Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-04-08
Things and Doings at the Capital.
COLUMBUS, April 3rd., 1857.

> NOLUABUs, April oT0., 1901.
II ssrs. Editors There is so little
Of interest transporting here, that | scarce
ly know where TO begin to make a read
able letter. A bill passed the House a
few days ago. to require banks that had
elected TO be taxed under the law OF
March 23rd. 1857. to pay their taxes in
to the county treasures instead Of the
Stale treasury. ! believe the Western
Reserve Bank is one that chose to be
taxed according To that law. A bill has
been before the House, and elected some
debate, to provide for selling the Public
Works of the State.
These Improvements are becoming a
great burden to the State, and if they
could be sold, with sufficient assurances
that they would be kept in repair, and
out of the hands or control of the trans
portation companies, the State would be
well rid Of them at any price. They
cost, in round numbers, fourteen millions
of dollars, and some think it probable
they would bring in market two and a
half or three millions.
l think money would be saved TO the
State, even at that sa~craice, and when
ever sold it must be at a sacra6ce, and
the longer the sale is postponed the less
they will bring.
They are now a harbor for ''rGts" of
the largest and 6ercest kind. that threat
en-, at no distant day, to impoVerish
the public "cribs." and the only way TO
get clear of them will probably be some
thing like the way the nan cleared them
from his barn-by burning it.
The constitutional amendments have
all been passed by both branches. with
a slight amendment TO one in the House,
that ! think will be concurred In by the
Senate. They are FIVE in number. and
as they will be published soon in every
county in the State, | will not trouble
you here with what they contain. There
was one passed the Senate, that failed to
pass the House. 1t provided that no
foreigner should be permitted TO vote in
this State. until one year after he was
naturalized.
The vote was taken in the House on
the proposition TO substitute Parsons a
mendmenl for Cadwells bill relative TO
the Canal Contracts on Wednesday, but
the substitute failed decidedly. think
the vote will be taken on the bill to day
and there is every indication that the
bill will pass; one week ago the proba-
bilities seemed the other way. | think
it will pass the Senate without much
lronbIe, if it gets through the House.
The Senate has passed a JOINT Reso-
tuition. authorizing the State House Com
missioners, to sink an Artesian well in
the yard of the State House. / have
sometimes thought, and not without rea-
SOD, that any person might ask of the
State, money for almost any purpose.
and he would be pretty sure 10 find some
one to assist in holding the purse open;
provided, always. the more %extravagant
the demand, the more assistance he would
receive.
1 presume this Artesian well matter,
has run its race; yet there has been as
strange things happen, as the passage of
even this. through the House.
Gov. Ford has been doing quite a
'land-ofice" business in a paper town
he has laid out in Minnesota. He
calls it ''Pepeeo'ah," the English of
which is many ~wigwams." The town
is pleasantly situated ION paper on the
Mississippi River one hundred aud ten
miles below ST. Paul. .aa-
There vas quite q strife for a few days.
to see who should get the corner tots
and in three days / think lie sold some
over one hundred lots. The office
then closed for some cause that |
am not able 10 state.
Another city has been displayed on
the walls of the Legislative halls. for
some lime past. One of its proprietors
is the member of the House from Sciota
Mr.. Mcfarland He, however,
was unhappy in its location. for the
CITY of Carson" is located in that DOOM
ed territory. Kansas. over which hangs,
at present, SO dark a cloud, that free
men are very cautious about investing
there, and the prospects are now,
Carson will be a paper city for some
The whole affair was handsomely bur
lesqued by my friend Howells, editor OF
the Ashtabula Sentinel, and one of the
Clerks of the House. who produced a plot
regularly laid out with rivers. (you are
probably " are they always run by large
owing tn some freak OF nature,
perhaps.l and islands, and railroads, and
and all the other ct ceteras nee
essary to give a place notoriety.
The name WIS "Utopia" a name that
would be applicable 10 other
that make greater ~pre,entioAs.
One of the members of The House re-
a letter from a constituent the
day. requesting a copy of the bill
ia relation to corporations. as he heard
one had been introduced into the Legis-
lalure, and he was somewhat interested
in such matters.