Gilpin observer., 1911-03-02
COLORADO
LEGISLATIVE
DoIN G S
Mine Inspecting Bill.

Is for the better inspection of Colo
rado coal mines. was originally drawn
by commission appointed by the gov
ernor and was intended to guard Of
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 1t.
Originally it was decided that q 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 tax of one cent a ton upon
every ton Of coal mined in the state.
making a revenue Of about 100000
annually. The bill provides for one
chief inspector at q salary Of $4,000.
seven deputy inspectors at a salary of
$4,000, one electrical inspector at the
same salary, and two office employees
at total salary Of $2,700. This 10
eleven officials without including the
board Of examiners appointed in q
bill remains in it's present form, would
apparently draw salary Of $6 day
for term of four years. The bill as
1t now reads states that these examin-
ers shall receive Sc day and their ex-
penses.
Senate bill No. 16, by Senator Hits,
which creates state auditing board
and fixes its powers and duties, was
passed on second reading, as was also
House bill No. 2S, 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 IL
cense as stationary engineer. A num-
Der of amendments tending to SO
change the nature of the, bill SO that
it would not be necessary for 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 jur-
isdiction of the state.
Party lines were wholly abandoned
in the discussion in the House when
Senate bill No. IA, by Skinner, came
up for discussion. This bill provides
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 to
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
ary for the clerk and assistant clerks.
The alary of clerk of the court, who
now receives $1,000 per annum. will be
cut to $4,000 and the assistant clerk
from $4,000 to $2,500. The deputy clerk
instead of enjoying an increase in
salary from $4,000 to $2,500. will get
no more nor less.
Senator Vests bill. fixing the terms
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
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,
tion, substituting the writ of error for
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 will
be placed on the calendars of both
Houses for enactments. The proposed
new court, under the provisions OF the
amended bill, as outlined at special
meeting of the lawyers on the judi
ciary committee and the representa-
tives OF the Denver and Colorado
Springs Bar Associations, will be COM
posed OF five judges to be appointed
by the governor and to possess the
same qualifications and receive the
same salaries as judges Of the Su-