The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-24
ANNUAL COST OF
 NEW COMMISSION Legislature Will Probably Lsok
 Into Railroad Body SCHOOLS FOR FARMER BOYS Seven Institutions Have Been Opened and All Doing Splendid Service.
 Plans Being Made To
 Beautify Atlanta.

idiiIodu commission Will De a SuDJecI or comment and consideration at the coming session of the legislature, there does not appear to be any question. The prospect of such inquiry is already the subject of current gossip at the capitol.
 The annual expense to the state of the present railroad commission Is approxi- mately $35,0O0 or more than three times as much as the cost of the old commis sion, which involved an annual expense of $11 100. Under the old regime there were three commissioners at salaries of s25OO each, one secretary at s1sOO a print ing fund of 5000 and contingent fund. for porter and stenographer of ss0o mak- ing the total stated.
 The new railroad commission spends more than double that amount in perma- nent salaries alone, not to speak of print Ing, contingent, track walking and other funds. Here are most of the items of present expense:
 One chairman, $i0O0; four commissioners at s25O0 each, s1O.000; one special attorney,
 s25Oo; one special auditor. 5000; one secre-
 tary, 5000; one stenographer s120O; one
 stenographer, $9OO; three track walkers at
 s24oO each, S2OO; printing fund. 5000; one
 porter and contingencies, $500, making
 total of $34,6O0
 It is stated, however. that the services of one of the track-walkers has recently been dispensed with, and that another will probably soon be laid off, leaving only one on the regular pay roll of the com
 
 in this way, there is another item, not yet brought into play, which will prac- tically make up for 1t. The commission IS authorized under the law to employ rate experts to assist it in its investigations, at an expense not to exceed $4000 year, an office or offices which will come into commission later on.
 Although all of the expenses as stated were provided for in the new railroad com mission act, because of the fact that it was not finally passed until the last night of the session. provision for meeting them was not made in the general appropria- ton bill. Certain of the commissions ex- penses. it is understood, have been paid from the contingent fund by the governor
 
 able, and for salaries or portions of some salaries there will be little waiting
 until the appropriations can be secured. The general appropriations bill provides, without specifying any number. that each of the railroad commissioners shall be paid $2500 a year. Hence each one of the five may draw that amount, but Chair
 man McLendon will possibly have to wait until an appropriation can be made to get his additional $15OO. Judge James K Hines, special attorney, may also wait for a part. at least, of his salary and so with others.
 It is generally understood that the ex- penses of the special auditor and the trac<-walkers have been paid out of the contingent fund. The track-walkers were paid s200 a month each and the special auditors salary is $250 month and ex- penses when he is away. Following 0 fhree-months' visit to Savannah, where he went for the purpose of examining tho
 books and accounts of the Central of
 Georgia Railway company. the special
 auditor put in bill for $125o, approxi-
 mately for salary and expenses, an aver age of more than $4OO month, or at the
 rate of about s5000 a year.
 When the legislature meets next sum-
 mer it will be asked for appropriations to make good all these unpaid salaries
 and other expenses, as well as for others
 to provide for similar expenses during the coming year.
 Agricultural Schools.
 Seven of the II district agricultural schools recently organized in Georgia are open for business and are doing well. These seven schools have a total enroll
 ment of 463 students, or an average of 66 each, with bright prospects for increase during the present session. The Fourth district school at Carrollton leads with TOT students; the Fifth and Second dis trcts are tied with 90; the Seventh has 51
 and the Eighth 40.
 The Sixth district school at Gainesville, owing to lack of funds, has not opened.
 and there is no prospect that it will be-
 fore September The Ninth district school
 at Gainesville will not open until Sep
 tember because the buildings will scarcely be completed before that time. There is
 dispute over a proposition to Issue bonds
 to pay part of the expense of establishing
 the Tenth district school near Sparta, and
 there is no telling when it will be opened;
 certainly not earlier than September. It
 has also been definitely decided that the
 Eleventh district school at Douglas will not be opened until that time. The other district agricultural schools opened as follows:
 First district. Statesboro, February 10. Second district, Triton, February 19. Third district Americus, January s. Fourth district, Carrollton, January &. Fifth district Monroe, January 6. Seventh district. Powder Springs. Feb ruary 3.
 Eighth district, Madison, January s. When all of these agricultural schools are completed and turned over to the state they will represent an investment of ap- proximately s1,OOoooo.
 "The City Beautiful" Atlanta, "the city beautiful is the latest proposition advanced for discuss sion of the "hot air variety. The pro- ject contemplates $1,0O0,000 bond issue to build a new city hall, improve the parks, fix up the streets and do whole lot of other things, incidentally giving employment to a lot of people who need it.
 The proposition is very interesting one and there is much of value in it. Att lanta could easily issue sl ,OOOOO0 in bonds and still be more than $1,OO0.000 short of her constitutional limitation on such is- sues Some of the things 1t is proposed to do with the $1,000,000 are badly needed; 1 there is no question of that. But 1t is about as difficult to get Att lanta to vote bond issue, except under pressure, as it Is to get a wary banker to cash strangers draft. The people of Atlanta recently voted $350.0 of bonds for the water works because the improve Al