Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-02-25
To Extend Railway Law.

The government paid back the prln-
cipal OF these bonds but did not pay |
the interest.
To Extend Railway Law.
Senator Ball has proposed bill to
extend all of the railroad law of the
state to govern electric trolley lines.
The bill specifically exempts the street
car lines, but places under its provi-
sions of the statutes respecting steam
roads the lines now projected connect
ing cities. This measure has been ex-
pected for some time and will result
in warm controversy. If adopted it
will extend to the interurban lines the
right to exercise the power of emf
nent domain, which it is now said that
only steam roads may exercise. The
Blanchard bill to authorize the people
to vote taxes in aid of interurban troll
ley lines passed the senate in an amend-
ed form, it being provided that the
companies in issuing stock in return
for taxes paid shall not issue stock
which is not fully paid up in cash or
it's equivalent. The house is now Civ
ing consideration to this measure.
Other bills granting railroad rights
to the trolley lines have been taken
up also.
Des Mofnes Army Post.
Among the first bills passed by the
legislature was the one authorizing
the city of Des Moines to loan $4,000
to it's waterworks company in CON
sideration for the construction OF wa
ter mains from the city to the project
ed army post, which is located two
miles south of the city. The bill passed
without any opposition and will enable
the federal government to proceed
with the work of constructing the
post Immediately. An appropriation
of $25O,oOo for this purpose is availa-
BILE and has been waiting expenditure
for year.
For Good Roads.
Senator Hobart's bill for the reor-
ganization of the road Improvement
system has met with considerable IA
vor in both houses. He proposes to
abolish the present subroad districts
and to place the building of highways
in the hands of the county. He pro-
vides for five-mill tax, optional, upon
couniies-one mill to be raised for
general expenditure, except that that
part raised in cities shall be spent un-
der the direction of the city councils,
and four mills, the proceeds of which
shall be expended by townships in pro-
portion to the sum raised by the town
ship. The board of supervisors will
- Nf,, L.
ing the roads, SO that it will be sys-
tematic and effective. Senator Ho-
bart believes that the passage of this
bill would result in giving the state
good roads Immediately, for it would
mean the businesslille expenditure of
the millions of dollars which are NOW
largely wasted.
To Perfect Titles.
The senate has passed the Healy bill,
legalizing the transfer of dover inter
ests in real estate by the principal
spouse. Thousands of such transfers
IRE said to invalidate titles to the ex-
tent of the dover interest in Iowa,
The impression was common among
the people that husband could trans
fer his wife's interest in real esate II
he acted under power of attorney.
This has been held by the supreme
court to be an invalid transfer of this
interest. AS a result, Senator Healy
proposed bill which would validate
such transfers, while at the same time
protecting the vested interests at
tanned by innocent purchasers.
Telephone Rates.
Several measures relating to the
control of telephone companies and
their lines have been considered by
the legislature at this session. Repre-
sentative Sweeley has introduced a
number of them, and several warm
contests have arisen concerning them.
Mr.. Sweeley has proposed that the
cities of the state be given power to
tx rates for telephone charges. He
has proposed another bill placing tele-
phone companies under the jurisdic-
tion of the state railroad commission,
which carries with it the power to fix
maximum rates for service.