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more of the year will not find things in the same condition they did two years ago, all ready for the start. This is because the last legislature authorized the secretary of state to spend not more than $1,000 in getting ready for the session, the remainder of the purchasing to be done by the legislators themselves. This $1,000 will not go very far. The bill files for the house and senate will cost between $600 and $800 and these have to be ordered in advance of the session because they have to be manufactured and cannot be bought on short notice. The dockets for the records also will have to be ordered, as they have to be manufactured. This will take most all of the $1,000 and there will be nothing left with which to pay for labor in fixing up the two chambers. A considerable quantity of inkwells, pencils, etc., were left over from the last session, but not near enough to go around, so many of the desks will be barren when they are taken possession of by the legislators. *** Bank Examiner Whittemore has made his official report to the state banking board of the condition of the Elkhorn Valley Bank at O'Neill and this will be followed by an application for the appointment of a receiver. The report will not be made public at this time, for the reason that in the opinion of Attorney General Prout such publication would hamper the work of settling up the affairs of the bank and the names of some individuals are used in the report that it is not deemed expedient at this time to give to the public. The official report, however, does not differ materially from the reports of the condition of the bank as already published. The $25,000 worth of notes found by the examiner that he at first reported as being apparently worthless are worth something. Some of the notes are new ones and are not yet due. Many of these notes, it is safe to say, can be realized on for the benefit of the depositors, but to what extent is not known. No cash, other than the ten copper cents, has been found. * At a meeting of the state board of compromise at Lincoln, at which was discussed the Bartley bondsmen case, Attorney General Prout read a history of the litigation and closed by recommending that the board settle the matter. While no formal proposition was made to the board, it is understood that the bondsmen are willing to pay the court costs of the suit. It has been learned by the board members that W. A. Paxton has spent a large sum fighting the case. It was told a member of the board that Mr. Paxton gave his wife and son each $200,000 and kept $200,000 himself. Since the suit began it is said he has spent $200,000 in defending the suit and in other ways, and that a judgment would be valueless. It has been reported to the board that if it fails to compromise the suit the bondsmen expect to go through bankruptcy. * The semi-annual report of the auditor filed with Gov. Mickey Saturday, shows the warrant indebtedness of the state to be $2,342,979.61, or an increase during the last two years of $335,650.98. One year ago the outstanding warrant indebtedness was $2,263,177.21. The increase in the warrant indebtedness was occasioned by the warrants issued for the payment of the permanent improvements as authorized by the last legislature and by the inadequacy of the old revenue law to bring in sufficient money with which to meet the state's obligations. At the present time the warrants out against the general fund amount to $2,253,401.92 and against the temporary university fund $81,003.99. * Chief Clerk Harnley, of the office of the state superintendent of public instruction, is compiling statistics for the biennial report of that department and figuring up the number of school children in the state in order to apportion out the school money to the various districts. Douglas County at this time, according to the report of the county superintendent, has 42,958. At the close of the school year Douglas County had expended for school purposes for the year $750,301.10. Last year there was expended in all the districts of the state $4,517,229.46, or there was spent in Douglas County 16 2-3 per cent of all the money that was spent in the entire state. ** Rev. W. K. Williams, chaplain of the state penitentiary, has resigned his position and the place is now vacant. The resignation was tendered to Gov. Mickey some days ago, but was not made public. It is probable that Rev. P. C. Johnson, of Tecumseh, will be appointed to fill the vacancy. Rev. Mr. Johnson is an old-time preacher and stands high in Methodist circles. He is an old soldier and is at present without a charge. It is understood that he was formerly pastor of one of Gov. Mickey's churches. Ten of the 517 state banks under the jurisdiction of the state banking board have neglected to file reports of their condition at the close of business Nov. 10, as called for by the secretary of the board several weeks ago, and the presentation of the report of the secretary to the members of the board is delayed until they can be obtained. The penalty for delinquency probably will be enforced. Secretary Ludden, of the State Poultry Association, is sending out to poultry fanciers the list of premiums to be be awarded at the coming poultry show to be held in Lincoln Jan 16 for five
