Idaho Springs siftings., 1904-02-06
COLORADO STATE
CAPITAL AFFAIRS

| Register Woodruff OF the State Land
| BOARD has completed the work of COM
| piling portions OF the state laws relat-
! ins TO dealings in state land and the
rules OF the board. which he has pub
lished in pamphlet which will be of
great service 10 those who wish to have
dealings with the board The pamphlet
contains nineteen pages OF information.
Coiorado's exhibit is likely to be the
first To reach St Louis Ii will be sent
about February 18th. and the train will
consist OF eighteen cars There will be
four cars OF agricultural products, flye
uf the mineral exhibit. two for the ed
ucatlonal display. four for wild animals
aud three miscellaneous. The train
Nill be special freight from Denver To
ST. Louis.
The State Land Board, at its meeting
January eth. granted a coal lease TO
larry T.. dulnlx six miles southeast OF
LFyden, Sir. Mulnix to pay a rental
ri 500 per year and royalty OF 10
lauts per ton on all coal mined. A res
eryolr site Of 6is3 acres was sold 10
ihe Water Supply and Storage Com
HaHy for $40 an acre. The site is locat-
sI ia LaFimer county.
James Cowie. secretary of state; J,
Holmberg. auditor. and r. Il. Leese.
=--retary OF the State Board OF Equal
aiion. left Denver February I'd on an
ether trip In connection with the plan
90. raising county valuations through
out the state. They will be away from
Denver in the western and southwest
rsn part Of the state for the purpose
70 conferring with the assessors and
county commissioners
C. p. Blackwell, postmaster at VIII
son. San Miguel county. presented
Governor Peabody with cane re
eoutly. Carved on the cane are the
words: Presented To Gov. Peabody
by e p Blackwell in behalf of the
iaw-abiding citizens OF San Miguel
county" The cane is hickory and was
cut on a farm In Arkansas owned by
the postmaster's father. There are
numerous designs on the cane. includ-
ing the state coat OF arms. the flag. a
cannon. a Masonic emblem. a wreath
OF columbines and an Indians head.
The decision of the District Court OF
Mesa county has been reversed by the
supreme Court. and new trial grant
ed Joseph Harris. who was convicted
of the killing of Charles X. Seiber In
August, 1902. Harris lived in Utah
and Seiber was president OF Colora-
do cattle company over the line. Range
difficulties aroused hatred between the
Two. Harris pleaded self-defense. but
vas convicted and sentenced to the
peniientiary for thirteen years. The
Supreme Court reversed the decision
al the lower court. holding that 1t
erred in its instructions to the jury.
In long and bitter legal strife to
reserve To themselves the Brown Pal.
ace hotel property and other vast in
terests belonging TO the Jane c. Brown
state, James II Brown and his father.
H. c. Brown. met defeat In the Su-
nreme Court on the lst instant I'm
less motion for new hearing.
which will likely be made by James
II. Brown. who acted as attorney for
himself and the other defendant in
error. is granted. the Brown Palace ho-
tel will be sold to satisfy claims of the
New York Life Insurance Company
and other creditors. The decree of the
County Court In favor of the Browns
is now reversed and the case remand
ed. Chief Justice Gabbert delivered
the opinion OF the court. Justice
Steele did not participate. as he was
on the county bench at the time of
the original hearing. and took NO part
in the last hearing.
The various insurance companies do
ing business In Colorado are busy pay
ing the fees exacted by the state in re-
turn for the permission granted them
TO do business In Colorado. The re-
ceIpts up-to-date have been so far in
excess of those paid by the same COM
panies last year that large and graft
fying Increase in the total amount
which will be paid into the state treas
ury from this source is anticipated. II
seems certain that the increase will not
he less than 10000. Last year the
state collected total of s155. POI So
This year the minimum estimate which
the insurance department will collect
$4,000 Companies which have re-
ported thus far have shown heavy in
crease in the total of the premiums
collected by them. which Is the basis
OF the tax exacted by the state Each
company doing business in Colorado
has TO pay two per cent OF the gross
premiums received in the state to the
superintendent OF insurance before per-
mission is granted il TO continue busi-
ness in the state As the total of the
premiums received varies, the total re-
ceised by the state also varies. There
are three other fixed charges which
each company must pay. One is fee
of $50 for the filing of its annual state
ment, another is an annual fee OF So for
it's certificate of authority. and the
third is license of 81 annually for
each agent in its employ.
At recent meeting of the state land
board an important report was re-
ceived by the board from l.. Il. Smith.
one of its agents. regarding the pro-
posed sale OF the timber in Montezuma
county, lying along the Dolores river
valley. Mr. Smith took into the county
with him. to aid in the investigation,