Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-27
TALLAHASSEE TOPICS.


to PrOceed-The Revenue Bill-Land,
Sold for Taxes.
TALLAHASSEE, FLA, Feb. 4.-This session
has been productive of a swarm of relie
bills, some of which are on a scale of consid.
erable magnitude. That which passed bott
houses sometime since to relieve the burden
OF the various counties trayersed by the
Florida Central and Western Railroad was
no small affair.
Another BILL of somewhat inferior dimen-
slons, has been presented in the shape of a
| bill for the relief of the city OF Pensacola and
/ ITS provisions are as follows:
W MHEREAS, BY the original terms of the act
known as the Internal improvement of the
otaIe OF FLORIDA, aid to construct railroads
was limited to ironing and equipment of the
| roads after the location and grading was ac-
I compilshed, and such aid was then also limit
/ ed to the grant of alternate sections for six
| miles on either side of the roads con-
ssrucIeu there1nder, IN so far as
/ the grants of lands were made: and whereas
the city OF Pensacola, in the years 1857 and
1898, IN order TO locate and grade the Alabama
ana Florida Railroad, a road extending from
fensacOla 10 connection with the Mobile
and Montgomery, Of Alabama, issued certain
bonds OF said CITY, which bonds have been re-
funded, amounting to (S2S0, 900 two hundred
ana ana elgnty thousand dollars; whereas,
by the disasters and operations of the
late war, the iron rails and equipment
OF the road was taken away and distributed
upon several roads, which action the authOri-
i ties OF the road were pOWerless to prevent as
the State Of Florida had consented 10 seces-
sion, so that the use and beho0f of said prop
erty was lost by said act of the state: and
whereas, Dy the operation of said internal
Improvement act and by other provisions of
law, large amounts of land have been granted
for locating and grading other railroads,
largely IN excess OF the pro rata amount re
ceiYed by the said Alabama and Florida Rail
road:
The People Of the State Of Florida. ysDre
resented f7l Senate and 4 sSen6Is, do enact as
Jolkoaos:
SECTION l. That two hundred and fifty thou
sand acres of the indemnity lands received or to
be received, or monies to be received from the
settlement OF indemnity lands blythe State of
Florida, or from the United States be and
they are hereby set apart for the payment of
the funded bonds of the city of Pensacola,
which were issued in lieu of the original
lands already sold.
The remainder of the bill applies to the an
polntment of a trustee and the cancellation of
the bonds when redeemed.
The birthday of ''the Father of his country"
was duly hOnOred in both houses by holding
tnree lengthy sessions, prolonged until after
10 p m. Considerable work was effected also
holiday.
General Gordon's bill passed the Assembly
yesterday, and has been certified to the SEN
ate. The high character of that distinguished
gentleman, as well the strong financial
packing that he enjoys, give assurance to the
general belief that should the bill become a
law, work on this important thOrOughfare
to completion.
The title to the road is the International
Railroad and steamship Company of Florida,
and among the names OF the incornorators are
such men as John B. Gordon, Hugh j. Jew
EFT, OF New York; William l.. Watson, of
England; Ed. warren. of France; Hugh A.
Hairaison, of Alabama; Robert w. Hunter.
of Virginia, and others.
The road is to run from a OOint on the Gaor-
gla line, at or near Jesup, as is supposed, to
Key West and Tampa in this State, through
the entire peninsula. Its stock is not to eX-
ceed the sum of fifteen millions of dollars, to
be divided into shares of one hundred dollars
each. 1t Is empowered to construct and
operate line OF railroad to Tampa and Key
west, and to lay submarine telegraph lines
from those ports to foreign countries
In aid OF this project the company ask the
usual alternate sections of land along the line
OF the road and fifteen thousand acres Der
mile of the swamp and oyerfowed lands. and
they ask that all the lands lying south of
the twenty seventh parallel of north latitude
DE Withdrawn from sale. The usual privileges
are granted to actual settlers to purchase said
lands. The bill specifies that work is to be
commenced within one year and completed
Withln seven years, and that no greater
passenger Iare Is TO be charged than five cents
per mile.
An unfavorable report has been made upon
the bill to prevent the firing of woods lands
or marshes. 1t has already been settled by
this Legislature that dogs are at liberty to kiil
and mangle sheep with impunity, and now IL
eense IS given to any one owning a half
starved cow to set the woods on fire for her
benefit, needless OF the damage that NAV re-
suit, and thousands of dollars in the way Of
fences, buildings, fruit trees and other i'm
proyements are annually destroyed by this
barbar0us practice.
The bill for the establishment of an insti-
tute for the deaf, dumb and blind has passed
the senate, II enacts that such an asylum
shall be erected at a polnt combining the
REQUISITES health. fV afp
appropriates the sum of $4,000 for its mainte-
nance for this and next year. 1t is pleasant TO
think that there Is at last probability that
TINS unfortunate class of sufferers are to be
educated and made useful members of society
the trustees OF the Agricultural College
Fund have been in session for the past two
or three days without effecting any important
results. 1t is said that there is quite a conflict
OF opinion as to the location of the college
and the disposition of the interest arising
from the fund
conflict of opinion has arisen between the
two houses on the bill regulating the sale of
spirits, wine or beer, by the County Commits
sloners, and a committee Of conference has
been appointed to adjust the difference.
The lengthy bill on the assessment and col
lection OF revenue has passed the Senate with
considerable number of adverse votes, and
goes to the Assembly, where it will encounter
more or less opposition. Many contend that
the old bill was good enough for all practical
purposes, and contained all the provisions
that were necessary.
The tax bill fixes the State taxes for this and
the next year at five mills, and authorizes the
Governor to reduce the tax for next year to
four mills, IL in his opinion the reduction can
be safely effected. The County Commission
ers can levy tax of four mills foF county
purposes, and an additional tax, not to exceed
two mills, for bridge and building purposes,
when deemed necessary. The school tax shall
net be larger than four, nor less than two and
a half mills.
Quite debate arose in the Senate on the
bill III relation to lands heretofore sold for
taxes and purchased by the State. The bill is
in brief as follows:
THAT all the right and title of the State in
and to all the lands heretofore sold for taxes
and purchased by the State, not transferred
nor In the interest of any third party conflict
ing, Is hereby relinquished in favor of the
owners thereof, and the said taxes thereon
remltted and discharged; and the Comptroller
Is directed to collect all suck certificates of
sale and cancel the same, and make proper
record thereof in his Office in a book to be
kept for that purpose
The measure was advocated by Messrs
Pope, Bryson and others, and opposed by
Messrs. Greely, Sharpe, Speer, Lesley and
Mallory. The vote on It's passage resulted in
Its defeat by vote Of 10 to 8.
The people OF Lake City are greatly elated
by the action Of the trustees of the AgricuI-
tural College fund in selecting that town as
the location of the college. In point of value,
this Is worth half a dozen capit0ls.
We have had a regular March day, and
clouds of dust are in motion. w. H. Il.