Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-01-30
WEEK ] lsor4zss rz.lTz, y,
LEGISLATOR WORK VIC so
cosT TOO MUCH. =.
ARsENALBILL MAY WAIT
Senator Harper's Appropriation Meas.
ure for erecting an Arsenal viii
Probably Go over - Sentiment is
Against States Purchasing Land.

Against States Purchasing Land.
tBY LEON BROWN.1
Des Moines Bureau Of the Courier.
Des Moines, Jan. 90.
1t was the intention of Representa-
tive Buchanan not to introduce any
bills duringS this session of the legisla-
ture; but he did introduce one yester-
day. 1t wasla bill for an act to extend
the open season for fishers with rod
and line from November to Decem-
ber 1.
Mr.. Buchanan was pressed by fish
ermen in this section of the state to
introduce this measure and finally
consented although as chairman of the
cities and towns, which is one of the
most important committees, he will
have his hands full during the entire
session.
The Bonaparte dam being out the
fish are coming up the Des Moines riv-
er in myriads. There never was 8
time when fishermen enjoyed life as
they have during the past summer and
at present. For the first time there
have been enough fish in the river to
satisfy them. They want to fish for
month longer. it is supposed and as
there are plenty of fish they think
there is mo- reason in the world why
the open season should not be extend
ed.
May Not Rebuild Dam.
Representative Weeks has just re-
turned from Bonaparte. While there
he visited the Meek brothers. He
went out and looked at the ruined
dam for which the state would once
have given the owners a fair price.
The legislator was told that perhaps
the structure would be rebuilt, but
probably not. The power that 1T would
furnish could not be all used and in
all likelihood the $4,000 or more that
it would take to reconstruct the dam
would not be expended for a long time
to come.
The Arsenal Plans.
AS indicated by this correspondence
yesterday the bill for the erection Of
a $125,000 arsenal was introduced by
Senator Harper to whom it was fur
nished by Adjutant General Byers.
The arsenal is to be crested in Des
Moines and will furnish offices for the
entire military branch of the state gov
ernment
May Have to Wait. 81
1t is hardly probable that the appro-
priation will go through. There is so
much money to be spent this, year and
SO many places to put it that the new
propositions are bound to have to wait.
Unless, of course, the support of the
state educational institutions is put on
the tax levy basis. as recommended by
the governor in which case there
! would be large amount of money for
expenditure on other purposes
Against Purchase of Land.
It is believed by. many of the legisla-
tors that there will be developed de-
cided opposition to extensive pur-
chases of land to add to that already
owned by the state at the institutions
this year. Whether this impression is.
well founded or not, remains to be
seen. The little fight in the senate
over the Hayward bill to buy a sc, 900
tract adjoining the Davenport soldiers
orphans home, though the Hayward
bill got through all right, was not the
sole reason for this suspicion, but
there have been evidences Of other in
clination to avoid spending money for
more land.
cownie viii Stay.
1t is not thought that this presages
any opposition to the reappointment
of John Cownie as member of the
board of control Mr.. Cownie has had
charge of the farms of the state insti-
tutions and there has been no hint of
possibility that he might be dis
placed at the end OF his first term as
a member of the board of control.
Land appropriations for the different
institutions have been recommended to
the legislature as follows:
Soldiers home, Marshalltown. $40 900
Soldiers orphans home, Dav-
Institution for feeble minded {
children, Glenwood. 1S.2OO
Industrial school for boys, Ell
dora 10000
Insane hospital, Mt. Pleasant. 1900
Insane hospital, Independence $500
Fort Madison penitentiary... $4,000
Ahamosa penltenfiafy .,'...: 5000
Total $500
Situation at MarshaIItown.
Representative McAllister, of Linn
county, proposed the introduction of a
bill to appropriate funds to buy addi-
tional land thought to be needed at the
soldiers home at Marshalltown, but
decided not to Introduce it at pres
ent, 1t is proposed there to buy strip
of about twelve acres adjacent to the
hospital. The hospital was built at
about the only available place on the
grounds, On the dividing line between
the state propertySand that which was
contingent to it. Now the latter is
being improved, and the state wants
to buy the land that the improvements
are on, fearing that they may detract
from the usefulness and beauty Of the
hospital.