Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1883-02-28
THE STATE CAPITAL.
Who Killed the Melarkey Rail-
road Bill?

HOwell's Explanation Sccnes In
and About the Senate Durini
Railroad LegislatiOn-Ehe Tim
for Jobs Arrived-AsSessOr Wal
lace and h Outlook for His Bill
CARSON, Feb. 25.-Your correspondent
has been interviewed by Hon. Eugene
Howell, who feels agsrieved by an edi-
torial article in the SENTINEL Of a recent
date, in which his bill calling for $4,000
to defray the expenses Of q Commissioner
to Washington to further the considera
ton of his Memorial to Congress for thu
improvement and navigation of the Colo
RADIO River, was criticized with persona
reference to himself. He disolaims ambi
ton in the matter, except to carry out the
wishes of his constituency of Lincoln
County, who he says sent him to the Legis'
lature for this business specially. His
idea is that the amount asked will be nee.
essary to pay for the collection Of Stats
tics with regard to the Colorado country
in Nevada and the presentation of them at
Washington, as a matter OF most recent
information and aid to our Senators and
Representative in Congress. This seems
like a satisfactory explanation as far as Mr..
Howell is concerned, as, being a member
of the Legislature, he cannot legally have
any part in the proposed trip to Washing
ton. It has been your correspondents
sole purpose in this and other matters, as
well as to keep the readers Of the SENTINEL
posted on matters of interest to them, par
ticularly when appropriations of money
are asked for, the uses of which are not
clearly understood.
The Melarkey bill, the vote on which I
telegraphed you yesterday, is dead and
buried. The Lieutenant-Governor shoveled
in the last dirt upon its grave. The ques-
ton was on its indefinite postponement,
the vote being 10 to 10. Had he not voted,
the motion to indefinitely postpone would
have been lost, aud then the bill would
have come up on its final passage, in which
event, surprising the vote to continue a
tie, the bill would have been killed just as
effectually. Really, his vote was not
needed to give the Melarkey bill its qui-
etus, for the vote on the final passage
would, at least, have continued 10 to 10,
whereupon, lacking a constitutional ma
jority Of all the Senators elected, it could
not have passed. The Importance of the
Lieutenant-G Governors Office, in regard to
this very point, was discussed in the last
campaign, and the Democratic press
pointed out the danger Of giving an
avowed railroad man this balance of power,
but the idea was pooh-poohed by the Re-
publicans, of course. In the vote dis
cussed, either Mr.. Laughton did not think
that he was acting precipitately, and that
by holding off till the bill was put on its
final passage it would die without his
blow, or else he was satisfied to place
himself on the record as he did las
a Republican leader in favor Of the
corporations. Really, however. it makes
precious little difference which horn he
meant for the people Of Nevada to ley
hold Of. He certainly made himself very
conspicuous by the act, and his friends Of
the Republican party will have a nice job
on their hands TO apologize for him salts
factorily to the people in the next election.
The bill
WAS WARMLY DISCUSSED
On the question Of indefinite postpone
ment, Senator Dennis making an eloquent
and sarcastic speech against the motion.
He is said to have charged the defeat of
the bill to Speaker Varian, whose amend
ment section y made it sufficiently OBJ
jectionable for the oft-trumped-up excuses
of the pro.railroad Senators.
The Senate Chamber was a scene Of con-
fusion from the time the bill was knocked
on the head the whole afternoon. The
Sergeant-at-Arms' room furnished slim
illus extraordinary Tor shall I say or
binary y, which brought out obstinacy,
contrariness. bad blood of all sorts that
can be Judged Of superficial expression,
and, at last, in the midst of a thousand
and one cross motions, relief came in the
shape of a motion to adjourn.
JOBS.
The remainder of the session will be the
season for running in jobs OF small and
great size. Saturday in the Senate the
'starter'' came in in the shape Of a reso-
luton to allow the Enrolling Clerk extra
clerical help. Every hanger-on is look
ing out for an opening in the States
Treasury into which to put his paw. Some
haye hopes to insert the arm up to the
shoulder while others are trembling for
fear they may not touch coin with the
ends Of their fingers.
SCRAPS.
s. r. Gage, Esq, the great elucidator OF
railroad problems, skipped out Saturday,
leaving the dead piled up behind him. But
| it is said that for fear of dead things crawl
ing he will be back Tuesday to brain sny
other bill that shows its "pernicious" head
| above the surface.
Black Wallace, who has just returned
from q trip below, is in hot water about
| the bill by which he would be continued
in office two years more independent OF
election. He thinks the Governor will not
sign 1t, but will give 1t the grand cinch.
| think Black has his Excellency put up
| right, but il the Governor can see that it
is really as economical a measure as 1t is
| claimed to be and in the interest of the
people, he will not hesitate to approveit. s.
The Eureka Cart"
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