The Paonia newspaper., 1911-03-03
COLORAD DO
LEGISLATIVE
DOM s
Mine Inspecting Bill.
D O ! N G s


by commission appointed by the gov
ernor and was intended to guard ef-
fectually against mine disasters. Ger
tain provisions of the bill, as original
ly drawn have been altered and SER
ious plans have been found in it.
Originally it was decided that tax
of one-half cent upon every ton Of
coal mined would be sufficient to pay
for inspection. This was the way the
bill was originally drawn by the COM
mission. This tax was not sufficient,
however, and it was doubled by orders
from the governor. The bill now pro-
vides for a tax of one cent a ton upon
every ton of coal mined in the state.
making a revenue of about $4,000
annually. The bill provides for one
chief inspector at salary of $4,000.
seven deputy inspectors at salary of
$4,000, one electrical inspector at the
same salary, and two office employees
at total salary of $2,7OO. This is
eleven officials without including the
board of examiners appointed in
most peculiar manner, ana who, If the
bill remains in its present form, would
apparently draw salary of Sc a day
for term of four years. The bill as
it now reads states that these examin-
ers shall receive Sc day and their ex-
penses.
Senate bill No. 16, by Senator Hits.
which creates a state auditing board
and fixes its powers and duties, was
passed on second reading, as was also
House bill No. IS. by Representative
McCarty. This is one of the series
of Brake bills now pending in House
and Senate. This bill requires all per
sons operating steam engines of more
than 5-horse power to take out a IL
cense as stationary engineer. num-
ber OF amendments tending to so
change the nature of the, bill SO that
IL would not be necessary for a farm
er or person operating a small en-
gine on their own premises to become
licensed engineer were added to the
bill.
The Senate passed a resolution call
ing upon governor Shafroth to secure
a conference OF the business interests
of the Western states to be held in
Denver next summer. The object OF
the resolution is to secure the control
/ of public lands from the federal gov
ernment, and place it under the iur'
isdiction of the state.
Party lines were wholly abandoned
in the discussion in the House when
/ Senate bill No. "a. by skinner, came
up for discussion. This bill provides
I for an amendment TO the state consti.
tuition by which reservoirs. owned by
| private individuals or corporations
that use the water on their own lands
shall be exempt from separate taxa.
ton. Early in the debate. it became
[ plain that representatives from the
mountain counties and from counties
in which there are reservoirs from
which water was taken for use in 9th.
er counties, were bitterly opposed 10
the bill.
The total amount of funds sought
to be appropriated by the several bills
introduced in the present assembly is
over twenty-five million. five hundred
thousand dollars. or thirty dollars for
every man. woman and child in the
state.
The finance committee, in its re
port caused gloom to settle down in
the office OF clerk of the Supreme
Court. The majority of the commit
tee recommended a decrease OF sal
airy for the clerk and assistant clerks
The alary of clerk OF the court, who
now receives $500 per annum, will be
cut to $4,000 and the assistant clerk
from $4,000 to $500. The deputy CLERK
instead OF enjoying an increase in
salary from $4,000 to $500. will get
no more nor less.
Senator Vests bill. fixing the term.
of court in the sixth judicial district;
Representative Madden's bill. provid
ing for the registration of the names
of farms and ranches, and Senator
Napier's bill appropriating $500 as q
payment OF a part of the expense Of
the free travelling libraries, were
passed.
With amendments submitted to the
Senate judiciary committee by repre-
sentatives OF the Denver Bar Associa
ton. substituting the writ OF error fol
all appeals and fixing the jurisdiction
more definitely, the Cove bill re-estab
fishing the court of appeals was fav
orably reported to the Senate and viii
be placed on the calendars of botf
Houses for enactments. The proposed