The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-15
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

HOOoE Of kEP
House met at 8 a. m, Speaker Glib
son and quorum present.
Prayer by the chaplain, Rev. DIR.
PoindeXter.
Mr.. Caven's substitute, providing
for separate ballot boxes and separate
tickets for state and federal officers,
passed to engrossment.
a resolution by Mr.. Stagner, to
appoint "a committee to formulate a
new railroad bill, was laid over tempo
rarily.
Mr.. Chenoweth's bill for the relief
of the heirs of Jno. w. Thompson,
who fell at the Alamo, finally passed.
House bill 435, amendatory of the
act to repeal all laws granting land or
land certificates to railroads, etc, APP
proved April p, 1882, was ordered
engroSSed.
SECTION l. All laws or parts of
laws, now in conflict in force, grant
ing lands or land certificates to any
person, firm, corporation or company
for the construction of railroads,
canals and bitches, be and the same
are hereby repealed; provided, that
the commissioner of the general land
CCl W
railroads for so much of their road as
was actually constructed and in good
condition on the 22d day of April,
1882; provided, that said certificates
so issued shall never he claim
against the state of Texas, in the
event that no public land upon which
to locate said certificates he found.
SEC. 2. Emergency clause, that the
act take effect from its passage.
The bill is really for the benefit of
the Count Telfener road, the New
York, Texas and Mexican railroad.
THE APPROPRIATION BILL.
The house resumed consideration
of the general appropriation bill, the
pending question being the appro-
priatiOn of $4,000 for the Alamo and
minor amounts to protect the graves
of the heroes who fell at Goliad, Refu-
gio and San Jacinto.
All but the $4,000 for the Alamo
was struck out.
The salary of the secretary of the
board of education was amended from
$500 so that only $500 shall be
drawn, unless the law fixing the
amount is repealed.
The salaries of the chief clerk and
receiving clerk of the land office were
subjected to the same provision.
Lines 5 to IL, page II, of the amend
ed printed bill making appropriations
for cast iron columns, ETC., for the
house and senate chambers were
struck out.
The question recurring on Mr.. Til
sons motion to strike out certain lines
on page 16 of the printed bill, making
appropriations for the graves of the
fallen heroes, various amendments
were offered and discussed.
The discussion was participated in
pro and con by Messrs. Acker, era
vens, Labatt, Meriwether, Rogers,
Harrison, Ethridge, Wurzback, Du-
rant, Brown, Upton, Frank, Brown
ing, Mckinney, Adams of Trinity,
and others in brief remarks.
Mr.. TilSon, as author of the motion,
explaineC his motives for doing so,
and claiming, notwithstanding the
motion, to have as high regard for
these heroes as any one.
Messrs. Harrison and Ethrldge
thought it was not the time to make
the appropriations, which could as
well be made at another time.
The motion to strike out was lost
ayes 80, nays 80. This leaves the ap-
preparations as made in the bill.
By Mr.. Cramer: Substitute for lines
10 to % inclusive of the bill amend
ing so as to appropriate $4,000 for
the removal of the graves of the
Texas heroes. Lost.
By Mr.. Hill: TO amend appropria-
ton for support of the penitentiary
board in case the state resumes con-
troll of the penitentiaries. Ruled out
of order.
By. Mr.. Ayres: Changing the ap-
preparation for state library from
$1,000 to $1,000 each year. Adopted.
Mr.. MourSund moved to reconsider
the vote by which the house refused
to strike out the appropriation for
the purchase of one hundred and six
ty sets of the ten volumes of the
Southern historical society papers.
Lost. Ayes 30, noes Is.
A message from the senate an
nOunced the passage of senate concur
rent resolution No. 2, ratifying the
lease of the penitentiaries.
By Mr.. Robinson, of Jack: To
strike out, under head of Agricultural
and Mechanical college, lines Ii, 10
and -, page IL, printed bill, which al
lowed $500 for engine and cook rooms
for feed of stock, and $75 for two
items applying to same purpose.
Amendment adopted.
Line ~, page 3, was amended by
striking out the words zone hundred
pupils" without affecting the amount
of the item for supplies and pro-
Visions" deaf and dumb asylum.
The allowance for rebuilding the re-
Gently burned stable of the asylum
was reduced to $500.
BY Mr.. Hill: TO insert "0ut of
university fund.-" line 10, page 20, in
stead of general revenue fund, under
head of Prairie View normal school.
Mr.. Mckinney argued that this
would be an encroachment upon the
fund of the university.
The amendment was lost, and on
motion of Mr.. Frymier, the rules
were suspended to engross the bill.
By Mr.. Moursund: To amend the
purpose of the appropriation of S15,-
600, line 20, page IA, of the printed
bill, so as to read, "For the purchase
of steam tug for the harbor of Gal
weston and for quarantine purposes
$4,000" Amendment adopted.
The bill was ordered engrossed.
By Mr.. White: To cut down the
appropriation of $1,000 for the pur-
chase of 160 sets of ten volumes of
the South ern historical papers. Lost.
BY Mr.. Chenoweth: Amendment
adding on page Z after line of the
printed bill, the words, department
of state engineer:
For salary of state engineer $1,000
Salary of clerk of engineer .... 1900
Contingent and travelling ex-
penses ....,............. 1900
Office furniture. ........ 500
He believed the Gibson substitute
would be a fatal error, and ds the
statutes already provided for a state
engineer, it should be made operative.
For this reason he offered the amend
ment, and moved that the house 90
into committee of the whole.
AS Mr.. Cochran suggested that this
would necessitate re-engrossment of
the appropriation bill, Mr.. Chenoweth
withdrew his amendment.
BY Mr.. Thompson, of Austin: To
strike out the main appropriation
page IL, for support of the Agricul-
tural and Mechanical college. Amend
ment lost.
The bill, as amended, was finally
passed.
A motion to postpone the special
order-the general land bill-till 10 a.
m. Wednesday was adopted, but sub
sequently was reconsidered.
Dop1ino dfaouooinn fA -