Belen News, 1913-06-12

COURTHOUSE Structure is nearing Comple tion and to be Dedica Dedicated - ted Dedicated next month In company with Mr. Jacobson of this city, and piloted by Chair man Kempenich of the board of county commissioners and mayor W. G. Logan of the city of Los "Lunas, the News-man took a look a the new courthouse of Valencia county last Monday. ' The structure is of Santa Fe brick, with concrete foundation, two stories and basement. The brick of the walls are laid in "gingerbread" design, the mor mortar - tar mortar being compressed a fraction of an inch instead of being flush with the edge of the brick, chair chairman - man chairman Kempenich piloted us through the basement first. Here we found several rooms which may be put to various pur purposes, - poses, purposes, especially adapted to com committee - mittee committee rooms at times of conven conventions, - tions, conventions, and the like; a large vault for the storing of documents, books and papers, not in actual use; a roomy boiler room for heating purposes, as well as la lavatories, - vatories, lavatories, etc. On the first floor proper, we entered a spacious hall, off of which is the commissioners room, sufficiently large for the comfort of the board while at work and all citizens having business be before, - fore, before, the body.' Adjoiniagjjiisare rooms for the county clerk, with a roomy vault connected, for the storage of records and documents. On the same floor are rooms for the treasurer and assessor, these being also supplied with a vault of sufficient capacity to protect all records and papers. Mountaing to the second floor, we pass from the hallway, into the courtroom. On one side of the hal, are offices for the accomo accomodation - dation accomodation of the district court clerk and sheriff. On the other side are jury rooms, one for the grand jury work and two for petit ju juries. - ries. juries. Chairman Kempenich led us across the "Bridge of Sighs," which he explained was built for the express convenience of Judge Mechem in making the "prisoners come across." This connects with the upper portion of the jail. The jail, like the courthouse is two stories and basement. In this building are offices and rooms for the sheriff and his assistants separate apartments for female prisoners, lavatories, etc. In the basement a large room is ar arranged - ranged arranged for a heating plant and storage of fuel. In the west end of the jail is the large cement room, where are to, be placed the iron cages for the care of ' 'los malos hombres." The cages or cells will be two stories in heigtd,the room being so constructed that a third cage may be placed above this, if necessary. Light and ventilation are well prepared for, without taking from the strenght of the walls. Chairman Kempenich di divulged - vulged divulged the secret to us that the weak places in the walls are known only to the commissioners. What we saw of the jail was suf sufficient - ficient sufficient that hereafter we shall want to view it only from the outside and the greater the dis distance - tance distance between us and the jail, the better will we be satisfied. Both courthouse and jaif have been wired in anticipation of electric lighting, and telephones, and the plumbers are at work putting in the pipes for steam

Enrollment has Increased and Teachers are Showing great Interest The Teachers Institute con continues - tinues continues this week, the interest of the members increasing, if such a thing is possible. Three more have been added to the enroll enrollment - ment enrollment this week, the high school room being comfortably filled. Mrs. Brumback has arranged that the teachers themselves have charge of the opening ex exercises - ercises exercises each morning, a commit committee - tee committee of two being named the day previous. Pleasant surprises have been arranged and the rivalry of each committee to do a little bet better - ter better than the day previous has had good results. Short talks by citizens of the town and by the teachers, interspersed with mu sic, have added interest. Among those outside of the institute tak ing part this week, have been Dr. John A. M. Ziegler, pastor of the Lutheran Church, H. B. Kennebeck, chairman of the local schoolboard and P. A. Speck- mann of the News. On Monday and Tuesday Pro fessor Conway of the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, was present and made several interesting addresses to the teachers. One of these, in which he explained the manner of graft ing and budding fruit trees proved of especial interest to the téachers All of" his wórR"naS" been helpful to the members of the institute. Mrs. Brumback, in her usual way, is taking great interest in the work, and has the insight ac acquired - quired acquired by experience of seeing wherein the individual teacher is deficient and also the faculty of aiding that one of thinking the thing through for himself. Miss Manette A. Myers, state director of Industrial Education, has written Superintendent Baca, that she will be here to assist in the work on Tuesday, Wednes Wednesday - day Wednesday and Thursday of next week. The work of Miss Myers is per perhaps - haps perhaps the most vital of all depart departments - ments departments of education as it comes more closely in touch with the home life. Her work covers a large field including as the name indicates cookery and housekeep housekeeping - ing housekeeping in all its branches. Her talks will be of interest not only to the teachers but especially to the ladies of all our homes. Visitors will receive a hearty welcome at any hour during the daily sesions from 7 a. m. to 12:30 p. m. This morning Hon. Jesus C. Sanchez, former superintendent of schools of Valencia county, ad addressed - dressed addressed the teachers, his remarks being well received by the audi audience. - ence. audience. W. F. Fenley passed through Belen last Saturday with a bunch of horses in which he is interes interested - ted interested with Howard Sweet and D. B. Sorrels of Socorro, to which place he was taking the stock. He reports some remarkable sales of cattle in western Socorro coun county - ty county recently. Among these were the cattle of Frank Knoblock, who sold his whole herd for July delivery, the price being $35.00 per head for everything except cows with calf by the side, which brought $70.00. Fenley claimed there were two hundred head in this bunch.

