Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-02-11
Letter from Harrisburg.
HARRISBURG, Feb. Z, 1Sl


duced into the House by Mr.. Allen,
Of this county, of which tho follow
ing 10 a text:
1Vhereas, The increase In tho num-
Der of members Of tho present House
under tho new Constitution rem
ders the present House too small
10 accommodate them, and can
not be properly enlarged or sutii-
GENTLY well ventilated for them, Be IL
enacted &c. ; That the Governor, Aud
itor General and State Treasurer. are
hereby appointed commission to
adopt plan for an addition TO bc
built against the southeast end Of the
main Capitol building and tho Land
Office" The bill goes on to speak OF
tho dimensions of the new building,
and after the plan is decided upon,thc
above commission shall bid for It's
building in prominent papers, and
shall give the contract to the lowest
bidder. Tho present Hall of the
House of Representatives will at the
samo time DO converted into rooms
for the use Of tho Legislature. The
sum Of sl50,000 is appropriated for
the purpose of erecting this new
building and making the repairs and
changes the bill calls for.
The subject Of the repeal OF tho Lo.
cal Option law is again exciting n
great deal Of interest hero. Numer.
ous petitions are offered in both Sen
ato and House every day, both for
and against local option. The ques-
ton rs to whether or not it would be
constitutional to repeal this law was
referred by resolution Of the House
to Attorney General Dimmick, who
decided that the power making the
law had certainly the right TO repeal
il. II is scarcely possible however
that this Legislature could muster n
majority in favor Of its repeal.
A petition was read in the House,
last week, calling upon the Board Of
Public Charities 10 report to the Leg
islature the condition of the Insane
Asylums Of the State, giving their
numbers, condition, treatment, &c.
The said Board of Charities in their
report TO the Legislature find much
fault with some matters connected
with tho care of the insane at the
State Lunatc Hospital here, which is
under the control of DR.. Curwen. The
Doctor and tho Board of Managers OF
the Hospital held meeting and passed
resolutions denying tho truth of the
charges Their truth or falsity will
doubtless be the subject of legislative
inquiry.
A resolution passed tho House on
the 3D. instant Tor tho publication oi
tho new Constitution in q separate
volume The act fixing tho salaries
of Supreme Judges and Judges o.
Common Pleas Courts was fully dis.
cussed in the House during the past
week. The principal difficulty was
mainly on account of the additional
81, 900 paid by tho city Of Philadcl.
pbia to her judges in addition to their
regular pay, efforts being made TO
have the State pay this instead of the
city.
A new bill was introduced in the Sen.
ate "Providing for tho election of a
Secretary of Internal Affairs and
defining his datics. 1t fixes his sala-
nv at $4,000. By tho provisions OF
tho bill tie eeid Seoreta'J i, required
to exercise a watchfu supervision
over the railroad, banking, mining,
manufacturing and other business cor
porations of the State, to sec that
they con6nc themselves strictly to
their corporate limits, and in any cas-.
es where charges are brought against
them by any individual for violating
their charter or infringing upon the
rights of individual citizens, DO must
carefully investigate such charges, and
if the charges be true and individual
redress cannot well 10 had, he certi-
fes bis opinion to tho Attorney Gen.
eral OF the State, whose duty it shall
be by proper legal remedy, to re.
dress the same by proceeding in tho
courts at the expense Of the State.
On Friday OF last week Mr.. Rutan
introduced from committee an act
with amondments)to enable tho Audi.
tor General 10 settle the accounts of the
State Printer. The bill recites that
"as Benjamin Singcrly alleges, that
tho loss sustained for work ordered
by and in preparation for tho Consti-
tutional Convention is about $50, 500,
and sl0,500 for work ordered, and in
preparation and for material in stock
necessary for the came, for heads OF
departments, the Auditor General is
authorized 10 examine tho claims OF
Mr. Singerly for lossos sustained by
reason Of the fre which destroyed
his Office, to ascertain by sworn aili-
davits the amount and character OF
the losses and TO allow an equitable
and just compensation for the same
upon the basis of contracts between
the State and State Printer, the same
as if delivery OF tho paper and docu-
mcnls had been made"
Mr.. Brockway read in the House, n
bill carrying into effect section eight
of article seventeen of tho new Con
stitution in regard TO railway passes.
The first section maks IL a misdemcan-
or punishable by fine, not less than
$4,000 and more than s500.00 to be
collected in the usual way, if any
railway or othcr transportation com
papy shall Live pass to any one but
officers or employees of the company,
whose names arc borno on the pay
rolls OF said company. This includes
also passes given ut discount. Sec
ton two recites, "tbat any person re-
ceiving such pass (not an officer or
employee) shall DO guilty of misde-
meanor with fine and penalty samc as
above Section three causes tho act
to 60 into object as soon as passed.
Yours truly,
Il. l.. II.
MECHANICS LIEN. "A bill has been
introduced into the Legislature by
member from Allegheny county re.
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