The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-03-22
From Spring fieId.
MORE RAILROAD BILLS,

]
mile, and fines any railroad collecting high
er rate $500 for the first, $4,000 for the second,
and $4,000 or forfeiture Of franchise for the
third oficnsc; and also fines and imprisons
the conductor for collecting a higher fare.
Mr. Hildrup also presented new bill on
Monday, to take the place of his former bill
The present one proposes that the railroad
commissioners shall examine the rate OF fare
and freight established by each railroad, and
decide which charges are reasonable and
which were not; and notify the railroad of
their decision. If the railroad companies re-
! fuse to molly their tariff accordingly they are
TO be prosecuted, etc.
And finally Mr.. Lane, in view of the fact
thatthe word"reasonabc"i the constitution is
the main difficulty in the way Of effective legis-
lation in regard to railroad charges, proposed
resolution in thchousc on Tuesday to amend
the constitution so rs to construe the word
"reasonable" to be directory and not manda-
tory, and that any rate of charges fixed by the
legislature shall he held to be reasonable.
ADJOURNED SESSION.
Neither house of the legislature has yet
adopted any formal resolution on the subject
of adjournment; but the indications are that
the legislature will adjourn about the first
week in April and hold Il second or extra SEES
sion next winter An effort to have the next
session held at Chicago signally failed
| RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS.
| The resolution of Mr.. Jones, to abolish the
Board of Railroad Commissioners, was de-
bated in the house for several hours on Fri
day, and finally voted down by vote Of II
against 80 OF the La Sale county members,
Armstrong voted for the resolution, Hart
against it, and Soule was absent.
PASSED.
Senate bill 10, to prevent strikes by miners,
providing that if any two persons shall
combine to deprive any person of the use OF
his property or the continuance of his bust
ness, they shall be fined $500 or be imprisoned
in the county jail This bill is the result of
the coal miners strikes in this state during
cold weather last winter.
House bill $40, which repeats the registry
law in all towns casting not more than 1000
votes,als cameup and was passed los to Z.
The bill establishing the judicial circuits
has passed both houses. 1t makes La Sale
and Bureau the 9th circuit. The whole state
| is divided into 90 circuits.
RUMMEL INVESTIGATION.
The committee appointed to investigate the
charges of corruption against ex-Secrctary of
State Rumlnel, make report that they find
Mr.. r. has overcharged some $4,000 for copy
ing the laws and Journals of the last session
of the legislature, and offer a resolution that
the attorney general be directed to prosecute
Mr. Rummel to recover the money The com
mittcc also find that the paper bought for the
tuse of the state by Mr.. Rummel, though of a
suitable quality, falls short two pounds per
ream of the required weight The report is
made the special order for next Tuesday
NEW STATE HOUSE.
The bill has finally passed both houses, and
has been approved by the Governor, appropri,
atng $1,00O,000 to complete the new State
House.
RETURN StfOoL Al IONtttI'
A bill appropriating some $4,000 towards
the support of this institution was vigorously
debated in the senate on Wednesday and final
" recommitted A Times correspondent re-
marks:
This is one ofthe most unfortunate establish
mcnts in the state. BY the breaking Of small
bank the first treasurer of the trustees lost
&C tl,n finds lruNyn frp,O ihp state
treasury, and none of it was ever recovered
Then the supreme court declared that the
county bonds donated to secure the location
of the school were worthless, and so that
amount of property belonging to the state is
wiped ont also Indeed, it is not certain that
the state owns even the building, for the land
on which it stands was Il donation TO secure
the location, and it would seem to be reaSona-
bic that the same rule should apply 10 dona-
tions of real estate as applied TO the donation
of bonds. During the pending OF this very
suit in the supreme court, the fourth sub-dep-
uty acting brcvet assistant supcrnumerary or
some other officer of like title, forged the
names of the officers of the concern to war
rants for $500, got the money from the treas
ury, and was captured in the city full of ben
zine and repentance. The best thing which
can be done with the State Reform school Is
to give up the land and buildings to any one
who will hold the state free from any claim
for the Livingston county bonds, and thus
close up what was an absurd experiment III
the beginning, and what has proved very
expensive establishment.
sCNDRIES.
The bill TO prevent strikes in coal Mines or
at least to punish strikers for preventing
others from working in the mines, has passed
both houses and been approved by the Gov
ernOr.
The Senate bill appropriating s2ooOOo and
the canal tolls to build ii lock and dam at
Copperas Creek, has been ordered to Il third
reading in the house
The Donahue bill, to prevent discrimina-
tions in freight charges by railroads, has pass
ed the senate. The bill simply declares max
inc "uniust Determinations" misdemeanor
ont lnny-infr tho