Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-29
TO USE LABOR OF CONVICTS
Mayor Of Des Moines has a Plan to Get
Needed Public Work Done.
PLANS FOR AN MTER-URBAN RAILROAD
state Auditor Holds Banks Cannot
Deduct United states Bonds from
Valuation for Tax
Purposes.
CFrom a star corresnondent.l

From a STAFF Correspondent
DIES MONIES, April Gs-(special .)-Mayor
Brenton Of this city has proposed a plan
In regard to the betterment OF the city
OF Des Moines that the city council is Sc
riously considering and It is likely to be
tried early in the year. This is TO make
use Of the labor Of the prisoners Of the
county Jail, sent there under sentence for
violation Of the city ordinances and over
which the city has control. He proposes
that the convict labor Of this class shall
be used in the improvement Of the city
cemetery, city parks and in street clean
ing, the opening of new streets and gen.
orally in such city work as requires only
the commonest kind Of labor. The plan is
to organize the force into gangs and put
the men to work, even when they have
been sent to jail for but a week or more.
The city is not financially able to pay for
all the work that ought to be done at
once and the objections Of laboring men
to the use Of convict labor will therefore
not be great. The schone has never been
tried here, but is looked upon with favor
by all the city oficisls and the park COM
missioners.
Promotion of Interurbans.
A syndicate with headquarters in Des
Moines is actively engaged in pushing a
project for an interurban electric system
northwest from Des Moines. II is planned
to run the line into Dallas county and to
Abel by way of Van Meter, thence to Perry.
across Dallas county, with an extension
to Jefferson and other cities in that direc-
ton. The plan is to organize a company
and sell the stock to persons living along
the line, 80 as to interest them In the
project and assure their custom. The syn
dicate ia assured Of practically enough
money in this way to build the line and
equip It. Connections will be made at
Valley Junction with the line into Des
Moines and to every part Of the city. This
Is regarded as one Of the most feasible
Of the many luterurban projects now under
consideration.
Bank Taxes and Bonds.
State Auditor Merriam Is confident that
the assessors of the state have no author
ity in law for allowing deductions in the
assessment of banks on account of United
States bonds held. 1t has been the GUS
tom here and elsewhere in the state for
the banks to invest a large part of their
capital in United States bonds and then
deduct this amount from the capital stock
when giving in the assessment. The state
auditor has uniformly held that such de-
auctions are not authorized by law nor
contemplated. The city council Of Des
Moines, acting under the advice of the new
city solicitor, has just directed that no
such deductions shall be made in the case
Of the Des Moines banks. This means a
matter OF about 1000 in taxes, and the
matter will be carried into the courts for
determination. The same principle applies
elsewhere in the state.
Vicksburg commission.
Governor Cummins has named the fol-
lowing persons as members Of the COM
mission to build the soldiers monuments
at vicksburg; J. F. Merry, Dubuque; l..
C.. Blanchard, Oskaloosa; J. A. Fitchpat-
rick, Nevada: E. ]. C. Bealer, Cedar Rap
ids; D, A. Hsggard. Algona; w. o. Mitchell.
Corning; W. II. G. jacques, ottumwa; H.
H. Rood, Mt. Vermont J. H. Dean, Des
Moines. The commission will organize at
once and let contracts for the construction
OF the Iowa monuments on the Vicksburg
battlefield for which the legislature appro-
priated $3.50, 900. There is but little for the
commission to do except to superintend
the construction, as the plans for the
monuments have been accepted.
Death of Minister.
Rev. Hiram J. Burleigh died at the Home
for the Aged in Des Moines and will be
buried tomorrow In Woodland cemetery in
Des Moines. He was So years old and was
one Of the pioneer ministers of Iowa. He
and his wife came from New York to Iowa
In 1s4S and entered upon work as mis-
sionaries in the Methodist church. Mt.
Burleigh travelled a large circuit at times,
covering most Of the territory in North
western Iowa. and he assisted In founding
a number Of the churches In the state.
In December. 1895. Rev. and Mrs. Bur-
leigh celebrated their golden wedding, sur
rounded by their children, and Mrs. Bur-
leigh still survives. The eldest son, Rev.
Charles H., Burleigh, lives at Hay
Springs, Neb., Joseph w. is proprietor of
the star-Journal at Ainsworth. Neb.. and
another is connected with a newspaper at
Mt. Ayr. Iowa.
Buying Land for State.
The State Board Of Control has pur-
chased SOC acres Of land near the state
hospital at Clarinda for the use Of the
hospital, paying SIS an acre for some Of It
and 500 an acre for another tract. The
board was offered land at Glenwood to add
to the farm In connection with the insti-
tuition for the feeble minded, but decided
not to make any purchases this year as
the prices are thought too high. The board
will the erection of a new farm
cottage at Glenwood at once. the same to
cost $40, 900. A new cold storage plant will
be erected at ClArinda at once to cost
s15,O 900. Some of the minor buildings pro-
vided for at Council Bluffs School for the
Deaf will also be built this year. The
board has Just completed inspection of the
institutions in the southern part Of the
state and found them generally good.