Gilpin observer., 1903-07-02

Ninety thousand dollars were appro-
priated by the Fourteenth General As
sembly for building of new roads, and
State Engineer Carpenter has taken
the initial steps toward their location
and survey. He has appointed James
w. Abbott Of this city. an expert in
road building, to go over 4 number of
the mountain roads. Mr.. Abbott has
been special agent Of the government
in the bureau of roads of the Depart
ment OF Agriculture for q number Of
years, his field being the Rocky Noun
tain region. and thence westward to
the coast. He win resume his govern
ment duties in September. For the
present he will represent Professor
Carpenter In locating the roads on the
best possible lines. Twenty newsroAds
are to be constructed. Besides the
500. 900 for roads, the Legislature ap-
propriated $50. 900 for bridges. An in
novation introduced by Professor Car
penter is that Of supplying all Of his
field men with cameras. The depart
ment now has seven cameras In active
service and photographs are being ia
ken Of all dams. roads, streams, guag-
ing stations. measuring fumes in can
ais. etc. All photographs are nled with
reports.
Druggists doing business in Colorado
owe the state $4,000 for revenue IL
censes due since 1902, and Attorney
General N. C. Miller has begun action
in the courts to compel the payment
of this amount. The druggists. under
the revenue act of 1902. are supposed
TO pay the state $e5 year license This
they have practically unanimously re-
fused to do. and after allowing time
for the money to come In the attorney
general instructed the district attor-
ney in the Sixth judicial district to
brig suit against Mr.. Parsons OF
Durango with the intention Of making
the matter a test case. The court held
that the license should be paid and
fined Mr.. Parsons in the sum of 800.
An appeal has been taken to the Su-
preme Court, whehe the matter will be
decided. Attorneys for Parsons raised
the point that having received q per-
init from the city council Of Durango
to conduct his business he was not
required to pay the license. The state
in opposition to this. cites the act OF
1895, which makes all permits issued
by city councils subject to the laws OF
the state. The cause will not be
heard in the Supreme Court for many
months to come. and in the meantime
the state revenues will be deprived OF
at least 100000.
Steer-roping in Colorado will soon be
a thing Of the past. II the Humane So
ciety carries out its intentions of sup
pressing them on the grounds that they
inflict unnecessary cruelty on animals.
Secretary Whitehead said yesterday
that the society was contemplating for
bidding them in the future. He said
that the stockmen have asked the So
ciety to take action toward abolishing
the sport. on the ground that prior to
contest.they are made the sufferers by
the cowboys. who, while practicing for
the event on the range. often injure
cattle SO that they have to be killed.
Inc owner riding over the ranch finds
steer with broken horns or ribs ly-
ing on the ground and is forced to the
conclusion that some of his men are
responsible. 1t Is also claimed that
horses alleged by their riders to be in
jured b. falling in some hole are often
in reality injured while their riders are
practicing on roping and tying quick
ly. Special Agent Kerr Of the Society
has just returned from Pueblo, where
he witnessed the steer roping contest
held during the Arkansas Valley Car
nival. He states that too much credit
cannot be given to the authoritiessand
officials Of the Carnival for the hui
name way in which the AFFAIR was con-
Quoted. The society requested them
to eliminate all things which could be
construed as acts Of cruelty In the
broncho busting and steer roping con-
tests. and the request was heartily A.
sented to. One steer had horn
broken In being thrown, but beyond
this the exhibition was satiefactory.-