Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-02-27
DEs MONIES, Feb. 2lst, 1878.
SEN ATE.

SENATE.
The Senate crowded business rap.
idly this morning regardless of tho
fact that the House discussion on the
report of the ale, wine and beer clause
formed the great attraction.
Petitions continue to pour in on
both sides of the prohibitory question
and both Houses will surely be well
instructed on the question. Senators
Webb and Harmon presented petit
tiOns asking for the amendment OF
the constitution to permit women to
vote-the first of the session.
The lease for the building and
ground Of the present location Of the
girls Reform School soon expires,
and Senator McCoid presented bill
to buy new grounds and buildings
near Mt. Pleasant and to appropriate
ten thousand dollarstherefor. Other
bills introduced were: By Senator
Dashiel, to subject the interest OF
mortgages of personal property, to
levy and sell upon execution; by Sen.
ator Webb, to grant to the Des
Moincs e Minnesota Railroad the
lands now before the legislature for
disposal: by Senator Ham, to amend
section 334 Of the Code, and to limit
county treasurers to two successive
terms.
Senator Bestow offered the follow
ing resolutions:
| WHEREAS, The report of the visit.
ing committee to the penitentiary al
TT. Madison indicate great irregular
tiles in the finances of that institution
ana the impression prevails that gross
mismanagement has prevailed there
to the effect that the funds provided
by the State have been appropriated
and used for purposes prohibited by
the laws of the State of Iowa. There
fore,
Be it Resolved by the Senate, the
House concurring that Joint Com
mittee, consisting of two members on
the part of the Senate and three on
the part Of the House, be appointed
to investigate the financial and other
affairs of the penitentiary at Ft. Mad.
ison, in regard to the illegal or i'm.
proper use of funds belonging to said
penitentiary from whatever source
arising,
And be it further RESOLVED, That
the Investigations by said committees
shall extend through the entire term
of Seth II. Craig, as warden of said
penitentiary, taking careful account
among other things of all the moneys
received and disbursed by said war
den, and carefully examining and
reporting whether the same have
been expended for their legitimate
and lawful uses, and that to acc ON.
plish these ends and secure fair and
full investigation of the matter herein
contained, the said committee shall
have power to send for persons and
papers, to compel the attendance OF
witnesses and to employ clerk, a
short hand reporter, an expert &C.
cOuntant and other assistance they
may deem necessary, to sit during the
session of the Senate and the House
and do all things necessary to render
its investigation thorough and com
plete, and to make a report to this
General Assembly and have the re.
port printed by the State printer for
the use of the Senate and the House
The resolution was adopted and " i'll
| 60 to the House this afternoon or to.
morrow.
Senator Merrill offered resolution
to grant the building and grounds OF
the Deaf and Dumb Asylum at Coun.
Gil Bluffs to the county of POttawat
tamie, on condition of paying the
outstanding Indebtedness against it
and further providing for the remov.
al of the Asylum to Des Moine:
buildings and grounds to be furnish.
ed by the people of Des Moines pend.
ing the completion of the new Capt.
tol and the vacation of the present
building, which shall thus be used
for an Asylum. The resolution was
referred to the committee on Public
Buildings.
The bill permitting the State Agri.
cultural Society 10 prohibit the sale
of liquor within two miles of its fail
grounds was passed.
Senator Haines' bill Furnishing trus.
tees and other officers of State Insti.
tutions for furnishing supplies or be.
ing interested in any contracts with
said institutions, was passed without
opposition.
The Senate again refused to adjourn
for Washington's birthday either
until Saturday or Monday.
HOUSE.
In the House large number of pc
titions and remonstrances We're pre-.
sented on the beer and wine ques.
tions.
| Several bills were introduced and
referred to the appropriate commit
tees, none of them of great impor
tance.
The special order for the considera
tion of the bill repeating the wine anG
beer clause in the present prohibitory
liquor law was taken up, and Mr.
Updegraff moved to postpone tht
consideration for two weeks. Thi,
was voted down, when Mr.. Mueller
of Scott, moved the indefinite post
ponemeDt of the whole question:
The ayes and nays were called OF
both motions, this causing much time
in roll calls when Mr.. Bloom, of John
son county, took the floor and mad,
q speech Of about twenty-five min
utes In opposition to the bill. TIL,
speech was very good one and wa
listened to intently by the members
and spectators, Of whom, by the way
there were very large number
Immediately after the conclusion O
the speech dilatory motions be-
gun. Mr.. Stone, of Marion, Offered
as q substitute tho bill introduced b,
; Senator Dashiel in the Senate, anl
spoke few minutes in support fifth
substitute. Mr.. Mueller, of Scott
moved that the substitute be lait
upon the table, and in the hurry an,
. excitement the motion was carrie,
without for . moment supposing tina
1t would carry the whole question
: with 1t which 1t did. The governo
attempted later to secure reconsid