Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-24
HEARING TO RAILROAD MEN
State Board Informs Them What 1t Wants
in the Way of Reports.
RATE MATTERS ARE ALSO TAKEN UP
Mother Finds Remains of Her Twin
Children in the Ruin of n burned
~Barn-storm Damaging
Crops.
(From a stan Correspandent.l

(From a STAFF Corraspondent.)
DIES MONIES, April 23.-(Special.)-The
state executive council today gave a hear
ing to the representatives az the account
ing departments Of various railroads on
the bill passed by the last legislature re-
quiring the companies to make statements
on some new points. These relate to the
proportion Of business done in the state and
outside of the state and that which either
originates or ends in Iowa. The law also
requires that the accounts shall be so
kept that there may be uniformity in the
reports made. The executive council is
authorized to direct how this shall be done.
When the council met today there was
present to represent the railroads and to
consult on the subject the following per-
sons: Frank p. Crandon of the Chicago
g. Northwestern, F. D.. sturgis of the Bur-
lington, w. N. H. Winnie and A. L.. Dud-
ley of the Milwaukee, S. c. Matthews Of
the Rock Island and H.. l.. Batchelder of
the Omaha. The governor outlined briefly
what was intended in the new law and there
was a general discussion Of the means to
be used in arriving at the proper account
ing. The final orders in regard to the mat
ter will not be issued for some time, but
the companies will make an effort to get
their books in shape so that the reports
will be uniform and what is desired.
Rate Hearing Also.
At the same time there was a rate hearing
before the state railroad commissioners,
at which a number Of the leading shippers
Of the state were present. also the freight
agents Of some Of the leading railroads.
A lowering OF rates has been asked on
butter, tallow and many other products.
There Is also a petition before the COM
missioners for a lowering of the rate on
broken stone for road making. This will
probably be fixed at about the same as
slack coal for the present.
Damages for Quarantine Neglect.
Guaranteed without food or fuel and with
horses starving in a barn within a few
feet of the house is the complaint Of w.
S. Martindale in an action for s. 900 dam
ages asked from the city of Des Moines,
the suit being filed in the district court
today. Martindale alleges that after quar-
antining himself and family the city paid
no further attention to them for ten days,
although the city physician was repeatedly
sent for.
Following the Clues.
The police and detectives OF Des Moines
are still entirely at sea in regard to the
murderers Of the Peterson children. The
governor today received a letter from a
man in Indianapolis purporting to give a
description of the men and stating that the
one who committed the crime was a sandy
bearded man. The writer is evidently de-
mented, but this has started the story that
the man who committed the crime has been
described and fits the description from In
dianapolis. The detectives are still POSI-
tive, however, that they will yet obtain
some definite clue to the author of the
crime and are working quietly on the case.
Twins Burned to Death.
The 3-year-old twin children of Mr.. and
| Mrs. NJ. Shields, residing near Bear Grove,
Gunther county, were burned to death yes
terday afternoon. Their blackened remains
were found in the ruins of the Shields
barn. which caught on fire from some rub
bish. Until the discovery was made it was
believed by the parents that the children
we're safe somewhere in the vicinity Of the
house. Mr.. Shields was blowing In the
field and Mrs. Shields was at work near the
home. Mrs. Shields was the first to dis.
cover the death of her children. Missing
them when the fire had completed its des-
t%ruction Of the building she hastily insti-
tuted a search. Failing to find them about
the house the mother suspected they might
have been in the barn. A few moments
later she discovered their charred bodies
in the smouldering embers.
Hurricane Sweeping Iowa.
One of the hardest windstorms ever known
here has been sweeping Iowa the last thirty
six hours. The temperature was decidedly
lower today than yesterday, but there was
a higher velocity to the wind and the air
was filled with dust as II has seldom ever
before been in Iowa. The farmers look
with dread upon the present conditions and
are hoping a change may come quickly.
Preparing Parole Papers.
The papers were prepared in the COVER
nor's Office today for the parole Of George
Stanley Of Story county and William Young
Of Woodbury. county. The governor will
sign them tomorrow. transportation will
be furnished to take Stanley to Maine,
where he has relatives, who will care for
him the rest of his days. Young goes to
Sioux City, where Sheriff Jackson will see
that he has employment beginning May 1.
Medical Examination.
! Forty-six students were examined before
the State Medical board today for certih-
Gates to practice medicine. Three OF them
were women, and a number were graduates
Of the Drake Medical school here, the re-
mainder coming from over the state.
The State Pharmacy board holds it's an
nual meeting tomorrow and prepares for the
annual report.
FrederIkR OIL Fields.
There is much excitement in and around
Frederika, in Bremen county, over the fact
that drillers found evidences OF consider
able oil at a depth of 200 feet. A company
was formed some time ago to investigate
the oil evidences in that part of the state
and a competent driller was secured. The
company is composed almost entirely OF the
people Of TTipoli. a small town near Fred
erika, and a few business men of WaveTly.
At a depth of 200 feet a quantity Of oil was
found, about six gallons being taken out for
inspection. The fact that the oil is nearly
pure has caused a great deal OF skepticism.
but the people Of the county firmly believe
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