The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-15
PENNSYLVANIA LEG1sLATURE.


hDOub uhlI n mlllOn less expenses tnan are pro-
posed by the House.. the committee which eX-
hibited so much diversity Ct feeling on tue
state Treasury examination is a harmonious
body on the Appropriation bill
House bill Incorporating the Clearield aud
Buffalo Railroad was passed
Mr.. Nagle called uP the House bill authoriz-
ing majority of the corporators of the Phila-
delphia City Telegraph Company to open sub
scription books, which passed.
Mr. Nagle introduced n bill providing that
Aldermen and members of Councils of each
ward shall be created Board of Superintend-
ents of the Highways of their respective
wards, to have exclusive control, and the
management, construction, paving, and repair
ing of all streets, highways, and roads within
such wards.
1t shall be the duty of this board to meet
annually on the second Monday of January,
and organize by the election of chairman and
secretary, and within six months thereafter to
advertise and receive proposals from the lowest
bidder for such work as in their opinion may be
necessary. 1t shall be the duty of the City rrea-
surer to set aside annually on the second Mon
day of January one-tenth of one per cent. on
the assessed valuation of real estate In each
ward, and to place such amount at the disposal
of the Board of Superinteudents of such ward,
who shall make no contract for any sum exceed
ing this annual amount, and the City Treasurer
shall notify the board within ten days after the
second Monday of June of the amount so set
aside. Contracts are to be drawn by the City
Solicitor.
Contractors are to give security, and their
bonds are to be deposited with the State Trea-
surer, aud all rents aud other revenues due to
the Highway Department are ID be paid to the
State Treasurer. The assessors of each ward
shall act as supervisors. and report monthly in
writing whether contracts have been fulfilled,
but shall receive no compensation. The act
shall not take effect until January, 1871 and
shall not apply to the Twenty-secoud ward.
Mr.. Olmstead introduced an act to facilitate
the construction of a railroad between the Sus-
quehanna and the Great lakes and Canada.
This is project TO construct a line from Jersey
Shore in northwestern direction to the city of
Buffalo to develop the mineral resources of
Potter and adjoining counties and to divert the
grain trade, which now flows ifrom Buffalo to
New York, to the city of Philadelphia.
The bill provides that the Jersey Shore, Pine
Creek, and Buffalo Railroad shall issue first
mortgage bonds to the amount of $4,000, 600,
paying five per cent. interest, which shall be
deposited in the sinking fund of the State, and
applied only to payment OF the public debt. In
consideration of this deposit the company is to
have the use of an equal amount of bonds be-
longing to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company,
now in the State Treasury.
In order to secure the State from any loss it is
provided that the new bonds shall be payable ut
the same time and in the same amounts, and
shall bear exactly the same interest as those be-
longing to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
Neither shall any exchange of bonds take place
until a contract shall be made for the construc-
ton and equipment of the new road within three
years, and this contract shall be absolutely guar
anteed by either the Catawissa and Philadelphia
and Reading, the Catawi,sa and Lehigh Val
ley, the Lehigh and Susquehanna, or he Phila-
delphia and Erie, Northern central. and Penn
sylvania Central roadf, which guarantee shall
extend not only to the payment of the principal,
but to the payment of $500, 900 per anuum inte-
rest money to the State, and the franchises aud
roads OF the party making the guarantee shall
be liable therefor. The road shall furnish the
most direct and shortest route from Buffalo aud
Western Canada to Philadelphia.
The grades will not exceed over fifty feet to
the mile, the road will be about 140 miles in
length, and for sixty miles will pass through
bituminous and semi-bituminous coal fields, the
veins in which are from two to seven feet in
thickness. 1t will also ipass through about a
million of acres of the best hemlock and other
timber lands
Senate bill opening Allegheny avenue from
| the Delaware to Sixth street. A majority OF
property owners shall be authorized to enter
into contract for grading, paving, curbing, mac
adamizing, and masonry of the avenue The
Chief Engineer of the Water Department shall
lay pipes within sixty days. The city shall be
liable for the grading not exceeding 35 cents for
each cubic yard, and Sl'25 per square yard for
macadamizing, and the Highway Commissioners
shall draw warrants on the City Treasury as
| the work progresses. This bill was laid over
| on motion of Mr.. Henszey. f....r
| Senate bill fixing the location of roads, ETC.,
| within Fairmount Park. Mr.. Connell moved
| to insert provision that the acts of the Com
missioners shall not diminish the area of the
park, and this act shall not apply to any case
now pending before jury for damages by the
taking of property. Agreed to, and the bill
| passed finally.
The Senate bill for Metropolitan Police force
was introduced by Mr.. Henszey. This bill has
| been published.
Mr.. Nagle rose to point of order, contending
that this bill was similar to the bill vetoed by
| the Governor, and appealed TO the ruling of the
! Speaker on the Pleasant Valley Railway sup
| plemeut, which he ruled out because 1t was the
same bill formerly killed by the Senate.
Mr., Connell replied that this bill was totally
| different from the one vetoed by the Governor.
| The Speaker ruled Mr.. Nages point of order
| not well taken.
| Mr.. Nagle then raised another point of order
contending that the first was disposed of.
| The Chair decided this point not well taken
| declaring that while both bills were before thu
! Senate there was no rule to prevent either bill
being considered
| Mr.. Connel moved to amend the first section
by naming the commissioners embraced in thu
| bill which had been vetoed by the Governor.
Mr.. Lowry then moved the indefinite post
| ponement of the whole subject.
! Mr.. Henszey hoped the Senate would under
stand that this movement was to defeat the bill
Mr. Lowry replied that this bill had already
been passed upon by the public who had de
clared that neither this bill nor any like it shoul
pass
Mr. Lowry's motion was disagreed to.
Yeas-Beck, Brodhead, Buckalew, Davis, Dun
can, Findlay LiDderman, Lowry, Mcintyre
Miller, Nagle, Purman. Randall, Turner, an(
| Wallace.
Nays-Allen, Billingfelt, Brooke, Connell
Graham, Henszey, Howard Mumma, Olmsted
Osterhout Robson, Rutan, Warfel, Watt White
and Stinson Speaker.
Yeas Is: nays, 49,
Mr.. Connell, then in response to the earnes
appeals Of Messrs. HenszeY and White, with
drew his amendment, explaining that he hal
introduced it only in justice to the. gentlemel
1 s,,f had iHa.