The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-08-22
AT THE STATE CAPITAL
Des Moines. August 20. 1901.

Des Moines, August 20, 1901.
Iowa consumed $685. barrels of PEI
troleum in the two years ending june
80, 1901. This, according to the off,
cial reports of the fourteen state oil,
inspectors. 1t is remarkable that in
handling nearly $4,000 barrels, only
TO barrels should have been found
to be bad oil, or testing under the
standard fixed by the state. But the
official reports show that was the
case. Only no barrels were rejected
during the biennium, and in the year
ending June 30, 1901, only 1873 were re-
ijected. During the same period $780,
,153 barrels of gasoline were rejected
for illuminating purposes. For in
specting these $4,000 barrels of oil.
the oil inspectors collected fees
amounting to $s2,302.6O. They re-.
tanned $31,035.74 of this for them
selves, being their salary, which is
limited by law to $500 per month
each. For expenses, however, anoth-
er Ss1,9oo.43 was retained by the in
spectors. The state treasury received
from this source $23,457.2s. The per
cent OF expenses of the fees received
during the biennium was 1890; the
per cent of the fees paid to the state
treasury to the total amount of fees.
collected was $3.50. OF the reflections
OF oils, s. III. Bauman was responsible
Tor 10 barrels, j. B. Bishop was re-.
sponsible for 100, G. III. Hare for 1874,
=. Il. GulliXon for 4, John O'Keefe for
ll6. ii. NJ. Pickel for 239, and L. Vein
stein for 10.
lint ID n
department of public instruction has
prepared a circular to county super
intendents in which he urges that the
greatest care be taken in securing an.
accurate school census. The federal
census of Iowa, taken in 1900, shows
there are 767,s7O children of school,
age in the state. The school census.
for the same year reports but 731,154.
Mr.. Barrett calls attention to this and
says difference of 36,716 in the two
reports is good evidence that some
one has done careless work and q.
sufficient argument that more accur-
ate account should be made this year.
The circular urges that the time fixed
by the statute for making the enum--
Grafton be strictly followed. Section
27S5 requires each director to take
days of September in each year, and
by the 18th day of September to re-
port the list to the secre tary of the
school township, who is required to.
make full record of the list pre-
pared by the director. The law re-
quires all persons between the ages.
OF and 81 years who are residents.
OF district to be included in the cen
sus of that district. Careful inquiry
is emphasized. 1t is specified in the
circular that a child in one of the
charitable or reformatory institu-
tons must be enumerated in the dis
trlct in which his parents reside. But
II the child is i'm the institution to re-
mann permanently, having no parent
or guardian, his residence is in the
district in which the institution is To-
Gated. and he should be enumerated
therein.
Inc prevalence of the drink habit
at the Soldiers Home is the chief oh
stacle in The way of good discipline
among the inmates, according to the
biennial report of Com1nandant e. T..
Horton to the board of control. "I'he
drink habit is the root of nearly all
our troubles at the some,'' saws the
commandant. The percentage OF
drunkards is less at this writing than
at any time during the history of the
home. The new pension law which
provides for the Withholding of pen,
slons from those twice convicted Oh
drunkenness has resulted in a num-
Der OF this class taking their dis
charge, and has proved in a general
way beneficial to the best interests of
the home.''
Commandant Horton says the disci-
pine at the home is good, though
making it plain if it were not for the
liquor habit the government would be-
more easy. His report is for the BIZ
ennial period ending June 80, 1901.
Attention is called TO the need of a
number of new improvements and
new buildings III the coming biennial
period, the cost being $4,000.
The fiourishing condition of the
state treasury was indicated when
the governors office checked up the
accounts therein. Over a million dol
lars in general revenue was found on
hand. The total of all the funds in
The treasury reached nearly $780,
900. The balances were as follows:
General revenue on hand 81, O52, 1915
Agricultural college en-
ment $3.50. e5s,7a5.ss
Special Iowa State col
lege revenue s1,s95.ee
Agricultural college addi-
ton endowment ... a5,ooooo
swamp land indemnify. 10,71s.1s
Special university revenus 2,3s4.74
Permanent school ......... 63.34
Total -. !. ...s1 ,774,e55.4s
Assistant Attorney General Van
Week has rendered an opinion to j.
B. Hungerford of Carroll, one of the
beard of trustees of the Iowa State