The Red Cloud chief., 1913-08-14
TOTAL LEVY FOR STATE TAXES
TO be 7.so MILLS.
GOSSIP FROM STATE CAPITAL.
Items OF Interest Gathered from Re
liable Sources and Presented In
Condensed Form to Our
Readers.

by Fire Commissioner Ridgell or the
amount the loss sustained on build
ings reached $l12,64 of which $50, 100
was on the contents.
The totals are compiled from the en-.
tire state excepting Douglas county.
Aurora headed the list of losses with
S65,OOO. Bertrand was next with S1g,.
600. and Grand Island was third with
$1,000. Lincoln was fourth with $3,-
256.
Unknown causes are attributed to
nineteen fires. children with matches
caused half a dozen and gasoline
stoves caused four confagrations. Lo-
comotive sparks caused FIVE fires. In
his report Commissioner Ridgell adds
the following interesting comment:
We believe that every city and
town in the state should pay more
attention to fire prevention and | wish
to suggest to the mayors and city
councils throughout the state that they
employ from one to four men depend.
ing upon the size OF the city or town.
at least twice a year to make thor.
ough investigation Of their cities and
towns and where defects are found
and parties refuse to correct them
they report those who refuse to do SO
to the mayor Of their respective towns
and to the state fire commissioner
office at Lincoln and would, suggest to
the fire commissioners of Omaha,
South Omaha and Lincoln that they
select one man from each fire station
or district whose duties shall consist
OF inspecting and causing defects to
be removed and report to the captains
of said stations and to the Office OF the
state fire commissioner.
THE report Of fires for July, 1918.
outside Of Douglas county, showed a
total Of fifty-four fires. fully IS per
cent Of which were due to careless.
ness and could have been prevented.
State Board Fixes Levy.
The state board Of equalization for
the first time since the present law
was passed in 1904 accepted the re-
turns OF county assessors without at
tempting to change them. The total
levy for state taxes was increased to
7.80 mills, which is $50 mills higher
than the levy OF last year. The board
raised the general fund levy to s
mills, which is the limit permitted
under the constitution. and then made
other levies which are required to be
made by laws passed by the legisla'
ture, including eighty.ive hundredths
Of mill for the support of state nor.
nal schools. one mill for the support
Of the university and three quarters
Of mill for specia, building fund
for the university and one.fifth of
mill for the state aid bridge fund
The state levy in mills is as follows:
General fund .................. 500
Normal school .................. 81
State aid bridge ................ 90
State university ................ loo
University building fund ........ rs
Iotal ................... 7SO
The last legislature did not appro-
pirate funds out of the general fund
for the four state normal schools. but
Instead provided levy. This makes
that much to be collected by taxes for
the general fund. but with the normal
schools provided for by special taxa
tion. the appropriations made from the
general fund by the last legislature
far exceeds the amount which will be
derived from mill levy for the gen
eral fund.
The state board Of equalization will
begin at once equalizing the values Of
live stock as reported by county
boards and assessors. It has divided.
the state into three districts and will
try to equalize as between counties in
these districts. The eastern district
Is bounded on the west by line run,
ming north from the western bound
ary Of Nuckolls county, and the CEN
trail district Is bounded on the west by
a line running north from the western,
border of Dundy county. There is a,
great difference In the assessed valua-
tion of live stock in different coun-
ties. The board desires to get the av-
erage valuation in each district and
then bring all counties within the dis
trict near together as to value Of the
different kinds OF live stock.
Gust Fellows of Humboldt has been,
appointed a member of the examining
board OF embalmers. He Is one Of
the oldest undertakers In the state
and received SHe highest recommends
ton from the state embalmass' asso,
citation.
win Modify Drinking Cup Law.
Efforts of the board o. secretaries
Of the state board of health to abolish
the one.for.all communion cup In
churches will 90 for naught. Mem.
bers Of the board Of health proper.
that is the governor. attorney general
and state superintendent, who must
approve the recent public drinking
A.