Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-01-19

tne measure. State Superintendent
Barrett, who relinquished his Office last
Monday, has Endorsed the proposition.
1t Is in vogue in Minnesota. 1t consists
OF appropriating certain sum of money
for each high school of certain grade,
this bonus to take the place of all tut
ton now paid under the present law by
pupils not resident of the district The
theory is that the system would largely
increase the attendance at the high
schools-Mr. Gardner Cowles, of Des
Moines, insisting that it would double
the attendance, in all probability. He
made an effort for the measure in the
last assembly. Doubling the school at
tendance would largely increase the at
tendance at the colleges.
State Losses by Fire.
The state of Iowa, during the whole
history of its state institutions, has lost
only slightly in excess Of 100000 on
account of IRE. OF this 100000 went
up in smoke in the recent capitol fire
here. On the average during that period
the state has had property valued
at $2,500,000. At present it has state
institution property alone worth over
100000. 1t has been estimated that
the insurance premiums during that
period would have amounted to almost
1t not quite as much as the fire losses
covering the entire period. That is the
basis of the argument of the state board
Of control against insuring the perish
able property of the state. The sole ad.
vantage in carrying insurance would be
the availability OF funds with which to
rebuild instantly upon the close Of
fire. Now the legislature has to be
waited upon to appropriate the funds.
Cash in State Treasury.
Thetreasurero of state has just reported
to the auditor of state that Iowa has on
hand about S2,Oo0,00O. OF this more
than $1,200.000 is in cash, deposited in
the various banks of this city. The re-
mainder is in agricultural college bonds
and other securities. The presence of
the large balance to the credit of the
people makes the recent loss at the state
house, by fire, appear to be small. Be-
sides, the legislature is about to meet
and can provide any sized emergency
appropriation. So that the state off
| GERS feel easy about the future, and have
given no consideration whatever to the
possible increase in taxation.
Iowa Apples in st. Louis.
Iowa apples to the extent Of 700 BUSH
els are now resting in cold storage at
st. Louis. waiting for the fair to open.
Silas Wilson and Commissioner Bailey
took the fruit to st. Louis a day or two
ago. The apples are the finest that
could be collected in this state. They
are in cold storage at 81 degrees. The
Iowa experts state that to keep apples
to the best advantage they should be
wrapped and preserved in a temperature
slightly under freezing. The ordinary
rule is % degrees. They decided to
place the temperature at 81 and run no
risks.
Should BE of Age.
A law has been proposed fixing the
minimum age of telegraph operators
employed by railroads to handle train
orders at stations This is because of
the recent accident at Adel, on the Mil
waukee which, resulted in the death of
three trainmen. The message contain
Ing the train order was not properly de-
iivered by an operator-the coroner's
jury decided-and the collision was the
result. It is proposed that law be
passed requiring railroad companies to
compel operators to pass formal ex-
animation, and that none be employed
under 81 years Of age. The operator
who was blamed by the coroner's Jury
for the Abel accident was 10 years Of
age.
School Question Decided,
State High School Inspector ]. r.
Brown, of Iowa City, has been quoted
to the effect that the reason more boys
do not graduate at the high schools of
the state is because of the fact that there
are two women employed to teach in
the high schools where there is one
man. For this reason it is insisted the
boys will not continue in school as long
as the girls. This, he believes, explains
the recent spectacle of high school
graduating class of % persons, all young
women. II men were employed to
teach in the high schools, Prof. Brown
| is quite certain that the percentage of
boys in attendance would materially in
crease.
LEON ppou,N