The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-17
For Losses Sustained in Fire
Started by Soldiers.
TO DISPOSE OF PUBLIC LANDS
Would Sell Remainder in $40
Acre Lots at Auction.
Taggart Wants to Establish
Munition Factory at X. C.
cay L. w. THAVLS.l

Washington, d, c., Jan. 17.-Senator
Charles Curtis has introduced a bill in
the senate directing the secretary of
the treasury to pay the total sum of
1882 to four Kansas farmers owning
farms adjacent to Fort Riley who suf-
fered losses by reason of a fire started
at the fort a few years ago while
battery of federal field artillery was
engaged in target practice. The fire
spread from the northern boundary
of the fort reservation to the nearby
farms, destroying corn in cribs, hay
in stacks, orchards, fences and other
property. The beneficiaries of the bill
are V. E. Schermefhorn, damages &c.
ESQ; E. c. Galley, $192; G. w. Camp
bell, SIG, and Philip Hudspeth, $134.
Another measure presented by the
senator directs the secretary of the
treasury to pay to Lou jain, of To-
peka, daughter of William jain, de-
ceased, the sum of $500, as veteran
bounty due Mr.. jain, who was dis
charged from military service on ac-
count of disa billty contracted therein.
Senator Curtis has also introduced
a bill to provide for the sale of GER
tain public lands in the western part
of Kansas 1t authorizes the secre-
tary of the interior to sell to the high
est bidder any public lands in the
state remaining unappropriated, I'M
reserved. non-mineral, non-irrigable,
surveyed and unfit for agricultural
purposes, in contiguous tracts. not ex-
eeeding GAO in each tract, to any citi
zen or association of citizens.
Board of Appraisers.
The measure provides that apprais-
ers shall. De appointed by the secretary
of the interior who reside in the re-
spective counties in which such lands
sought to be sold are located, and
such board of appraisers shall consist
of five members who are taxpayers
and voters. The members of this
board shall be paid five cents a mile
for. every mile travelled in the neces-
sary examination of the lands for
such services.
A further provision of the bill is
that only one purchase can be made
by the same person or association of
a 640-acre tract of land.
Congressman Doolittle introduced
purchase of a site and the erection of
a postoffice building at Council Grove
at the cost of $4,000.
Congressman Phil P. Campbell has
a bill authorizing the secretary of the
| treasury to pay to Robert Hildebrand,
/ $141 for transportation from Louis
vile, KY, TO Vevay,, Ind, and from
/ Vevay to Washington, D. C, while
serving as a private in the army dur
Fling. tue war spain
T For n Munition Plant.
Congressman Joseph Taggart of
| the Second Kansas district introduced
a bill appropriating the sum of
| $2,00O,0OO for the purchase of site
and erection of a building at or near
Kansas City, Kan, to be used in the
manufacture of equipment and NUM-
lions of war for the government.
He introduced a second measure ap-
propriatinS the sum of $4,000 for the
esta blishmelit of a bureau of the de-
partment Of the interior for the study
of the criminal, pauper and defective
classes.
Mr. Taggart also presented a joint
resolution requesting the president to
! communicate with foreign govern
ments on the subject of a universal
alphabet, with a view to the appoint
ment of an international commission
| to DreDare such an alnhahet