At the meeting of the county commissioners last week, the petition asking for an election to decide the question of a County High School at Belen, was tabled indefinitely. This was on account of the fact that the law enacted by the legislature of 1912, had been amended by the legislature of 1913, and this amendment does not become effective until the 12th of this month. On Monday of this, week, the attention of the commissioners was called to the fact that the amendment in no wise affected the calling of the election, but merely the manner of making the levy to maintain the school. At the latter meeting the board adopted a resolution instructing the clerk to verify the signatures to the petition and in the mean time to take the matter up with the district attor attorney, - ney, attorney, and promised to cousider the matter further at the regular meeting of the board in July. BALL GAME STOPPED BY RAIN STORM Last Sunday afternoon the Los Lunas Ball team accompanied by a number of "rooters" from the county seat came down to get the scalp of the local team. Although the visiting team was strengthened by the addition of two players from the Indian School at Albuquerque, they did not take the trophy back with them as they anticipated-- Just what would have been the result had the rain not interfered with the game, can not be told. But it was a pretty game while it last lasted. - ed. lasted. The first inning resulted in goose eggs for both sides. The first half of the second, Los Lu Lunas - nas Lunas scored once, the only time any of their players passed home during the game. The second half of this inning, our boys seemed to have no trouble con connecting - necting connecting with the pall, both Dempsey and Burford knocking runs, the former bringing in Hall who was on base. A fourth score for the home team during this inning was the last made. The rain forced the team to call the game off, the score still stan standing - ding standing 4 to 1. The Los Lunas boys showed that thy have a good team, aed played good ball. It is hoped that another game may be arranged shortly, and the strength of the two tested to a finish. JOLLY PICNICKERS Last Sunday the employes of the John Becker Company en joyed the day picnicking at the Beardsley ranch north of town. Several wagons were necessary to transport the crowd and lunch baskets from town, the lunch baskets being an important adjunct. The morning was whiled away, strolling about the fields, picking strawberries and mul mulberries. - berries. mulberries. At noon dinner was spread on the grass under a large mulberry tree. Several who had attended the morning services at the churches arrived in time for the feast. During the afternoon games were enjoyed until the rain drove all in doors. Late in the after afternoon - noon afternoon the party returned to town, the latter part of the trip through the shower, which ended a most pleasant day.

