Reports to the Secretary of the Interior

ment of 16,000 head of quail and prairie chicken consigned to a St. Louis commission house. There have been but few prosecutions for selling or exposing for sale game within the Territory, and there appears to be a general observance on the part of residents of the Territory of the laws defining the open and closed seasons.

The laws regarding game and fish in Oklahoma need entire revision. The present laws, while containing many excellent features, are the result of two separate legislative enactments, and in endeavoring to enforce them I find many conflicting sections, making it extremely difficult to determine exactly what the laws are in many instances. Chapter 15 of the session laws of 1903 repeals all acts and parts of acts in conflict therewith, and apparently reenacts portions of the existing laws, but leaves the question as to how much of the old law is repealed and how much is still in force, a matter of serious difficulty of determination. This fact has resulted in confusion on the part of judges and juries, and in several instances has defeated a conviction where the evidence showed conclusively that a violation of the law had occurred. These conditions can only be remedied by the enactment of an entirely new law, which will definitely repeal all existing statutes on the subject and contain every desirable feature necessary to the proper preservation of our game and fish as well as song birds. Owing to the fact of the conflicting provisions of the present law, many magistrates have failed to include in the fine any provision for either the Territorial or county wardens, and in but few instances have the officers received any portion of the fines imposed.

GRAIN INSPECTION.

[A. H. Jackman, inspector.]

The total number of cars of grain inspected during the year was 4,508, which, at 35 cents per car, amounts to $1.577.80, or the amount expressed in bushels would be over four and one-half millions. This is a very remarkable showing when one considers that the inspection is optional with the owner of the grain.

This department is conducted without the expenditure of a single cent of the Territory's money. The entire expense must be met from the revenue derived by the inspection fees, and as the the inspection is optional the expenditure for maintaining the department is a voluntary one, and it must therefore be of great value or it could not exist. The force now employed by the department consists of a chief inspector and four deputies. The deputies make daily report to and are directly under the jurisdiction of the chief inspector, who makes his reports semiannually to the grain commission, this commission being the secretary of the Territory, Hon. William Grimes; attorney-general, Hon. P. C. Simons, and Territorial auditor, Hon. L. W. Baxter. The commission, acting in accordance with the statutes, have adopted the following rules:

RULE 1. The chief inspector shall be authorized to purchase all necessary tools and appliances for inspection of grain; also furniture and office fixtures and other supplies needed.

RULE 2. He shall also be authorized to employ all help, clerical and otherwise, that shall be necessary to carry out the intent of the inspection law.

RULE 3. The inspector is directed to inspect all scales at warehouses as often as, in his judgment, it becomes necessary, and the fees for the inspection of each scale shall be $1. to be paid by the warehouseman at the time of inspection. RULE 4. The fee for inspection of cars shall be 35 cents for each car, and shall be collected by the inspector, who shall keep account of same and make full reports to the commission semiannually, June 30 and December 31 of each year, and at any additional times the board may require it.

RULE 5. The inspector may select points at which grain in cars in transit can be inspected, and appoint inspectors therefor.

RULE 6. The inspector may employ inspectors at points for inspection in cars on commission, in no case paying more than 20 cents per car.

Seward branch__

Shawnee branch (not operated)
Cushing branch __

BOARD OF RAILWAY ASSESSORS.

At the annual meeting of the board of railway assessors, which is composed of the governor, secretary of the Territory, and the auditor, the various railroad companies were assessed as follows:

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, main line..

Kiowa division__

Tonkawa division__

Hutchinson and Southern...

Eastern Oklahoma

Guthrie branch

Newkirk branch..

Shawnee branch

Per mile.

$5,600

3,700

3,000

3.500

2,700

2,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

5,000

3.800

3.000

2,600

2,700

2,300

400

2,500

2,300

5.400

3,400

3,500

3.000

3,800

3,000

Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf, main line, to Geary.

2,500

5,200

3,500

3,000

3,700

2.000

3,000

400

The rolling stock of the Santa Fe, Rock Island, Choctaw, and

2,700

$3,000

2,000

1,500

210

On the Denver, Enid and Gulf; Fort Smith and Western; Missouri, Katy and Oklahoma; Kansas City, Mexico and Orient, and St. Louis, El Reno and Western, as follows:

Tools, materials, and other personal property was assessed as returned by the companies.

All railroad telegraph wires were assessed at $52 for the poles and first wire and $12 for each additional wire.

All section houses and stock yards were assessed as returned.

All railroad office furniture, switch boards, instruments, supplies, batteries, buildings, etc., were assessed as returned.

The property of the Western Union Telegraph Company, the Postal Telegraph Company, and the American District Telegraph Company was assessed as follows: $52 for the poles and first wire and $12 for each additional wire. All office furniture, switch boards, instruments, tools, batteries, buildings, etc., were assessed as returned. The Missouri and Kansas Telephone Company was assessed at $30 per mile for the poles and first wire and $5 for each additional wire. The Central Oklahoma, Consolidated, Guthrie, Home Enterprise, Kingfisher, Mangum, Norman, Oklahoma and Kansas, Perkins, Pioneer, Shawnee, Topeka and El Reno telephone companies were assessed at $25 per mile for the poles and first wire and $5 for each additional wire.

The Blaine County, Custer City, Frances Western, Geary, D. C. Hanel, Long Distance, Marshall, W. W. Oder, Purcell and Lexington, C. C. Rhyne, S. & S. Temple, Texas, Washita Valley, Western Öklahoma, and C. B. Wilson telephone companies were assessed at $20 per mile for the poles and first wire and $5 for each additional wire.

All other companies were assessed at $15 per mile for the poles and first wire and $5 per mile for each additional wire.

All office furniture, switch boards, tools, instruments, batteries, buildings, etc., were assessed as returned by the companies.

Assessments of railroad property for the year 1904 as fixed by the Territorial board of railroad assessors for Oklahoma.

ATCHISON, TOPEKA, AND SANTA FE RAILWAY COMPANY.