The Holly chieftain., 1900-04-06
DOINGs AT DENVER.
Itsns Of Iaterest From the City and the
state Capitol.

A new CORPORATION, headed by G. F.
Lacombe has secured franchise for
furnishing electric lighting TO the city
of Denver. The company offers sub
stantial reductions from rates hereto
fore paid.
The receipts Of the secretary of
states Office during March are nearly
double those of any corresponding
month for three years. Up TO the clos
ing hour there had been paid as fees
Tor filing Incorporation and other pa
pers s6.615.S5.
Arrangements for the shipment OF
the exhibit OF the bureau of mines 10
Paris by express have been practically
completed by the Paris commission.
May 18th the board will appoint COM
missioners to go TO the school of mines
and the other state institutions and
arrange for removing Il part or whole
of their exhibits there. in addition TO
that of the bureau Of mines.
A mass meeting Of the business men
of Denver. called by the Chamber of
Commerce lasI Monday night, gave an
emphatic and unanimous negative to
the question: Shall the Festival be
abandoned? President Byers Of the
Chamber of Commerce will appoint
committee of twenty-one, the duty of
which shall b. to take from the shoul-
ders of the Festival board the duty of
arousing the people of the city TO the
necessity of prompt and liberal contri-
buttons to the fund.
The general land office has refused to
grant patent 10 the Denver Power
and Irrigation Company for the reser-
voir site at the junction of the south
fork of the Platte river with the north
fork at Symes \ dispatch from
Washington states that Binger Her
mann, commissioner of the general
land office. has made an adverse rul-
ing in the Platte canon struggle, and
has found the Rhodes Brothers, or the
Denver Power and Irrigation Company
trespassers and liable to prosecution
by the government
Martin CurrIgan, chief building ap-
praiser of the county assessors office,
Will make Increased assessments for
1900 on residence property of wealthy
citizens. Somc of County Assessor
AleNander's appraisers had been
abroad, but Mr.. Currigan decided to
look over property which they had al
ready appraised. Mr.. Currigan says
and even more appraised at S4,50O
This. on fifty per cent. basis, would
give an assessment of only $2,250. On
the other hand. Mr.. Currigan pointed
out that the residences of poor persons
have been assessed in previous admin
istrations at fifty per cent. on their
full value. He says he will go over
all of Capitol hill thoroughly with an
eye TO increasing assessments. One of
the county commissioners says that
the board win accept Mr.. Currigan's
figures.
The Denver Union Water Company
has paid into the county treasury S21,-
600 in cash for the tax upon its fran
chise for the year 1898 and one-half
tax for 1899. The total tax as fixed
by the county commissioners, after a
full hearing from the company, is S2S,-
600 for the two years, or $4,000 for
each year. 1t is very likely, in view of.
the change of position assumed by the
corporation, that it will settle for its
back franchise tax upon a compromise.
The company notified the county au-
thorities that 1t would accept the tax
levied. This Is quite Il back down, as
1t has always contended that its fran
chise was not taxable at all, no pro-
vision having been made for the col
lection of the tax, or the ascertain
ment of actual franchise value. 1t
now acknowledges the legality of the
tax and will come to time. 1t is prob
able that other corporations which
have been hanging back will step up
to the counter. now that the chief of
them all has gracefully retired.
If the State Home and Industrial
School for Girls is built with the S25,-
600 appropriation for 1t by the last
Legislature it will be on the ruins of
the educational institutions. This
seems to be the gist of the answer
made by the attorney general to the
queries of Governor Thomas as to the
standing of the various appropriations
on the list in the auditors office. The
governor asked If the appropriation
was available in cash, and, IT,
not. If certificates of Indebtedness
name of Attorney General Campbell
was framed by Calvin L. Reed, the as
sistant attorney general. 1t contains
forty-three typewriter pages and Is
about 1900 words long. Because the
appropriation for the Girls school is
in the second class. Calvin Il. Reed
thinks it can be paid, but that II this
is done at least part Of the mill levies
as well as the special appropriations
which are in the third class must be
used to pay appropriations for insti-
tutions of the second class. He says
the following departments will be abb
solutely penniless IL the finance laws
of the state are rigid1y construed:
Board of Charities and Corrections.
State Horticultural Board; Board of