The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-04-05

1lDuSc blll -OO, W dlllcllu dTllcle
1913 of the criminal code fixing fees
of county judges for holding habeas
corpus trials, was finally passed.
House bill 400, to make any one of
several connecting railroads response
bic for delivery of freight and trans
portation of passengers, by suit, at
place of destination.
The bill was discussed by Mr.. Fos-
ter, of GraysOn, who offered an
Provided, that the pro-
visions of this act shall apply to such
carriers only whose lines appear by
bill Of lading to be part of such COM
pleted line of transportation over
which the property is received for
Mr.. Taylor spoke in favor of the
amendment. 1t was adopted.
The bill was finally passed.
House bill No. 543, to authorize
cities on the Gulf coast having over
10000 inhabitants to issue bonds and
levy a tax for harbor improvements.
Amendment by Mr.. Labatt striking
out 10000 inhabitants, and providing
that the debts of such cities shall not,
by such expenditures, exceed the
amount Os Indebtedness fixed by their
charters, and that the bonds for the
improvement may be used from any
other bonds not needed for the puT-
pose for which they were specially
authorized.
Amendment adopted and bill finally
passed.
The chair announced a committee
of conference on disagreement of the
two houses of the land bill: MeSsrs.
Foster of Limestone, Browning,
Moore of Eastland and Caven.
House adjourned till p. m.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Speaker Gibson and a quorum pres
ent.
Mr.. Phelps, under suspension of the
pending business, called up the senate
concurrent resolution No. %, request
ing the action of our representatives
in congress to secure division of the
work of the general government on
the Texas coast into two or more dis
tricts, and the assignment of an en-
gineer officer for each district.
MIR. Labatt spoke in opposition of
the bill.
Mr.. Merriwether thought the gen
tleman misunderstood the resolution.
The object was simply to call atten-
ton of congress to the work.
Mr.. Phelps spoke in support of the
resolution.
The question was further discussed
by MeSSrs. Upton, Dennis and others.
The speaker alluded in compliment
AIRY. terms to Col. Mansfield, but argued
that the work was too extensive for
his supervision satisfactorily.
Mr.. Patterson called up the bill
amending the stock law, so as toin-
corporate an amendment eXempting
Wise county.
Various amendments were adopted,
and the bill passed.
Mr.. Taylor called his bill, house bill
No. 44-the shortest, he said, intro
duced during the discriminating
telegraph companies common, carriers.
The bill was finally passed.
NEW PENITENTIARY BILL.
Mr.. Mckinney introduced the fol-
lowing bill, which was referred to the
committee on penitentiarieS:
Mr.. McKinney's bill, house bill $40,
is entitled, "An act to provide for
the more efficient management of the
Texas state penitentiaries."
Sec. 1. The penitentiary board shall
hereafter consist of the governor and
two commissioners of state peniten-
tiaries, to be appointed by the COVER
nor, to hold Office two years, ETC.; the
commissioners to receive So per day
and actual travelling expenses, etc.
Sec. 2. The comptroller to warrant
for the sums due by the state on ac-
count of the penitentiaries, upon GER
tilicate of the superintendent; provi-
ded, that the board may make month
ly estimates of the expenses of the
penitentiarieS, ETC.; vouchers to be
filed for all payments made out of
such amount.
Sec. 3. No lease of them or either of
them shall be made for longer term
than five years, and any lease made
by the board shall be subject to revo-
cation by the legislature; provided,
in case of revocation the lessee or
lessees shall receive from the state
the value of all machinery placed in
said penitentiaries by him or them,
with the consent of said board, and
all permanent improvements made by
him or them in said penitentiaries,
with the consent of said board, the
value thereof to be aScertained as
may be provided by the penitentiary
board.
Sec 4. The board to confine all con-
VictS within the walls as soon as suit
able prisons can be provided for their
confinement and employment in such
manner that they will be self-sup-
porting. and until provision is made
for such confinement and employment
of cOnVictS they may be employed as
now provided by law; provided, that
cOnvictS shall not be employed in any
public works other than building a
reformatory or other penitentiaries,
or at any mechanical labor outside of
the walls in any city or town or on
railroads after July l, 1855.
Sec. 5. The superintendent to give
bond of $4,000, TO be approved by the
board. The board, should they deem
public interest required it, may re-
quire bond of subordinate officers;
provided, that the superintendent in
Office when this act shall take effect
shall have sixty days after said date
to give the required bond.
Sec. 8. Repeating all laws in conflict
with this act.
DtC. q Ell0TRtllCy ClduS6.
Mr.. Upton had bill not longer
than Mr.. TaylOr's, reducing the allow
ance for travelling expenses of the
commissary and quartermaster of the
TaXaS frontier battalion from $500
to $500. Bill finally passed.
Mr.. Barry, of Bosque, called up his
bill fixing county brands for cattle
The bill, with some amendments, was
finally passed.
Mr.. Adams. of Trinity, called up his
bill to compel keepers of bar rooms,
and other public places where liquor
is sold, to conduct the same in an
open manner without the use of
screens.
Mr.. Adams spoke against the use of
screens as calculated to hide boys and
other parties who would not openly
drink in such places.
Mr.. Wilson moved to strike out the
enacting clause. Lost-ayes go, noes AZ
The bill was defeated on engross-
ment by the following vote:
Yeas-Messrs. Adams of Trinity,
Barry, Benavides, Brown, Burns,
Camp, Chambers, Coffman, Cramer,
Durant, Ethridge, Foster of Lime
stone, Frank, Frymier, Garrison,
Hearne. Henderson, Hurst, Kendall,
Leo, Mcdaniel. MCCARTHY, Moursund,
Nash. Newton, Odom, Pendleton,
Rushing, Stagner, Swan, Tilson,
Townsend, Watkins, Wortham-34.
Nays-Messrs. Armistead, Ayres,
Barrett, Browning, Chambers of Col
lin, Cochran, Cotton, Cundiff, Dennis.
Elliott, Foster of Grayson, Graves,
Hardness, Harrison, Hill, Labatt, La
tham indcav Mott axuc MoRrido