Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-11-24


THE yeas and nays were called in both branches
Friday, nine times In the senate and ten times
in the house generally upon frivolous matters.
Mr. Stickney the popular first assistant clerk
Of the house, improved in speed every time, and
was fast getting down to two-minute gait when
the house adjourned.
DooRKHEPER SKEEIs Is suspected Of double
entendre when he announced to the speaker last
week Tuesday afternoon, as sequel to the infer
nation OF lack OF gas that now there is plenty
Of gas in The house, The members " took at
once and adjourned without trying to ignite 1t.
Mr. Skees' soldity is only equaled by his jollity.
COLONEL GEORGE W. HOOKER has returned to
the treasury the pay which he received for the
twenty-six days of his absence in New York at
tending to his duties AS assistant secretary Of the
Republican National Committee. In doing this,
Colonel Hooker only acts in accordance with the
high sense OF honor which has always been at
trbuted to him
THERE was some hearty laughing in the house
last Tuesday over the bill introduced by Mr.. Grout
of Concord by request, to restrain the depreda-
ton of turkeys, ducks and hens. Mr.. Taft APP
precated the gravity OF the evil which the bill
sought to remove, and promptly referred 1t to the
committee on military affairs since 1t was the
most warlke subject which had yet come before
the house. Colonel Hooker capped the climax "
by giving notice to his committee that they would
meet to consider this important bill on Thanks
giving morning.
SOME of the members of the house did not be-
have as though they had the interests OF economy
very much at heart Friday. While the speak
| ,ali land al With huai
to have been dispatched, they persisted in max
ing dilatory motions in order to stave of the evil
dent wish of the house to elect a seventh judge
OF the supreme court. There are seven county
courts which ought to be in session in December,
but how they can sit with only six judges is
hard problem to solve Some important business
will have to be postponed.
| THE question Of revivng the charter OF the
Montpelier and White River railroad company,
so as to enable that corporation to build a track
from Montpelier to the coffee house, was dis
cussed before the committee railroads in the
senate chamber Thursday evening. Hon. Luke p.
Poland appeared in behalf of the bill, and S. c.
Shurteff, Esq, against it. Among the promi-
nent men present were Governor Smith, the Hon
b. F. fifield. James X. Langdon, Esq, d. X
Sortwell, Esq, president of the Wells River road,
and John w. Hobart. Esq, superintendent Of the
| Central.
vERsHIRE u.s. Ely occupied the attention OF the
special committee the subject last week Tues
day evening The senate chamber was fairly filled
with an interested audience. Judge Poland con-
tnued his presentation of the case for the friends
OF the new name, and put upon the stand Mr.. Ste
phen b. Darling, William Eustace and DR.. T. G..
Al ~
William Paul and one hundred and seventy-eight
other voters in the town against changing Its
name back to Vershire Mr.. Heath read the az
fidavits Of Henry o. Bryant, Irving Aldrich,
Hiram Lathrop, John j. Bond, John Bragg and
Joseph Moody upon the side Of the petitioners.
THE contested election cases have at last been
ended Mr., Grover, the returned member from
Wells, has been unseated and Mr.. Spaulding,
the contestant, sworn in his place The Claren-
don case occupied the whole of Wednesday after
noon in the house, and was decided by a large
majority in favor of Mr.. Potter, the returned
member. Mr.. Palmer of Jericho made an able
speech in defence of the majority committee,
which had great influence in determining the
result. Messrs c. II. Pitkin and Hiram A.
Huse of this place were counsel for the victor
in each case and have earned high praise for the
| manner in which they have conducted their cases.
The committee on agriculture gave a + airing
Tuesday to the promoters of and remonstrants
to II. 1876, "An act for the protection OF land
owners whose lands are situated along and ada
cent to the banks of willou61by and Barton
rivers, in the towns OF Barton, Bloomington, Gov
entry and Irasburgh and for the protection Of fish
in said streams" Homer W. Heaton, Esq, OF
Montpelier, appeared for the friends of the bill
and General W. W. Grout for the remonstrants.
1t seems that this is renewal of the old warfare
between the saw-mi owners and the farmers.
The mills fill the streams with saw-dust, and
when the spring floods come the saw-dust is de-
posted in the adj acent meadows, to the detrment
Of the grass crop. Among the witnesses for the
bill the Hon. Isaac Parker Of Coventry Judge
Redfeld's uncle, a hale nonogenaran. There are
a number of witnesses on each side.
The judges q the supreme court have ap-
pointed Mr., +. F. Palmer, the representative from
Waterbury, to be the reporter Of its decisions
Mr. Palmer is emnently fit for the position and
will prove worthy successor Of Mr.. Rowell A
graduate OF Dartmouth, OF wide reading both in
legal and humane literature, Of scholarly tastes
} Mr.. Palmer will do his work with ardor and con
scientiousness. His abilities are OF high order
and he ranks as one Of the most promising of the
younger members of the bar and the state Tn,
argument which he made in behalf of the consti
tutonality Of the insolvency law before the su
preme court year ago was deservedly compli
mented by the bench and the bar and attracted
great attention, lie is now the leading counse
in the defense OF the Meakers, whose trial TO
murder was begun on Monday. None will re
| ,ntan ttIt,a - u.
Palmers attachments than his brethren of tn,
Washington county bar, with whom his modes
bearing, absolute integrity and general qualitie
have made him great favorite.
THE general committee Of the house gave
hearing on Thursday in the large committee room
to the parties interested in the bill introduced b.
Judge Judevine providing that insurance com
panies shall pay the insured the face of a polio
when there has been no ciiminality on his part Il
causing the loss. The insurance men were pres
ent in large force in opposition to it, and livel
Q discussion occurred. Judge Judevine himsel
conducted the case in behalf OF the bill, and ad
= dressed the committee at length upon the reason
l. for its passage. Mr.. w ii. H. Bingham, pres
. dent OF the Vermont Mutual Fire Insurance Con
pany General p. z. Pitkin, president Of til
Farmers Insurance Company, the Hon. Josep
. Poland, secretary Of the Farmers Insurance Con
pany, Mr. w. ii. Goddard Of Ludlow, the Hor
:, John stearns OF Bradford Colonel T, S. Peck
y Burlington, DIR. Hiram A. Cutting OF Lunenburgl
n Mr.. George W. Cahoon of Lyndon, Mr.. 7.
k Blodgett Of st, Johnsbury, and other gentleme
" interested In insurance matters, addressed III
d committee against the bill, and said that 1t woul
" be ruinous to fire insurance companies to pass
a The agents OF foreign stock companies notfe
Q the committee that their companies would will
II draw from the state II the bill becomes Law
II Mr. Harvey Of Topsham spoke in behalf Of IL
y bill The hearing was resumed Friday mornn
Z at hsli-past eight
HARDwIcK. Scholars in primary department
/ district number l, Lima M. Wakefield, teache
a. having no absences are: Llnnie Scrbner, N.Y.
v scrbner Lila Belle Stuart, Addie whte
Is Stedman Holton, Eddie Carter, Fred Foster NJ
n Crillis, Dana Bell, Jimmie Collins, Harry Wa
+ Victor Stuart and Eddie Dutton, Those rankin
le first in department are Myra Scribner Ula Day
= son, Ora Wakefield, stedman llolton, Harry Wa
Ill l...-A..a