Gilpin observer., 1904-05-12
STATE CAPITAL NOTES

Agood deal of bridge building is be-
ing done in Colorsdo this year and it
Is feared at the state engineers office
that a pool of bridge contractors is
keeping up the price and holding up
the state. The way in which the bids
have come, one always much lower
than the others. but from different
firms alternately, goes to confirm this
suspicion. New parties recently bid
far below the prices that have pre-
vailed and 1t is said that the former
bidders at once began to make extrav-
agant cuts in order to drive out the
new competitors. rt@f s
The Supreme Court, In an opinion
written by Judge Steele. has sustained
the verdict of the lower court in the
Anaconda litigation, wherein the town
OF Anaconda succeeded in getting
judgment for taxes against the Ana
conda Mining Company for street
light and improvements. The mining
company owns plant of twenty or
more acres near the town and
contend that as it was not
divided into lots no taxes could
be collected, The courts held
that the property was particularly
subject to taxes for the reason that the
company had . maintained resort
upon it for several years known as
paradise Alley" nf-
There are no alarming symptoms
of general drouth in Colorado this
year." said State Engineer Carpenter
discussing recent weather reports and
conditions throughout the state. Eve
are apparently safe, for good while
at least, and there is no occasion for
alarm. The recent rains and SHOWS
have furnished enough water to COM
pletely insure the first crop, and sew
eral bitches have been filled until they
have broken over. The supply Of the
Denver Union Water Company is
Just now about what it was last year
at this time. There is much more snow
In the mountains than is generally be-
lieved and this is being reflected every
day in the increase in the flow Of
streams, as is shown by our reports"
From reports of the commissioners
of the different water districts through
out the state, which are now being re-
iceived by State Engineer Carpenter,
ditch owners of Colorado are appar-
emily not complying with the law in
the matter of constructing suitable
'headgates and rating fumes in bitches.
Notices were sent out from the state
effect that this law must be complied
with. Up to the 9Th inst. the commits
.sioner from district 6S is the only one
who has reported compliance with the
law. The other commissioners report
that in many cases the ditch owners
refuse to comply with the law. Mr..
Carpenter will prepare final notices
when all the reports are in, notifying
the delinquents of the penalty.
Governor Peabody has received
from Acting Secretary of the Navy
Charles H. Darling, which states that
his request to have the bell formerly.
used on the old frigate Colorado in
1856, will be transferred to the new
u. SIS. Colorado when the ship is COM
'pleted. The request was made by the
Governor some time ago to have the
old bell placed on Colorado's new ship.
The letter from the Navy Department
says the bell is at present being used
on the U. s. s. Puritan, which is sta
toned at the navy yard at League
island. having been removed to this
vessel after the original frigate Colo
RADIO was destroyed. On this bell are
the letters Colorado U. S. w. N. Y,
1856" and on the opposite side, "Puri-
tan, 1885,. The bell is 25% inches
high and weighs 700 pounds. The bell
is described as being in good condition
and has a clear, musical sound, con-
sistent with its size and weight.
The State Land Board has recently
been in receipt of numerous COM
plants from lessees of state lands, to
the effect that they had been served
with notices to remove fences con-
ctr cd hxr nn "A
These notices were said to have been
given by certain special agents of the
United States government operating
in Colorado. with headquarters in Den,
yer and Pueblo. These complaints
have become SO numerous that Regis
ter Woodruff of the State Land Board
has applied to the commissioner of
the General Land Office. w. A. Rich
ards, for a special ruling on the matter.
These fences, the board contends, are
on lands owned by the state, and that
consequently the government cannot
order them down or in any way inter-
fere with private property. The chief
sections of the state affected are Bent
and Otero counties. Here large tracts
OF land have been fenced in by bona
fide lessees of the state, and are being
used for grazing purposes. Within
these tracts there are probably many
sections of government lands on which
the cattle Craze at will, but in no way,
the board claims, does the state or
the lessee assume control or owner
ship in these lands, nor Is the public
deferred from locating on them under
the laws Of the United States.-Den-
yer News.
Another valuable book advertising
the industries of the state has Just
been issued by the Colorado Promo
tion and Publicity committee and this
with other literature will be distribu-
ted at the st. Louis fair. In 1t is
shown half-tone engravings' OF tho
principal manufactures of the state,
with brief description of each. AS