Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-01
Nebraska
TROUBLE In HICHLANDERS
York Castle Appeals to State Auditor
Asking Investigation.
STRUGGLE TO CONTROL ORDER
Burlington Railroad seeks to Pre-
vent Collection of Levy for a
Drainage District in Rich
Rrdson County.
TRUGGLE TO CONTROL ORDER
tFrom a staff Correspondent

LINCOLN. April N.-(speeisl)-state
Auditor Barton has received a protest from
j. E. Bckles, secretary-treasurer Of Har-
Ian castle. Royal Highlanders, against the
manner In which the executive committee
has arranged the districts of the order.
MIR. Barton received the protest just be-
fore he was leaving for the east and wrote
Mr.. Eckles to send to him the names of
all the lodges in the order and the mem
bership in each and he will investigate
the protest.
The rule which Mr.. Eckles, who wrote
as the secretary Of his castle, says has
been violated, provides that the execuGve
committee shall divide the entire turisdic-
ton Of the fraternity into twenty-five or
more districts, as nearly as possible Of
equal membership, These districts shall
be arranged with regard TO geographical
location OF the tributary castles therein,
with the aim in view to make each district
as compact as may be consistent with
transportation facilities The letter from
Mr.. Eckles is as follows:
YORK. April 28.-Hon. Silae r. Bar
ton, State Auditor, Dear Sir: I wish TO
call your attention to a matter relative to
the Royal Highlanders. In arranging the
representative castles of the Royal High
landers, the executive committee has not
complied with section 60 of the edicts Of
the same body. They have Joined Moray
Castle of Lincoln. Dunaverty of Panama,
Halbert of CORTLAND, Malcolm Of Malcolm
and Harlan of York as representative cas-
tie No. B. We do not know, but believe,
that other districts have been arranged in
like manner. Their scattered condition
surely does not comply with the above
mentioned section at all.
Evidently the object Of the executive
committee officers is to control the ma
tional convention held in September. 1t
would seem that they intend, by a careful
( arTQnapmpnt Of the 6iffpTppf CaqtleS m
control the election of delegates and elect
only men who will vote for the present
officers and prevent us from having a
truly representative government.
IL you think it necessary, l believe we
can arrange to send someone to Lincoln
TO have a personal interview with you
concerning the matter. We are all anx-
ious to do something to better conditions.
Kindly let me hear from You at your earii-
est convenience. ]. e. ECKBES,
observation-disclosures Harlan Castle No. IS,
Royal H~ighlanders.
The letter bears the official seal of the
castle.
( Drainage Litigation.
A temporary restraining order returnable
May 3 was granted late Thursday after
noon by Judge T. c. Munger at the re-
quest of the Burlington, which road
brought suit at the same time against the
drainage district No. / of Richardson
county. In the petition the railroad seeks
to keep the county officials from collect
ing $40, 253.SS which the residents of the
county claim is the amount OF benefits ac-
cTuing to the road from the reclamation of
some swamp lands. In the petition the
Burlington takes occasion to set out that
on October II, 1906, the residents Of Rich
ardson county filed a petition which had
been circulated asking for a commission
to assess benefits and damages to property
--- - -. 49,
lands. To reclaim this land It In alleged
the commission declared It would cost
$277. 264.57. and assessed as its part SIS, 249
against the railroads.
To begin with, the Burlington kicked on
being assessed at all because in 1899 the
road had spent nearly r million dollars in
elevating it's roadbed near the swamp.
In March. 1909, a jury sitting In the case
found that the road, however. would be
benefited In the sum OF $500, and the road
is now objecting TO paying more, as the
tax will become absolute May /.
Statement In Gas Case.
In response 10 3 great many inquiries
as to the status of the dollar gas contro-
versy now pending in the federal court,
City Attorney John NJ, Stewart has issued
the following statement to quiet any mis-
NA0N AhN AA5N uiu wi
the public as to just where they stand in
their relations with the gas company:
The decree dlssolving the Injunction in
the dollar gas case was duly signed and
entered April 4, and the ordinance fixing
the price of gas at 81 per 1000 cubic feet
Is now In full force and effect.
No appeal has been allowed by the court
as yet. and II such appeal is allowed the
injunction will not be reinstated and con-
tinued, pending the appeal, under the es-
tabltshed rules of the court, unless the gas
company gives a bond with such conditions
as the judge prescribes for the protection
of the gas consumers, In the New York
case the company was required to deposit
with a trustee the amount of the excess
above the ordinance rate to abide the re-
suit Of the litigation. When the cause was
finally decided the excess was paid back
TO the consumer, In the case the appeal Is
allowed ! shall ask that a similar order he
made in the present case.
! had hoped that the matter Of this bond
Tor the protection of the consumers would
have been settled before this months gas
bills become due, but inasmuch as that
question is stil oDen and a number OF
persons have asked me as TO their rights
TO recover back the 20 cents per thousand
excess they have paid since January I. 1907.
when the dollar rate ordinance was en-
/ acted. and also what tbair altitude sha,,la