The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1910-12-16
WEEKLY NEWS BUDGET
FROM STATE CAPITAL
Lack of Funds Delays PaIouse
Irrigation Project.
State Law Fixes Age Limit for
Membership in FraternaI Organ
izations- Vast Acreage Brouaht
Under Cultivation in Five Years,

Olympia, Dec. IA Relative to the
Palouse irrigation project, a eommuni.
cation has been received by Governor
Hay from r. A. Ballinger, secretary of
the interior, in which the secretary states
that the work heretofore done on this
project has been in the nature of prelim-
mary Investigations and surveys and
that the construction of the project has
never been authorized by his department.
de expresses regret that there is not
money available for the work at this
time and says that the urgent necessity
Tor completing other projects already
under way in this state require all the
money available for irrigation work in
Washington at the present time.
For Whitman county the "Chiet Ex-
ecutive OF the Land Of the Tall Fir and
Big Red Apple" has appointed Prof. r.
W. Thatcher of Pullman to attend the
National Apple Congress at Denver. The
appointees number 81, all from Eastern
Washington, and are delegated to cap
ture this congress and return with it to
Spokane, as the letter OF appointment
states that Denver has evil designs upon
our National Apple Show.
On September 80, 1910, the road and
bridge fund of Whitman county showed
balance OF $3.50 cash on hand and
SIC, ,462 warrants outstanding, accord
ing to figures taken from a statement of
the state bureau OF inspection based
upon the report of the auditor of Whit
man county. A levy of l 80 mills in
that county raised a tax Of $71, ,595 for
road purposes.
Six prominent Olympia women have
been impaneled as a jury to try minor
justice court case in this city. This is
the first female jury drawn in the state
OF Washington.
That admission to mem bershiD in fra
ternal organizations is forbidden under
the law OF the state to persons who are
over fifty years of age ls held in an
opinion rendered by Attorney General
w. 7. Bell to the insurance commissioner.
According to the forthcoming report
OF the tax commission there have been
placed under cultivation during the past
five years 2,443, ,063 acres OF raw land.
The report also shows that the ratio of
Increase OF assessed valuation OF farm
and personal property to the assessed
valuation Of other kinds of property has
fallen from % per cent to 1873 per cent.
The greatest ratio OF increase in value
is borne by public service corporations,
next upon banks and bankers and third
upon merchandise. Railroad property
has increased 273 8 in the past FIVE
years, while city real estate has increased
1891 per cent, as shown by the report.
Recommendation will be contained in
the report OF the state board of control
to the next legislature for appropria
tions for the various institutions under
it's charge OF over SO 100000. In adds
tion the five state educational institu-
tions will ask for appropriations aggre-
eating over two million dollars. The
board OF control will recommend that a
state architect be employed, az it paid
out in the past FIVE years for architects
fees, salaries and expenses more than
100000.
The attorney generals office holds, ia
an opinion to the state tax commission,
that the commission has no power to re-
fund the unearned portion OF a state
liquor license fee where the unit for which
the license was issued goes dry before the
expiration of the license. On the other
hand it is held that the tax commission is
authorized to transfer state liquor
license from one unit to another, or to
authorize the assignment Of license
from one person to another.