Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-02-13
THE BILL FOUNDRY.
Three Sessions In the House and
Two In the Senate.
Educational Matters the Subject Of a
Protracted Wrangie - A Large
Amount of Miscellaneous
Business Transacted.
TIE PROCEEDINGS IN THE SENATE

The Senate convened yesterday morning
at 10 o'clock.
DR.. Busbee offered q resolution, which
was scceded to, instructing the Committee
on Finance to report bill providing that
where land is owned by farmers and others
and is subject to mortgage, there will not
be double taxation OF both land and
mortgage, but the amount of the mort gage
will be deducted from the asses sment of
the land.
Mr.. Stollings introduced bill No. 30,
amending and re-enacting the first section
OF an act authorizing and empowering the
Kanawha board to settle and adjust certain
claims against the old Western Board OF
the James River and Kanawha Canal Com
pany and pay the same pro rata out Of its
surplus fund.
Bill 80, concerning offences against
morality and decency, was presented by
Mr.. Dawson.
Mr.. Scott offered bill 9l. amending and re-
enacting sec. AZ of the act incorporating the
city OF Wheeling, which section relates to
sidewalks. The bill provides that the
Council can lawfully establish the width Of
any sidewalk along any street, alley or
public square, cause to be set or reset the
curbstone thereof, and require, when curb.
ing is laid by the city, that the owners OF
adjacent property pave their sidewalks. In
case OF the delinquency of property owners
Council may cause the same TO be paved
and collect from the owners the cost incl
dent thereto, or where it cannot conven-
iently be ascertained, levy a special tax
upon them, according to the number of
front feet they own. Council shall have
further power TO require property owners
to keep their sidewalks in repair, and IN
default to cause them to be repaired and
assess the cost upon the owners. And the
officer is authorized 10 collect any such tax
or assessment from the owners or occupants
of the property by distress and sale in the
same manner which obtains in the case Of
taxes collected for the benefit Of the city.
The vote postponing Senate bill No. 90,
providing for the protection Of the plaintiff
against the fraud of the defendant in case
of accounts, was reconsidered, and Mr..
Price Offering an amendment, conforming
the bill to the views Of its opponents, i!
was passed to its third reading.
Senate bill No. GO, authorizing railroad
corporations to purchase the stock and
securities of railroad companies TO guarantee
their debts and lease its railroads, had q
checkered career. Having been passed, the
passage was reconsidered, and the vote or
dering it to third reading being further
considered, it rests upon second reading
awaiting amendments. Messrs. Byrne,
Smith, OF Marion, and Price participated in
the debate it provoked.
Mr.. Byrne vindicated the advantage OF
railroads to the State, asserted they were the
chief lever to raise the State TO an exalted
condition of wealth and Importance, and ar
gucd the good policy OF inviting them hither
rather than repelling them by spirit OF
adverse legislation.
Col. Smith made a speech OF some length,
in which he showed the extortion and dis
elimination employed against citizens OF
the State. He said the bill was PROPOSE
ton to enable these large trunk lines to
purchase up the little feeders, constructed
for the benefit OF the people, and destroy
the competition, OF which the patrons oI
the roads boasted so loudly when any at
tempt was made to regulate them by legis'
lation. He opposed the bill, because he
wanted to keep the feeders independent
and in the hands of the people, that they
might use them as checks upon these great
corporate bodies, which in his judgment
lived in daily violation OF their charters,
and the condition upon which they were
chartered. He had no enmity to any rail.
road and would give them every righteous
protection, and afford them full enjoyment
and use OF their property, but wanted them
to use that property in conformity with the
interests OF the people.
Mr.. Price said he had felt indisposed to
throw any obstacle in the way OF the bill,
because he knew il was intended to meet
some particular interest in a certain sec
4; - ka Statn Ta att IN
the law, which permitted such consolida
tions, il they did not apply to or tend u
the aggrandizement Of the Baltimore and
Ohio and Northwestern Virginia railroads.
He thought the language OF the bill should
be q little more guarded than IL was. uC
did not think il had been drawn with suf
fcient care to meet the difficulties intena
ed to be provided against in the section hC
referred TO. He would be glad 10 support
it, il it could be brought into an unOojec'
tionable shape, and hoped the motion tC
reconsider would prevail.
On motion OF Mr.. Roberts the Senate took
a recess till 2:3O o'clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The Senate reasscmbled at half past .
House bill for the relief OF Sarah rhomp
son Of Boone county, passed.
House bill passed, appointing March, An
gust and November as the time for com
mencing the terms OF the Circuit Court d
Jackson county, May, September, and De
cember2 of Clay county: February, June
and October Is Of Calhoun county; ant
February, June and October OF Gilmei
county.
Senate bill passed. empowering the coun
ty court TO specify the allowance to thu
jailor for the maintenance OF lunatic ant
liking the conditions under which such al
lowance shall be paid.
Mr. Smith obtained leave Of absence til
Thursday for Mr.. Hostutler, who is con
fined to his home by sickness.
House bill passed directing the board
Of public works 10 appoint twelve dentists
three in each Congressional district, wht
shall constitute boards for the examination
Of applicants for licenses TO prac.ic'
dentistry.
Mr.. Smith, Of Marion county, presented
q petition from citizens of that county
praying the appointment OF board o
equalization Of real estate.
The Senate agreed TO a resolution OF Mr.
Smiths instruciinS the judiciary Commit
tee to inquire into the propriety OF bill
providing for the appointment OF boarC
! in the several counties Of the State, to re
wise, correct and equalize the valuation o.
! real estate, as aScertained by the reassess
ment thereof under the act OF February .
| lSS2.
Mr. Hsrvey's resolution instructing tn,
Senate clerk to procure case to Dreserv'
the records and papers OF the Senate, an
| granting him compensation for arrang
| ing AM labelling them after the adjourn
ment OF the Senate, on motion OF Ut
! Floyd. was made a special order for to da'
at IL O'Clock.
The Governor sent TO the president Of tn
Senate list f,the Senate bills approved b!
him. including Il concerning the writ o
habeas corpus, l3 concerning the remoyz
| OF cases from the county court, l6 concern
ing the action OF eiectment, . concernin
| estrays, etc, and IS concerning regulation
respecting licenses.
| The calendar OF bills on the second read
ing was then prosecuted ill adjournment
HOUSE OF DELEGATEs.
The House convened at 10 A. n. and va
opened with prayer by Rev. z. II. Dorr
| blsser, of the English Lutheran Church.
| The Committee on Enrolled Bills n
Il l.