Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-18
Iowa
ROADS MUST OBEY BOARD
Governor Carroll Signs Swift Bill
with This End in View.
EFFORT TO STOP MANY APPEALS
Old Law Had Provision Regarded
ne Much Too Drastic
This 90 BE More
Effective,
lFrom a staff correspondent

DIES MONIES. April 17.-(Special)-Gov-
ernor Carroll today signed. what Is known,
as the Swift bill, fathered in the legisla-
ture by the representative from Shelby
county, being a law to penalize a railroad
company at the rate of $50 a day for
failure to obey an order of the railroad
commission. AS a matter of fact, the PEN
atty for failure to obey under the old law
was $1,000 to SO. 900, but is was 50 severe
that the penalty had never been imposed
by the courts.
The occasion for the bill was the fact
that along in the winter the railroads,
Which center in Harlan. Shelby county.
were directed by the railroad commission
to make physical connections, and up to
the present they have not done so. II lie
explained that the order gave them only
80 days in which to do the work, and It
was at a season when it could be done TO
advantage. But the bill was demanded by
a great many interests In the belief that II
would put a stop to appeals to the courts
merely for the purpose of delay. It was
opposed by the railroads on the ground that
It was a measure of drastic character and
no such penalty is inflicted elsewhere for
merely resorting TO the courts.
VIII Have a bee Inspector.
one Of the new bills passed and which
has just been signed by the governor pro-
vides for a state bee Inspector with au-
thority to destroy bees and hives where
they are found to be in unhealthy condition,
The place pays SO a day and expenses,
and the governor is looking about for a
man who is an expert in catching bees
and diagnosing their ailments. There has
been but little complaint of any disease
among the bees Of the state. but the scien-
lists claim that there is some danger.
Trouble over Time Clock.
The state officials are having trouble
over installing a time recording system
in the state house. The legislature included
in the omnibus appropriation bill 5000 for
installing such a system for the use OF
the custodian in keeping tab on the watch
man. There are two night watchmen at
the capitol. both war veterans, and while
it is common knowledge that the state
house has been left at times with little
protection, yet they and their friends have
started a movement to have the council
refuse 10 install the time recording sys-
tenn. They claim it is an insult to them as
old soldiers to compel them to make re-
ports at different places in the building
while on watch. and that they should be
trusted to make the rounds.
No Change on Medical Board.
Members of the State Board of Health
have announced that Secretary Thomas
will hold his position for the coming
year. This announcement was made
after their meeting Tuesday, in answer
to the rumor that the secretary would be
deposed at the July meeting.
Work Slow on Railroads.
Several hundred men were thrown out
of work temporarily today by the action
of the Rock Island road in closing its
shops in Valley Junction. The order
halts work in all the shops except this
roundhouse until May 1.
To Build County Hospitals.
The legislature placed on the statute
books a law which will enable thu
counties of the state to erect and main.
tain county hospitals. Inasmuch as this
is about the only way the communities
can provide for care of the tuberculosis
victims IL Is probable there will be
number of these county hospitals erected
In this city a volunteer movement hai
maintained a hospital for tuberculosis
but will be unable longer to do so anC
plans are already being made for having
the county start a hospital.