The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-03-20
THE GOVERNORS APPROVAL.


vital Importance to the people of R.
pides, we publish the message of al
provai, with proviso, Of Governe
Nichols, in connection with the fin,
passage as a law Of the Bill of til
New Orleans Pacing Railway:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, J
! New ORLEANS, La,
Marcel, ii. 1878
To Honorable the Speaker and Member
OF the House Of Representatives
l have the honor TO inform 70
that 1 have this day approved til
bill, originating in your honorable
body, entitled "An act to authoriz
the loan Of State bonds to the Ne,
Orleans Pacific Railway Company
to provide means for the payment o
the principal and interest,"" etc.
I entertain grave doubts whethe
this bill does not authorize an in
crease of the debt of the State beyont
the limit fixed by article 2 Of amend
ments of 1874, to the constitution
and, also, as to whether the provis
ions Of article Ill of the constitutiol
have been complied with. / have
however, affixed my signature to th'
bill in difference to the large MAORI
ty which it received in both house.
of the General Assembly, and also tt
the great difference Of opinion as t.
the constitutional points which ex
lists among the jurists of the State
and, also, from the further consider.
alton that the constitutional question
involved, which most embarasses me,
is one not patent on the face of the
bill, but requiring investigation OF
facts and q decision thereon, more
properly judicial than executive in
its character. / deem it right and
proper to inform the General Assem-.
bly, that whilst l have approved the
bill, my intention is to provoke a de
:islon by the highest tribunal Of the
State on the constitutional questions
involved before signing the bonds
provided for in this act.
Very Respectfully,
FRANCIS T. NICHOLS,
Governor of Louisiana.
~~~~~-~-->1s.-~~~~~~
The METHOD OF 1--WE intend
Ieeping pace with the early certain.
y Of the victorious prospects of our
Railroad, and Therefore give as the Ia
est the following from Saturdays
Sew Orleans Picayune:
Gin the matter of the New Orleans
'aci6c Railroad bill and the order
|ecided upon to pursue a. to the u.s.
ue of bonds by the Governor, the
programme foreshadowcd by the Pic
yune few days ago has been pu,
nto exercise. Yesterday the attor-
eys for the relator, Messrs. Howe
Plentiss, Thos. j. Semmes, John 4 !
'. 5. Finney H.. G. Miller, caused
mandamus to issue, made returna
lie on Tuesday next. ordering Fran
is I. Nichols, Governor, Allen Ju-
lel, Auditor Of Public Accounts, and
Will. A. Strong, Secretary of State,
, execute bonds according to the
rovisions of Act No. So of 1878, to
he number of $50, and to deliver the
anne to relator, but only on strict
ompliance by reIator with the con-
itions Of said law, and that, after
ue proceedings had, the said man.
anus may be made peremptory."
~~~~~-~~--0~-~~
The CLOCK IN TRINlrY's TowER.-l
he clock in Trinity Church tower is
10 heaviest in America. It might
Sem that in its construction an effort
I'D been made to ascertain how much
FETAL could possibly be planted in a
ock. The frame stands nine feet
ing, FIVE feet high and three feet wide.
he main wheels are thirty inches in
lameter. There are three wheels in
'e time train, and three eacl, in the
;rike and the chime. Tho winding
heels are formed Of solid casting.
lirty inches in diameter and two
lches thick, and are driven BY
pinion and arbor." On this arbor is
laced jack, or another wheel, pinion
nd crank, and it takes eight hundred
nd fifty turns of this crank to wind
acil weight up. 1t requires seven
undred feet of threeiinch rope for the
'ree cords, and over an hour for two
ion to wind the clock. The pendulum
eighteen fact long, and oscillates
twenty-five times per minute. Tho
lals are eight feet in diameter. al.
'"ugh they look little more than half
lat size from Rroaduau TLa 49,