Oil company, asking him to
learn at what prices the local ice
plants could be secured. Mr.. Clinite
has secured options on all but two OF
the plants. and it is believed options
on the others will be obtained.
The Des Moines ice plants repre-
sent an investment OF nearly or quite
S1.5GO, 900. The ice men claim the
business has not been as profitable as
generally supposed, and that they are
willing to sell if they can secure the
right price.
The board of control has received
from the Institution for Feeble Mind
ed at Glenwood an epitome of the
dietary there FOR the week ending
September 20. There were 967 pa
tients and the total cost of their
meals for the week was $685. This
is cost Of a trifle over Il cents per
week for each inmate for food. The
,ccst per day for each inmate is 10 and
I l7-lO0 cents, Or Of 8 and 39-lo0 cents
per meal.
Auditor of State Frank F. Merriam
mas, issued the second volume of his
;hirfy-tirst annual insurance report,
showing the business done in the
state during 1890 by life insurance
concerns. The fire rerort appeared
Two months ago. During the year
l.3 life companies we're doing bust,
ness in Iowa, having 317,1 policies
in force and insurance risks. on DE.
cember 81, 1899, of Says, 435,543. OF
this amount s24l, 3.J,.ov was written
ON the books of the fraternal bene
iiciary societies and orders. Inc lows
companies held -$21, 555.133 and TIT
non-Iowa companies $llo,9ls, 4a3. hi
stipulated premium and assessment
concerns had s64,75s,O50, and the re
naming s21 .s22,l4s represented tn
business held by the assessment &C
cident associations doing business j
Iowa.
The J.. J. Wells company conteT
,,late. putting several automobiles i
service in Des Moines in connectio
with its livery, hack and bus line bus
ness. The company now has one III;
chine on hand with which it is e,
perimenting. To a reporter jess
Wells, manager of the business. said
I've are experimenting with the aut
we now have with view Of using tn
machines in our business, but ha,
not yet fully made up our minds
adopt them. So far our experiment
have been successful and cncourai
ing. II we put in machines. at tn
time we will probably use the lighte
ones passed the experimental stag
but not so as to the heavier one
such as wonld he adapted to II
hack and bns business. Machines {
ans class are now being contrncts
TO be operated by steam power III;
give promise of excellence and ~
they come mp TO expectations v
may adopt them. The machines v
figure on using now are far light'
carriage service oper the city and f
rrnabOut purposes.
Dbl
= . 10. a. Ia T.