lencia county will shortly have a courthouse in which every one of her citizens may take pride. The dedication of the building is to take place sometime in Julyy, the program being in the hands of Judge Mechem. About all that could be learned at this time of the programas that there will be á "spread which will tickle the inner man" interspersed with speeches by various citizens of the county, and perhaps some from outside. In fact we were informed that every citizen of Valencia county would"bé wel welcome - come welcome o make a speech, with the exception of one single man. just who this one is, we are not going to say, but Chairman Kempenich has the line already drawn. We hope shortly to show our readers a picture of the new buildings. 1 TOME LAND GRANT , - CASE DECIDED In a telegram) received yester day by Attorney Felix Baca, of this city, from the clerk of the United States supreme court at Washington, Mr. Baca was offici ally notified that the court of last resort had'sústáined the decision of the 'supreme court- of . New Mexico, holdiifg'that the "heirs of Ba'rela, ' ' the first settler of the Tome grant -Jn Socorro, county,. wtsre the rigártful, owners of the fomegrarTf, comprising 12i,'iioo acres of land. The heirs number about l,ooo. Barela, the original owner of the Tome grant, settled on the land in 1739. About five years ago Bond Brothers brought suit against the heirs, claiming title to the grant, for a partition of the same, and the case was tried in the district' court of Socorro county. The court decided in favor of the heirs. An appeal was taken by the plaintiffs to the supreme court, and it sustained the decision of the lower court. Bond Brothers then carried the case to the United States su preme court, and the decision an nounced yesterday, closes the case. The victory is regarded as a big one for the heirs. The suit has been one of the most celebrated in the history of New Mexico and its outcome is expected to have far-reaching effect on land grant litigation in the state. Albu Albuquerque - querque Albuquerque Journal. ASSESSMENT GROWING While exact information and figures on the subject are as yet not obtainable, it has been learned from authentic sources that the assessed valuation of Valencia countf of this year is up wards of four million dollars. This is quite an advance over that of last year, which figures well ahead of the year previous. This year's figures include the assessments against the property of the Indians in this county. The board of... county commis commissioners - sioners commissioners held that "under the de decision - cision decision of the Federal Courts to the effect that the Indians were citizens, their property should be taxed the same as that of . other citizens.' Ice cream, 25 cents a pint, at the Purity Bakery.

taxation. " Í .. n. MEETING BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.' ' - The Board of Equalization met in the school house at Los Lu Lunas - nas Lunas on this 2nd day of June, 1913, same parties being present as above. Claude Hutto was engaged to take the proceedings of the board and aid the board in its work. ; Thereupon various citizens appeared before the board and pre presented - sented presented their claims in form of affidavit which were filed with the various tax returns to be acted upon later by the Board. This meeting lasted the entire day and adjourned at 5 o'clock P. M. to meet in the Court House tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock. And now oh ítjiis 3rd day of June, 1913, the County Commis Commissioners, - sioners, Commissioners, sitting as a Board of Equalization, met in the court house at Los Lunas for the purpose of canvassing the tax returns, at which time the following proceedings were had, to-wit: The Board proceeded to canvass the various returns and acted on them as follows: : l I

Kempenich, Chaiaman, Perfecto Raised Lowered $ 100.00 120.00 $ 1000.00 1875.00 30000.00 90.00 560.00 395.00 300. 00, penalty 25 p.c. 500.00 1200.00 240.00 Penalty 900.00 480.00 . 248.00 100.00 2812.50 i v ' n , Y, 1500.00 300.00 1875.00 265.00 60234.00 130.00 390:00 200.00 330.00 295.00 3570.00 3000.00 23.00 300.00 3.00 240.00 5.00 120.00 960.00 150.00 120.00 50.00 50.00 3750.00 53.00 200.00 4361.25 47.00 33.00 55.00 300.00 88.00 174.00 14o.oo 123.oo 600.00 - ' . . : 15o.oo Soo.oo 24o.oo 75o.oo ture and that the Chairman of this Board is hereby authorized and empowered to draw a war warrant - rant warrant on any available fund for this purpose. Should no fund be adequate for this purpose the Board of County Commissioners hereby agrees to make an ade adequate - quate adequate levy to provide the same at the time of making the levies for other county purposes for the year 1913. Resolved That the Clerk of on nextpag

MEETING OF COUNTY COM COMMISSIONERS. - MISSIONERS. COMMISSIONERS. June 3, 1913. The following resolution was adopted by the Board: Resolved,- That the Board of County. Commissioners hereby declare their intention to provide funds for the construction of the proposed Western Extension of the Camino Real in conformity with House Bill No. 130 passed by the last session of the legisla Continued