Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1911-01-19
TO SWING BIG AK
THE MAY ABOLISH
SEVERAL UNiMPORTANT
STATE OFFICES
OFFICE OF STATE ENGINEER
inspectors of Hotels and Telephones
are Among Those Most Likely
to be Singled Out as
Dispensible


Pierre-If some of the contemplat-
ed legislation of the present s s.
sion is placed upon the statute booAs
there are some prominent state Off,
GERS slated for the legislative ak. There
is movement in both houses to do
away with certain offices, which, it is
contended, are unnecessary or have
outgrown their usefulness.
Perhaps the most prominent of those
departments, whose very existence Is
in jeopardy, is the Office of state en-
gineer Lea. A bill was introduced in
the house today by Halgerson, call ng
for the abolition of the office am
placing the department under the di-
rect supervision of the state surveyor.
The office OF the state engineer wa.
created by act of the legislature In
1905. 1t calls for one expert hydro
graphic engineer and surveyor to be
appointed by the governor at fixed
salary of $4,000 per year. An assistant
engineer is also provided for, the
salary being fixed at $500 per year.
This latter Office is perhaps the only
assistant state position where the in
come is set by statute. In addition
appropriations are allowed for the
hiring Of field assistants and CLERKS
and for general and travelling expenses.
Allowance is made for what is known
as the photographic fund, to be used
for materials and incidentals. The
yearly appropriation for this fund Is
$1,000.
Samuel H. Lea was appointed by
Governor Elrod, to the head of the
newly created department. At the
time of his appointment Mr.. Lea was
in the government service at FIT.
Meade, but he assumed his new duties
July /, 1906. His term does not expire
till July l, 1912.
The duties of the office require the
making of photographic surveys of all
lakes, rivers and streams in the state,
which together with all the available
statistics concerning them, are to e.
come part OF the records of tie de-
partment. In addition the department
is made the court of last resort in any
questions or disputes on irrigation,
drainage and the application for wa er
right permits.
IL 10 C1ulLlcA ny GAVssS lCSlCi1il liz
bill, that no big irrigation projects
have been undertaken by Mr.. Lea in
his official capacity. Mr.. Lea is criti-
cided for his expenditure of the maxi
mum appropriations for his depart-
ment, from which it is claimed, the
state has received little or no benelt.
In his official capacity as supelin-
tending the construction of the state
house, Mr.. Lea received from the state
81 per day-this in addition to the
$4,000 per annum allowed him in his
official capacity as state engineer
From July 80, 1907 to March 8, 1910,
he drew s4,554 for his services on the
building
Following are the appropriations for
the engineers department, since it was
created: 1905, $4,000; 1907, $1,000;
1908, $4,000; 1909, $4,000; 1910, So 600;
total, $39, 200.
The above figures do not include the
$1,000 photographic fund, viii h fer
the five years, would make the total
$4,000. Thus the total amount of
money turned over to Mr.. Lea for
his services as engineer and in the
maintenance of that department, to-
gether with the 81 per day allowed
him as superintendent of the construc-
ton work on the capitol, is brought
up to $4S,754.
Representative Cranston introduced
house bill No. 35, calling for the aboli-
ton of the office of telephone inspect
or, and a similar bill may be introduce
ed to abolish the offise of hotel in
spector. The former office was Great
ed in 1909, and the latter in 1907. The
plan is to put the duties of the hotel
inspector in the hands of the fire mar
shall in the department on insurance
and have the railroad commission RS
take care of the business of telephone
inspector.
c. NJ. Hopkins, of Aberdeen, is the
present hotel inspector. He is raid
solely by fees for inspecting hotels
and all fees SO received in excess of
$3.50 and expenses per year mast Re
turned into the state treasury. W..
e. Egge, is serving in the capacity of
telephone inspector and draws sal
airy of $1,000 per year