The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-17
OUR STATE LEGISLATURE.
CONTINUING MEssRs. sMYTH, PILs-
hurry and STURGIS
The Effort to secure Retreuchmcnt in New
York Gathering strcngth-Morc His by
Woodin- Rumor- OF Cash 10 Defeat Them.

The Effort to Secure Retreuchmcnt In New
York Gathering strcngth-Morc BiiIs by
Woodin- Rumor- OF Cash to Defeat Them.
ALBANY, Feb. 16.-In executive session Of
the Senate to-day the nominations of John r.
Smyth to be Superintendent of Insurance, Louis
ID. Pilsbury to be Superintendent of State
Prisons and Hezkah Sturgis to be Canal APP
praiser were confirmed. Woodin made strong
effort to delay action, and on this there was
lively tussc between him and Jacobs but four
Republicans, Harris, Tobey. Mccarthy and
Coleman broke away from Woodin. thus giving
the Democrats majority of one The first
nomination called for was that Of Mr.. sturgis.
The Canal Committee said they were not ready
to report. and Senator Bxby moved that the
committee be instructed to report In Ave min
utes. AT the end Of that time they not having
agreed. on motion 81 Mr.. Bixby the committee
WAS discharged and MIR. Sturgis was confirmed
II to8.
fcas-Mcssrs Baden, BiSby, Bradley Coleman Elm.
ers"n Gerard Hammond harris jacobs. Kennnday La
st john h6onmaHer ssr f,ry mnd NSSc
Nny.-Mc,srs carpcnter Cole. DOoIc, sayre, sckrcg
:, When Mr.. Smyth's name was taken up. Mr..
biHHny prcscgted a rcmonstrance from policy
holders in New York city snyng that Mr..
interests. and asking that he he not confirmed.
MIR; BiXby said that II this was true he would
certainly vote against his confirmation. On the
the fact he Withdrew his ohcctions. All of Tho
kopunhcdns VINO had been kicking and swear
ing Tor two days. with ono exception voted for
the continuation senator Sayrc. who IL from
Utica tn. homo of Mr.. Conkling, and who s
closely identified with the anti Conk ling faction
Notyi alone in the negative. Mr., pIlsbury was
113nlrmed ANONYMOUSLY and without debate.
broken the combination that had so long pre-
nations.
The Senate this morning concurrcd in the
Assembly amCndmc ni- To the Prison Supcrin-
tcndcnt bill. Mr.. pilshury informs me that he
shall begin nj once the work of rcorganizinR
and reforming those Institutions. Political
rsus9ns. he said. should not influence him, He
should appoint the best men he could find and
should see 10 IT that the management of the
prisons was in no way mixed with politics.
me feature Ot the proceedings in the Assem-
bly, to-day was speech by Mr. Purdy upon his
res9luiion 10 appoint committee To investigate
~" Ike Insurance companies. II was the most
eloquent and effective, arrangement OF the man
ner in which some of those corporations have
transacted business and swindlcd policy hold
crs ever listened 10 in the legislature The facts
given by him would Justify. IL anything could
the appointment Of such Il committee. Alyord
spoke in favor Of directing the Insurance Com
miitcc to make such an examination. and in
this he was. supported by Mr.. Graham. Chair
man ol the Insurance Committee. The resolu-
ton was laid over.
Ii New York city does not get something in
the way of rctrcnchmcnt and reform from this
Legislature, It viii not be from any lack of
ton To those already introduced and the ma
Mlty OF which are iathercd by him. senator
Woouln VIII Introduce IN u lew days several
more. Among them will be- one reducing the
pay Of the ilremen and police To 81 900 a year,
and otherwise Will wipe out the Dock and
building Departments, consodat ing them with
other departments. These bills Woodin says,
will save to the city over $500 900 annually In
reply 10 query. Mr. Woodin says that 1t is his
desire To give the city some actual re-
Lief without regard TO where it may hit politi-
cally. He favors the passage of general
bll ~ contemplated in Senator Morrisscy's res
oution. He this afternoon called together the
two Committees ON Cities. and it was decided To
hold n Joint session on Tuesday afternoon and
evening, and TO invite the Mayor. Comptroller.
Commissioner of Public Works the Police Com
mssloncrs. Col. Rush Hawkins. John H. Stra-
man. Dorman H. Eaton, and numerous other
residents OF New York To meet with them and
examine all the bills before the Legislature sug-
grst such amendments as they may think adj
ylsablc with view of punching them all in one
bill and then putting them through. For fear.
however. 81 failure To procure such coopera-
ton he will press his bills ahead as rapidly as
possible. that nc time may be lost. II IL almost
certain that pool will be made To defeat all
these reform measures. Already it il whisper
ed that $lOOOOOis TO be raised in New York
Tor this purpose.
The Senate passed the bill authorizing the
city u borrow money and issue bonds for the
enlargement Of the water works Tho bill au-
uorizlng women to serve az school officers was
ordered To q third reading, also was the bill
10 pay the District Court clerks.