The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1911-08-25
COSTS LITTLE TO
COLLECT TAXES
WHITMAN COUNTY BETTER THAN
AVERAGE MARRIAGES
HERE LAST YEAR.

:
the state bureau Of inspection are
reports from the various counties Of
the state and from these reports.
hgures have been prepared showing
the cost Of collecting taxes in the var
lous counties. The cost ranges from
"a cents in Lewis county to S247 in
Island county for every hundred
dollars collected, these amounts be
ing the minimum and maximum cost
OF collection. In Whitman county il
costs SO cents for every hundred
dollars collected, the receipts OF the
treasurer's office in 1910 being
$7S4,829.35 and the cost of running
the office being $7,6S7.54.
Five Marriages Every Week.
That a total of 1888 marriages
were performed in the State of
Washington during the year 1910.
is shown from the reports of the
various counties on file with the
state bureau of inspection. Figuring
the population of the state at 1.lO0.-
900, one person in every IS was mar
Tled, or the average number of mar
riages per month was over 1000.
At the rate of $3.50 for each license
these marriages brought the state
the sum of $57, ,103.50. Because Of
the fact that the report of the re
ceipts of the auditors office does not
show accurately the number OF Ii
cenSes issued by him, as in some
cases the applicants secured the
needed affidavits outside the Office,
and the prices paid for the licenses
varied on this account, the bureau
in compiling these figures took the
receipts of the clerks office. The
clerks receive one dollar for record
ing each marriage license so that the
amount of his fees gives the accurate
number of marriages performed. In
Whitman county the number Of mar
riages totaled 272, while, as is 70 be
expected, King county furnished the
greatest number, or 1923, which is
more than One-fourth of the entire
number.
Wheat DOcked for Smut.
1t is ruled by the public service
commission that in the absence OF a
contract between the buyer and ship
per of grain that the deduction for
smut are to be fixed by the state as
follows: No. l, two per cent: No.
2, four per cent; No. 3, six per cent;
No. 4, eight per cent and No. 5, ten
per cent, these five grades being fix
ed according to the amount Of smut
contained, and No. l having the least
amount which would affect the SELL
ixrr ~
maximum amount which can be re
moved and leave the grain market
able. The grades of wheat are left
the same requiring 58 pounds to the
bushel. When hay, on account of
foreign matter contained in il, falls
below No. l, and if it is No. 2 a de-
duction of ) per cent is made from
the contract price and if it falls to
No. 3, deduction of 25 per cent is
made. In cases where hay or grain
crops are below the lowest standards
and receives no grade the cOmmis-
sion exercises no jurisdiction as to
it's value.
Oregon Best Advertisers.
The secretary of state l. NJ How
rado in which the writer asks for
more information than is contained
in the booster literature sent out by
the state, in regard TO the Olympia
Peninsula, and in which he says that
all his neighbors are going to Oregon
to settle instead of TO Washington
for the reason that Oregon sends out
plenty of descriptive literature in re-
gard to the state and its resources,
while Washington sends out but lit
tie. Washington has only limited
supply of such literature to send out
as the appropriation made by the last
legislature for work Of this kind was
so small.
Governor Goes East.
An address will be made by Gov
ernor Hay before the governors con-
ference to be held at Springlake, New
Jersey, the subject of which will be
employees compensation. He will
not leave Olympia for the East un-
til the 9TH of September and il is
expected that by that time a decis-
ion will have been rendered by the
supreme court as to the constitution
ality of the Washington law.
New Seal for Commission.
The design adopted by the public
service commission for its new seal is
the winged wheel, which signifies
speed, fidelity and protective care.
This symbol was adopted By the
commission in place of the engine
for the reason that not only railroads
but all other public utilities are now
under the Jurisdiction of the public
service commission.
Railroad Valuations.
The recent decision of the supreme
court which held that the value
placed on the property of the 0. r. &
N. railroad by the public service COM
mission will mean saving for the
years 1909 and 1910 of s202,7S5 in
taxes to the railroad, as the tax COM
mission placed a valuation Of over
$27, 100000 on the property OF this
railroad while the value fixed by the
public service commission was about
$19, 100000. Secretary Koors OF
the state tax commission has worked
out the actual value and the asses