The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1904-09-21

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anu eQuaIiZdtIOn, aIter CONSTRUCTING ala
schedules of assessment which had been
sent to it, and completing the work of
equalization, took the privilege granted
to it by statute and increased all values.
both on private and corporate property,
about 10 per cent, putting them on an
equality as near as could be ascertained.
When the returns came in this year it
was found that the assessors had made
returns much below the figures fixed by
the state board last year, and regardless
OF the fact that there were several mill
hon of dollars of new property placed on
the lists the grand total of private prop
erty was not so great by several million
dollars, as it was fixed by the state
board last year, but there was no change
in the corporate property assessment.
When the state board met this year, af-
ter equalizing private property by slight
changes OH several classes, the total was
brought to practically the same sum as it
was last year and corporate property was
left at the old figures. While without in
vestigation this looks like a raise in pri-
vate property in favor of corporate prop
erty, it is the opposite in fact, as a larger
amount Of private property is fixed at
the same aggregate value of a smaller
amount a year ago, while the corporate
property remains the same. The action
of the state board is receiving criticism
in some quarters of the state, when, If
criticism is due to anyone, it is TO the
different assessors, instead of the state
board.
With the trials of nearly two years of
the new examination law, with the pa
pers marked in the office of the state SUI
perintendent, instead of by the different
county superintendent. it is proving to
be most satisfactory. 1t relieves the
county superintendent of work in which
their personal sympathies often come in
conflict with the lack of knowledge in the
applicant who wants the certificate, and
places the papers all before a strictly
impersonal board, which knows only the
papers being worked upon. This board
as called together consists of the leading
educators of the state, and everything is
treated on a business method. In the
work of markings which has just been
completed for the fall examinations, the
applications were for 13 state certifi-
Gates; 146 first grades, and 912 second
grades, making a total Of 1,071. On these
certificates issued were twelve state, 50
first grades, and 600 second grades. Out
of the applicants who appalled, for first
grade certificates, X were given second
grade certificates. OF all the applicants
the papers of 295 were rejected, 290 of
these being Of second grade applicants,
A of first grade applicants, and / for a
state certificate.
The University of South Dakota at
vermillion opened on Monday, Sept. Il.
The summer has been a busy one. Whlie
some of the professors and teachers have
taken a much needed rest, others have
been busy preparing for the work of the
coming year. The university opened with
the largest corps of teachers In it's his
tory. The rapid growth of the college
department has necessitated several
changes. The department of physics and
chemistry will occupy the time of a new
professor. The new armory and gymna.
SUM is being built, much to the joy OF
the athletes, who will now have a suita-
BILE place for training. Extensive i'm
proyements have been made in the vari-
Gus buildings.
Articles of incorporation filed with the
secretary of state for the Dakota Central
Telephone Company, with a capital of
S.. 1000, GOO, is a move for the practical
consolidation of the long distance lines
in South Dakota east of the river under
one management, and also includes lines
which reach into Minnesota, Iowa, Ne
braska and North Dakota. The arrange
ments have been practically completed
for acquiring most of these lines, the
principal stockholders being also stock.
holders in the new company. when
completed the Dakota Central will be
the strongest company operating in the
northwest outside of the Bell Company.
A claim has been filed with the secre'
tary of state by a farmer in the south
eastern part of the state for 1921 for the
loss of a team which was killed by or
der of the state veterinarian, as CLAN
dered horses. There is an old statute
brought down from territorial days
which provides for the payment OF
horses so killed, with a limitation of $1O(
for a horse. But as no appropriation
has even been made provided for paying
claims under the law, and no other provi
sion has ever been made to pay sucf
claims, the statute has little effect.
Work has been commenced by F. s
Peck, Of Deadwood, on his portion Of tn.
survey work on the line between soutl
Dakota and Wyoming. It. will take unit
cold weather to complete the work. 81
will place 103 monuments, each of whicl
will weigh S25 pounds. They are mad
tof solid granite and will come from
stone company at Sioux Falls. Recent
the government made an appropriate
Of $4,000 for the survey work.
A statement sent out from Aberdee
that State Secretary Berg was so ser
.L- an 49, h;a Iifo waS deenaired n