St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-12-04
Review OF the Late sessio u.


The st. Adams Messenger has re-
view of the late session of the iegisla- !
ture, from which we take liberal .ex-
tracts:
Among the more important bills
originating in tue seuate that have;
become laws, are the following: That
any land required for enlargement of
burial grounds may, within discretion
of selectmen, be taken for that pur-
pose, on payment of damages to be
awarded to owner of such land. An
act timing person not more than 500,
who votes in the name of any other
person. An act providing that rail-
road corporations shall establish and
maintain depots at such points as the
supreme court shall, on petition for
that purpose, adjudge the public good
requires A law that taxable aud real
estate shall be set in the lists to the
last owner OF occupant on the LIST of
April in each year. An act providing
that public highways shall be not less
than three rods in width, except in in
corporated cities and villages. An
act permitting Il parent or guardian to
place a hoy or girl in the reform school,
if permission is granted by Il judge of
probate upon examination and mves-
tigatiOn of the case /; makes the law
applicable to girls as well as boys; al
lows boys and girls to be admitted to
the school without compensation iIthe
parents are without means to pay hny-
thing; gives the trustees power to dis
charge those not sentenced to the
school; protects the school against
towns who desire to get rid of idiots or
paupers, and provides that girls and
boys may be committed up to the same
age also, retains the present law that
towns shall pay fifty cents week for
the support of children whom they
send to the school. An act forbidding
the attendance at skating rink of pu-
pills of public schools. when SO ordered
hy prudential committee or principal
of academy. For appointment of rail
road commissioner by the governor.
An act enlarging the property rights of
married women. .......
Among the more important house
bills that became laws, are the follow
| ing Allowing towns to appropriate
money for soldiers monuments. That
~ constable may serve any writ or pre-
cept which Il sheriff may serve: and
any process within the state when his
town votes him such jurisdiction. An
act Furnishing the altering, forging and
counterfeiting of stock certificates by
not more than ten years in state prison
and Il fine of not more than 1000. Al
| lowing towns to vote sum of ID cents
for each ratahe poll, to encourage the
| planting of shade trees upon public
squares and highways. An act giving
dealers IL lien upon monuments and
copings sold by them, when the value
of the same is 800 or over. An act
furnishing the adulteratiOn of maple
sugar and syrup and bees honey. An
act enabling towns to vote Il sum not
exceeding 81 for each ratable poll for
establishing town libraries, and not eX-
ceeding 81 for each ratable poll for
maintenance and care of same. An act
in addition to chapter 1863 of the revised
laws, makes more stringent the pro-
visions relating to disclosures in liquor
cases. An act timing IL person 30 who
knowingly uses or keeps IL false
weight, measure or scale. An act au-
thorizing telephone communication
with court houses and other public of
fees. An act authorizing town grand
jurors to employ counsels i'll criminal
cases, when states attorney is disquali
fled or necessarily absent. An act pr0Vid-
ing that insane persons confined Ill an
asy lum, if INDECENT, shall be supported
ut state expense. An act allowing Sc
lect men to construct water courses
across lands of any person. under GER
tain restrictions, when necessary fOI
the improvement of Il highway. An
act providing for summoning Il special
jury in extraordinary cases in the
county court. An act requiring sworn
certificate of two legally qualified ply
sicians for admission to an asylum of Il
person alleged tn be insane. That ac-
tions to recover back money paid under
protest for taxes, shall be commenced
within one year after the cause OF
action occurs and not after. Giving
dead bodies of paupers to Physicians
Decreasing amount for which trustee
can lac held from 800 to So. Appro-
priating S60,O00 to pay the expense Of
the general assembly, $:}25, 900 for the
runnin" expenses of the government
; for 1884 and 1885. $500, 900 for 1885,
and 1886. The treasurer was author
lied to borrow S500,000 to pay the eX-
penses. Excluding the sparrow from
', birds protected by law.
The only material change made in
the present law relating to the town
. school system, is that all towns having
the district system shall vote upon tn,
question of substituting the former
. system therefor at the annual tOwI
meetings in 1885 and 1886. The boart
. % uI,al IA
any hostile legislation aud the nor
NAL schools were equally fortunate
The bill to establish an agricultural
; experiment station was defeated. The
board of health bill passed the senate
but failed in the house. The origina
:, oleomargarine bill which passed thu
house was killed in the senate bu
: another bill passed both houses, which
provides that ii person who knowingly
, sells or offers for sale bogus butter
shall he fined $500, half of the penalty
to go to the complainant. The actor
of the senate in defeating the hous,
bin providing text books free to pub
lie schools, is unfivorably criticised
The bill to license the sale of liquo
was defeated, but received an unex
pectedly large vote.
A bill was passed, after lively con
; test, to change the shire town of Or
leans county to some point on the Pas
; sumpsic railroad, to be determined b.,
p commissioners. The bill for the cree
, ton of a state library bnilding was
. passed, with amendments making til,
| appropriation $50, 900, and requirin.
its completion by Sept. /, 1856. Also
a bill appropriating 5000 for the rep
resentition of the state ut the New Or
leans exposition. This Legislature ha
: been more generous in making APP
preparations than many of its Prede