Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1914-01-01
Jefferson City Letter.

CIUy LeLGefs
Thar Ks to the utilities board Great
ed by the last legislature the express
companies have at last been brought
to time and the people will get sub
stantial relief from charges that have
always seemed out of all reason. Be-
ginning January list a reduction that
will average between 10 and Is per
cent will be made. This will mean a
saving of thousands of dollars to the
people every year, and will be made.
This will be another proof of the wis
dom of the Democratic legislature
which replaces an expensive and use
less railroad commission with a board
which was not only willing but able
to do things for the people. No cor
poration can now raise its rates with
out the consent of this board. Present
rates must be lowered at its comma d
if corporation cannot prove to the
satisfaction of the board that they are
fair and just. The board has earned
thousands of dollars above its salaries
and is proving a boon to the state in
more ways than n
Through Governor Majors infu-
ence with the administration at Wash
ington it has been decreed by POST
master General Burleson that all com
plants about weak, neglected
places in roads over which rural mail
carriers travel must be made to State
Highway Commissioner Buffum at
Jefferson City. If you know of an
overseer who is derelict in his duty or
a piece of road on a rural route that
is not properly kept, notify Mr.. Buff
fun; he willsreport the matter to the
postmaster general, with the rec
ommendation that the mail privilege
be withdrawn from the route in con-
troversy. No town a afford to have
a route abandoned nor can the people
on the route afford to be without
daily deliveries of mail, so there is
every cas- to believe that a warn
ing from Commissioner Butfum will
result in a good piece of road where
a impossible stretch would other
wise continue to exist. Governo OF
Major deserves the thanks of every
Missourian for what he has already
done and what he is seeking to do for
better roads in the state. He is in
sisting that the highway commission
do something worth while, and the
highway commission is not disap-
pointing him. If congress passes the
bill advocated before the house COM
mittee on roads recently, as now
seems certain, the government will
pay $15 to $50 a mile every year fol
the maintenance of $4,000 miles O.
road over which the mails are carried
in Missouri. Sounds good, don't it
farmers-and makes us all glad {
good apostle like Elliot W. Major is a
the head of affairs in our State.
State Auditor John P. Gordon mail
ed acquisitions last week to 1873 ex'
Confederate soldiers who have filet
applications for pensions and beef
enrolled by the adjutant general un'
der act of the 47th general assembly
Thirty thousand dollars was appro'
priated by the legislature for the pay
ment of these pensions. OF thii
amount SO, 134. 40 was paid out by thu
auditor October 1st, for the first quar-
ter. OF the 800, 1866 so that remain
n this fund the auditor will prorat
among the 1913 pensioners. That ia
those who were enrolled on or be
fore October list will receive $1S. "a
those enrolled October Is, SIS. SO
those enrolled November 1st, 1926
those enrolled November 10Th, $9.41
those enrolled December LIST, $6.27
The auditor will continue to send on
acquisitions to the pensioners at th
end of each quarter and will presen
them to the next legislature and vii
ask for al appropriation to cover tn
amount due for the balance of th
biennial period, as well as to take car
of these pensions for 1915 and 1915
He is in hearty accord with the spiri
of this and believes tina
these soldiers r entitled to thi
recognition from the state. Thes
ranks are being rapidly thinnned b
the ravages Of time and this tri
butte Of their courage and loyalty, tn
auditor believes, is both fitting an
proper. His only regret at this tim
is that there was no means Of know
ing what amount would be re
quired to pay the pensions during tn
first two years.