Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-02-18
Senator Harper Father Of Bill to
Protect Public Lands.
NOT SUBJECT TO CONDEMNATION JURY
ottumwan Presents Bill to Senate for
Law to Provide Against Intrusion of
Public Property in Opposition to
VIII of People,.

Senator S H. Harper, of this city,
presented a bill to the state senate at
the Monday session for it's considera-
ton, which should it be passed and
become a law will provide for the COM
plete protection of all county property
as well as all real estate used for GEM
etery purposes from condemnation
proceedings for any purpose whatso-
ever, and will also limit the power to
dispose Of the same. The bill, while
short and to the casual reader unim-
portant, touches upon question that
may at any time come before the peo-
pie OF any of the Iowa counties for
decision and it is evidently the pur-
pose of Senator Harper In attempting
to secure the passage of this bill to
settle beyond controversy the points
touched by this instrument and that
the settling of these questions by the
people may be greatly, simplitied.
The Bill.
The bill is entitled For an act to
prevent the condemnation of Gene
terfes and other real estate and to linn
it the power to dispose of the same"
and reads as follows:
Be it enacted by the general assem-
bly, of the state of Iowa
Section /. That real estate used
for cemetery purposes, or real estate
owned by any county in this state,
shall not be taken by, nor be the sub
ject of condemnation proceedings for
any use or purpose whatsoever.
Section 9. That real estate used
for cemetery purposes shall not be
disposed of, either in whole or in part,
without the written consent of the
owners of all the lots therein"
Need for Such Law.
From the fact that Senator Harper
has presented this bill to the present
legislature it is evident that he wishes
to prevent in the future questions aris-
ing with regard to the disposal of pub
lie property and to prevent the said
property from intrusion by any private
interests without the willing consent
of the people interested. The bill, it
seems, is the outcome of two questions
with which the people of Wapello
county have had to deal within the
past year and with which the people
of other counties of the state might be
called upon to settle at any time, the
attempt of the Burlington route to Sc
cure right of way through the GENE
terry at Agency and later of the Mil
waukee controversy concerning the
proposition for right of way through
the Wapello county farm. -
Provides for Future.
Though both of the questions which
the people of this county have had to
deal during the past year have been
settled it is evident that Senator Har-
per desires to provide a law which
shall insure the, people of the state
from even the possibility Of being com
PEELED to yield public property, for the
purpose of promoting private interests,
in any case where they do not desire
to do so.
Meets With Approval.
The people of Ottumwa who desire
to protect public property from intru-
sion are much pleased with the provi
sion contained in this BILL which if it
becomes law, will define definitely
the manner in which such questions
are to be settled. 1t is the opinion of
prominent Ottumwans, who are thor
oughly conversant with the questions
touched upon in the bill that it is
amply comprehensive in its make up
and that its provisions are but Just to
the people of the state as a whole and
in no way will they conflict with the
rightful development Of private indus
tries. They further believe that the
bill does not prohibit the voluntary
sale Of public property by the county
for the promoting of any private en-
terprise but only provides against the
public being compelled to yield pub
lie property where it is the belief of
the people that it will do any injury.
and will prevent any prolonged pro.
ceedings which would entail only
large expense and result simply in de-
lay to the development of what ever
enterprise might be concerned.