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

the legislature this winter for repairs
ct the state house. There is q POSSIBLE
tty that 1t will be in excess OF this sum.
The past legislature appropriated
$3.50, 900. This would make $3.50, 900 for
the improvements. But Of this $500, 900,
ut least, would be directly due to the
recent fire in the north wing. The cap
ttol Improvement commission which
was intrusted with the expenditure OF
the S250.000 appropriated by the last
legislature. filed its report with the
governor the eve of the conflagration.
1t had spent $4,000 OF the appropria-
ton, and reported that about $1S5,000
In addition to the balance left Of the
$260,O00 would be required properly to
repair the building.
Facts About Capitol Fire.
The fire in the capitol last week did
not do material harm to the building.
and the gossip that has been heard
about the structure not being fire proof
and having been in danger Of burning
has been without foundation. The fact
Is that the building never was in dan
ger. When 1t was built false ceilings
OF wood and false gallery floors of wood
were constructed. This was what
burned in the north wing. and 1t is all
that could have burned in the whole
building. The inside Of the big dome
is lined with wood construction, and
this could have burned. It would have
been impossible for the fire to have
burned the structure, except as it did in
the north wing. In the north wing the
Ore burned until there was nothing left
for It to eat, practically. Had it gone
south Of the fire wall which divides
the north wing from the main central
part of the building, the same thing
would have happened there and in the
senate chamber. The reason the fire.
men could do nothing was because the
false woodwork which was burning was
concealed by the fire proonng, except
from the interior of the furnace, and
there were no water mains or stand
pipes in the building. Water had to be
forced through rubber hose 300 to 1900
feet in length. All Of the pressure pos
sible, therefore, could not be used be-
legislature permanently reconstructs the
building 1t will make it fire proof, abso-
lutely, and will arrange for water pro-
lection. The whole damage at the state
house from the fire will not exceed $780,
600. Many experts put it as low as $780,
900. The reconstruction will cost more,
however, than the loss, if fire proof ma
terial is substituted for the wood.
New Era for Women.
One Of the unique things about the
stock Judging short course at the state
agricultural college the past week was
the entrance of two ladies in the classes
which took the work. It was q new
step in animal husbandry work, and it
is believed that it marks the beginning
Of new era when women will begin to
take more interest in the work of live
stock raising. Among the features of
the course. also. was the lecture Of Prof.
Schodeld, Of the college, to the 400 peo-
pie in the classes relative to corn cul-
ture and marketing. He urged them
not to market their corn until the May
following the harvest. This insures
that the grain will be properly dried.
Drying corn IL process OF nature and
cannot be done artiicially. When corn
is harvested 1t has from 10 to Is per
cent. Of moisture. Corn must have less
than Is per cent. Of moisture, to grade
No. 2. For each pound of water dried
out Of q bushel Of corn, the bushel be-
comes worth from two to four cents
more.
Protection for Creditors.
OF the measures for which Z hard
fight will be made in the coming legis-
lature will be an act to require all re-
tail merchants to notify their creditors
Of their intention to sell their stocks Of
goods five days in advance of the COM
pletion Of the sale. This is for the pur-
pose Of furnishing their creditors pro-
| lection, as under the Iowa law the sale
OF personal property and stocks to in
nocent purchasers cuts out the creditor.
Mortgages can be put on record, but &C.
counts between jobbers and retailers
cannot be. It is the idea Of the whole
salers that the five days notice to be
required under the proposed act will in
no wise discommode the retailer who
Is selling out without any intention of
defrauding his creditors.
Increase In Fees,
During the year 1903 the Office of the
auditor Of state collected $296, 1925. This
was $27,10a more than was collected the
year before. The increase is due in part
at least to the large number of In
creased insurance fees which were re.
ceived. The fees collected by the audi
tor are largely from insurance con-
Germs. The legislature will give con-
sideration at the session which con-
venes this -eek to the creation Of dis
tinct insurance department. Auditor
Carroll believes that 1t should be made
a bureau Of his Office. He does not
think the state needs separate depart
ment for insurance. In this many leg
islators agree. The bureau system
would be much cheaper for the state
Mr.. Carroll is able to show that the fees
collected in single year would run his
Office for years. Hence the especial
force of his contention In favor Of MAX
ing the thing a bureau in his office.
Taking Precautions.
A movement has been started in al
most every city in this state for the in
spection and regulation of the theaters
and other places OF public assemblage.
The wave of reform swept over .ue s.~le
Immediately after the Chicago fire,
and In several cities action has been
/ begun. In Davenport the places al