Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1904-06-23
NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL
Des Moines, June IS, 1904.


quarters of a million dollars In the
assessed taxable value OF moneys and
credits in Iowa this year as compared
with their taxable value of last year,
is indicated by the reports from the
eight counties-Hardin, Fremont,
Page, Polk, Warren, Henry. PoWe-
shiek and Ringgold-which have been
received by the auditor OF state. Five
of the counties reported decreased as
sessments of this class Of personsl-
ity: three reported increases. Among
the latter is Polk county, which has
a grand total actual value or money!
and, credits amounting to $3,9lS,2Sh
this year as against $S,646,Sl6 last
year, an increase of approximately
$273 900. The eight counties named
report a gross decrease or $S06,OOv
in actual value and a gross increase
of 1857 900. On basis or this aver.
age the entire state will show de-
crease in this item OF personal assess
ment amounting to about S3,075,00v
in actual value, or less than S775,OV0
taxable value.
During tho year 1908, $S,770,517
was paid to Iowa policyholders and
beneficiaries of life insurance poll
cies, according to the official report
on the life insurance business in this
state just issued by Commissioners
Roe under direction OF Auditor or
state Carroll Policies amounting to
$3.50, 634, 463 were in force at the be-
ginning of the year, held by 121 COM
panies.
A portion OF the Eleventh cavalry
now stationed at jefferson Barracks,
ST. Louis, will be brought to Fort Des
Moines about August LIST if the quar-
tiers are completed for them by that
time. When all the regiment arrive,
more than six hundred men will be
stationed at the post General Adna
r. Chaffee, chief OF staff of the United
States army, will be in Des Moines
for one day in the near future with
large corps OF officers and stenograhp.
ers for the purpose of making
thorough inspection OF Fort Des
Moines. Leaving Des Moines he Will
proceed to Fort Scott and Jefferson
Barracks.
According to the report of the Polk
county tax ferrets, should their work
be made public at this time, at least
one thousand prominent business men
of the city of Des Moines would be
held up to the public gaze as tax dodg-
ers and men who have employed dis
honest measures as a means of es-
Gaping the payment OF their honest
debts to the government of the city
and state.
Ranging from amounts as high a,
| $4,000 paid in by single person tc
less than $50 by those who have less
| to account for the. hundreds of bust
ness men have, with the assistance
of tax ferrets, increased the size of
the county bank account by approx
mately $4,000. In other words, il
the county treasurer had been COM
| PEELED to rely on the efforts of the as
| SCISSOR he would have been just that
amount short in fact, although not
strictly speaking, as the property left
to the devices of the tax ferret is not
the tangible sort, but elusive in the eX-
treme.
Following are a few Of the figures
showing some of the amounts which,
but for the work of the ferrets, would
have been, officially speaking, stolen
from the county treasury. Some of
the largest payments are as follows:
$4,000, $1,000, $4,000, $4,000, $500,
$500, $9,655, $3,10S, 1887.
The total collections for a. period of
three years in Polk county under the
ferret system have been $l33. 970. 40.
| Twenty-siX persons have paid the
sum of $4,000, or about AZ per cent
of the total amount
According to the returns or the
assessors of Polk county for the year
ending January l, there has been an
increase in the population OF the
county in births of 1858. The figures
show an increase of over 500 babies
more than the records OF the year
preceding, and would exceed even that
but for many unrepOrted increases in
Polk county families. Boys are far
In the ascendency. They number S27,
while the girls are in the minority,
having q grand total of only TAI.
r. G.. English OF Valley Junction,
the father of Representative Emory
English, is believed to be the Oldest
veteran in the state. That is, he is
oldest in years, oldest in service and
believed to be the sole survivor of the
Sabine Indian war who draws a pen.
sion for service therein. Moreover,
he is believed to be the ranking sur
vivor OF all of the Indian wars OF the
country. Mr.. English enlisted in
1886, nearly seventy years ago, under
the call of General Gaines, who was
then engaged in war with the Sabine
Indians in the Red river country OF
the south. In view OF the fact that
that was sixty-eight years ago, and
that he was but 10 years Of age at
the time, probably the youngest mem
Der Of Captain Walkers company,
and the further probability that there
is no survivor OF any war OF this
country prior to 1886, makes it more
than probable that DR.. English is the
ranking survivor OF all OF the wars OF
| the nation. II this should prove true
1t would distinguish DIR. English
| among all men.