Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-08
STATE LANDS ALL GONE.
NO MORE LEFT FOR NEW FLOR.
IDA RAILROADS.

NO MORE LEFT FOR NEW FLOR
IDA RAILROADS.
Where win They be Had-Strike for
Cuba-ExtensiOno of Borders Required
The Secession Ordinance-Senatorst to
be Immortalized A Bad Practice
twenty-five Days Left
TALLAHAssEE, Feb cit is a somewhat dif-
! ncult matter to determine where the State Is
/ to find lands to aid in the construction of the
many railroads already chartered and the new
/ ones which are almost daily brought to the
surface. There are fertile brains in Florida.
ana they are constantly giving birth to fresh
enterprises. 1t Is matter of surprise to ex-
anime the books of the Secretary of State and
read the long and swelkng list of the articles
of association filed in his Office since the first
of January, 1881. Their name is legion, and
still they continue to increase rapidly and un-
ceasingly.
The state lands have been absorbed long
ago, and there are nothing but dry bones left
OF the once plump carcass of the internal i'm
provement fund. The Office of Commissioner
of Lands will soon perish of inauitiOp. for
there will be nothing but school lands remain
ing; fhere Is but one prospect ahead, and
III General Gordon, after completing his road
TO hey West, can only devise plan to reach
CUBA, either by bridge or tunnel,
magnificent inducements to soaring
abilities that are otherwise doomed to oho
scurlty In these days of engineering talent,
a little matter Of ninety miles, the distance
between the Island City and the Queen of the
Antilles, ought to be nothing more than a mo-
mentary obstacle. 1t will otherwise be a Sc
rlous loss to the march of human progress to
nave SO many bright lights dimmed and 40
much latent talent remain undeveloped
These hints are thrown out for the benefit
OF those OF our people who begin to see the
Held somewhat circumscribed, and whose
wings are being clipped. There is an album
dance OF space where they can spread their
pinlOns, and bOundless sea of experilnent
upon which they can float their proud vessels
" Wanderlng into the office of our courteous
ana elhcient Secretary of State recently, I
examined with much interest the Ordinance of
secession there deposited The Instrument
Is beautifully enrolled on parchment by some
scribe who evidently took much pride in his
task: 1t has been handled so much that the
parchment has become thin and Wrinkled
IL should be carefully framed for preserya
lion ton. The signatures are perfectly legible
ribbon, within which is q border of rich cold
lace. Attached is the great seal of the state.
n century or two hence this document will be
an object of great curiosity. Now it only
serves to awaken sad andsoemn memories
The ceiling IN the Senate Chamber shows
numerous wide and Ominous cracks, and one
OF that dlgnlhed body expressed to me lately
his apprehension that portion might hapne1
TO drop upon the upper house of the Iegisla-
ture whlle engaged in their arduous labOrs.
fallen. If such an untOward accident shoni3
happen, the unfortunate sufferers win have
the satisfaction of knowing that il their
classic features do not 20 down To nOsfarifv
chlseed in Parian marble, they will at least
be busted IN plaster. But seriously some
repairs are very necessary, and sufficient
Appropriation should be made during the
present session for that purpose An ounce
Of prevention may arrest a possible lamenta.
BILE tragedy.
A bill has been passed in the Assemt;,- -,
4 T. nf opnl "a
as gives Justices of the Peace tina mower ~
trying persons charged with the ofense Of
t;aIrylng car; arms secretly, and to confer jurisdc-
tlon In such cases upon the Circuit Court
Some stringent law should be enacted 10
punish tins evil practice. The custom is too
general IN this State, and should he checked
The fines imposed for violations of the exist
ing law are insufficient to suppress the Odions
haDlt, ana should be largely increased. The i'm
position pos; Oh IeW lines OF 500 each would exer-
clse very salutary effect, and prevent many
from converting themselves into WalkinS
magazines, dangerous to themselves as weh
contact, ~ ."
Only twenty-five days remain of the session
and already resolution has been proposed
providing that no new matter be intr.SInce6
III elther House after specified period Very
soon members viii be rushing around in a fe
yer OF anxiety as to the fate af certain net
lod redSqIesl II that are IN danger of being smoth
efeu IN the various committees to whom they
nave been referred This nervousness js es
peclally observable among the new membe1,s
WIN Sdhiot bc Alduc To understand that tbara
Is sufh thlng as having too much law 1t
requires some experience to penetrate all the
mysteries connected with legislative experi-
t,io 1noe, anu theIS Is generally somewhat more
necessity tof subtraction than multiplication,
Ihe committees are like corporations. with
out souls, and coolly file away in their nigeon
holes various Diils that, if passed, would be
stranged by an executive veto, or a decision
of the Supreme Court,
resolution has been offered that it "a tba
e eShse % u tlls senate that no further transfers
fhl
whioh charters have been heretofore granted
ana that the trustees of the informal iIgproye'
llleht III, H Iund are hereby requested and instruct
eu 10 await the report Of the sDeeial com
mlttee appointed to investigate said roads
before making any further transfers to any
OF SAID companies. '
The resolutions of invesfio a+ion fo,.,,,or,31.
TO you Few DAYS since, relative TO the char
tefs and condition of the several railroada
cdhhos pe made during this session. as it Is
conceded that they Will require too much time
anu laDor. ii carried into effect il is Thought
IhaJ the special committee in charge will ho
t11[GSH 70 ask longer period for preparing
their report than can be had during the pre.
sent session, NV PAS
The bill for the ship canal came up this
~ i,'1 baak anu qulte an audience was present
70 70 near the expected discussion. After soma
discussion 1t was determined to have the 0ilI
reprinted with the numerous amendr1pnfs
pIoPoSeu ,S Dy the committee, and the hill was
maue the special order at p. m. to-YnorroVy
Assembly bill, l07, for the relief OF Jaclson,
Yllle, ana the counties Of Baker Rro drord
hcOht NOiulnold, SuWannee, MadisoD ,JefIer-
son ana Duval, elected quite a diseussioD
on It's second reading in the Senate
Inc opposition came principally from
senators from the southern counties. who
seemed unwilling to see tie lands asked 10
be appropriated for the purpose which are
located in their respective districts TINS iis-
posed OF The bill asks that all the lands
(about l75,O00 acres) that remain of the in
ternal improvement fund proper be awarded
TO the counties on the line extending from
Jacksonville to Chattahoochee. for refieving
the bonded Indebtedness incurred for the con-
sructlou of that railroad. The debate wss
eohhned exclusively to the representatives
from the counties specially affected
The bill was finally ordered to be epqrossed
Dr. Curry has been invited to deliver an, al
dress 9p the subject of education to the LeRis-
latare during the present session.
An invitation has also been extended to tho.
Legislature to visit the State Far which
opens IN Jaeksonville next week HoSveveI.
tempting the inducement, it will scaroptv he
accepted at the present moment The nyres
ence OF the Legislature at the fair grounds
would doubtless largely swell the reeeipts of
gate money, as huge eoncourse would avail
themselves Of the opportunity to see the in
zen igence and dignity of the State on pleasure
@ @Denti ana enjoying themselves like other
Inc weather continues very warm. and
vegetation Is reviving in all directions.
W. II, B.