The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-02-04
TELEPHONE BILL
COMES TO LIGHT
WOULD COMPEL COMPANIES TO
EXCHANGE CONNECTIONS.
PROHIBITS SUNDAY THEATERs
innovation Proposed in the Matter Of
Taxing RaiIroads--Towns Would
Be Benefited BY Pro-
posed Change.

/ State House, Des Moines, Ia, Feb.
S.--In the senate this morning Adams
'of Fayette, and Moon of Wapello, joint
|ly introduced a bill requiring all tele-
phone exchanges in cities and towns
to maintain connection. A penalty of
$25 per day is provided after January
/, 1910, for failure of the companies
to obey this law.
Saunders also introduced bill in
the senate for the revision OF the
laws governing the assessment and
taxation OF railway property
In the house, bill was introduced
by Meredith prohibiting Sunday thea
tres A bill creating a public utili-
ties commission was also introduced
in the house by Crozier
Taxing Railroads.
An increase Of great proportions in
the railroad taxes to be paid in Iowa
is contemplated by a bill which Sem
ator Saunders, of Council Bluffs, in
troduecd today in the legislature. In
Des Moines alone the increase is es-
timated at $5O,OOO or more per year,
and in other cities the difference will
be proportionate Part of the increase
will come from the country town
ships, but the greater part will come
from the Golfers of the railroad COM
panies. The plan is to assess the
railroads upon basis Of their respec-
tive mileage, including main and side
tracks, spurs, ETC., instead of merely
the main line track IL is the plan pro-
posed by the League of Iowa Munich.
palities and was written into bin by
Senator Saunders.
The effect of the bill il enacted will
be to give TO cities the benefits Of
taxation upon the costly stations and
other property the railroads own
within the city limits and school dis
tricf limits. AT present the plan OF
| taxation does not afford this benefit.
Under the present law the property
of railroad is appraised for taxation.
the total property being taken into
consideration, including main tracks.
side tracks, depots, roundhouses and
other buildings. Then the total main
line mileage of the company within
the state is taken as a diyisor, the
total value of the property as divi-
dend and the result obtained by di-
viding is taken as the amount of tax
able property of the railroad company
per mile of main track.
Confer on Health Laws.
The state board of health IS ready
tn confer with the legiS alive COM
mittees on public health as TO the pro-
visions of the measure, which will be
introduced TO remedy the defects in
the present quarantine law. DR..
Louis A. Thomas, secretary of the
board, has prepared two questions
which will be presented to the legis-
lators. before the; provisions of the bill
can be decided upon. One of these
has to do with the committeee,s view
as to whether the county should pay
all expenses of quarantine, including
doctors, and nurses fees, living expen-
SEES and fumigation. II this Is answer
ed inythe Affirmative there will be
nothing done in the way of changing
the present law except TO make 1t moro
explicit. 90 ie sg5 8aaY IS
The second question, which will be
put to the committees if they are of
the opinion tat all the expenses
should not be borne by the county, Is,
SHOULD the county pay the expenses
OF fumigation If the other costs are
borne by the persons qnarantined?"