Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-04-08

ter with me yesterday: Suppose the
registration lists were all made up.
One party finds itself with votes to
spare in one ward, and with a cores
ponding deficit in another. What more
easy than for sufficient number of
floaters to be transferred, and under
this provision allowed to register and
vote where they would be of value to
the party" When this matter was
brought to the attention of Senator
Hayward he acknowledged the force
OF the objection and expressed will
ingness to either amend or suffer the
bill to die, as might be deemed best
Regulate Telephone Rates.
The house yesterday morning pass
ed the bill by Sweeley relating to the
powers of cities and towns in reglllat-
ing telephone rates and service. This
is the bill to which | referred at
length few days ago when it was re-
ported from the committee. 1t applies
only to Sioux City. having been
amended for that purpose. BY fixing
the population at $4,000 and over it
would seemingly include Des Moines,
Davenport and Dubuque. But the
telephone companies in these other
cities are protected by the terms of
their charters, and the bill excerpts
such cases. The man from Woodbury.
has won out to a certain extent after
a fight which has lasted all through
the session. His bill providing for
physical connections will not pass, but
he is pleased to have even this partial
victory.
School Board to Meet in August.
Meservey's bill changing the time of
meeting Of boards of school directors
was also passed in the house. This
makes the time for such meetings in
August instead OF September.
Cities Cannot Repudiate Gifts.
| The bill introduced in the senate by
Alexander of Linn which provides that
requests or gifts for libraries, when
| once accepted by city, can not be
repudiated, and that the conditions
of the same may be enforced by legal
process. This measure, which came
| from Cedar Rapids. was passed by the
senate early in February.
Engineers Must Be Licensed.
Fruddens bill for the better protec
ton of life and property against in
jury or damage resulting from the op
Grafton of steam engines and boilers
by incompetent engineers and others
was passed after considerable discus
sion. This was one of the first files OF
the session and has been carefully
considered. 1t went through in prac
tically the shape of Introduction. II
makes it unlawful for any person tc
have charge of or operate a steam
boiler or engine, except locomotives
boilers under the jurisdiction of the
| United States, or boilers used for heat
ing or agricultural purposes, unless he
holds license A board of eXamin
ters is provided for, the chief to be 10
Gated at the capital, with a salary Of
/ $1,S00 per year, clerk and travelling eX
penses. The district examiners shall
receive $1,000 and expenses. Appli
cants for licenses shall prove qualifi
cations before the district examiner
and shall pay fee of 50, with like
fee for renewal after the expiration o
each year Four grades Of license:
are provided for: First, unlimited il
, horse power; second, up to $50 hors
,, power; third, not exceeding so hors
!, power; fourth, special license for an
: particular plant and no other. An Ell
!, gineer of five years experience to
!, given third-class certificate withou
!. examination if he SO desires.
: Location of Pest Houses.
The municipal code bill receive
from the senate relating to the power
Of health boards and the erection an
4 maintenance of pest houses and no!
fol c1nornI frnr
a the house calendar yesterday 1t pr
A Vides that when controversy sha
I arise between local authorities as
/ the location of pest houses the cas-
D Shall be referred to the president
\ the state board of health, who sha
/ appoint a special commission to il
: vestigate and make the proper orde
|, 1t is further provided that the healt
7 officers of municipality maintainin
: a pest house outside the limits of sue
t municipality shall have exclusive ju
isdiction and control of the same fl
the enforcement of all sanitary an
health regulations.
Muscatine is considerably interes
ed in bill passed yesterday. 1t W;
:. introduced in the senate by Molesbe
: ry and was engineered successful
y through the other body by Nichols
., relates to levees, drains and wat
= courses. 1t provides that in order
- prevent break in any levee in tin
= of high water any member of tt
- board of supervisors may at once Ell
= ploy the necessary labor to repair tt
= levee or prevent a break therei
and the necessary and reasonable e
pense shall be audited by the board
supervisors and paid from the lev,
fund. 1t also gives the board of S
pervisors power to establish publ
highways along and upon any lev,
built under the provisions of the la,
Certain sections of the law rels
ing to the equalization of taxes, b
ing those numbered 1870, 1871 al
1872 are. amended by the passage
the senate bill through the house ye
terday. This makes the general la
as to equalization and appeals to Il
local board of review applicable
cities under special charter.
Take Up Pardon Case.
The senate yesterday morning too
q up the Wesley Elliins pardon case al
4 | mt in tha pntira 6av with ife djccI