The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-01-24
HOUSE.

s Speaker Gibson and quorum pres
ent. Prayer by the chaplain. Read
I ing of the journal dispened with.
Gen. Darnall. doorkeeper of the
!. House, was excused on account OF
L feeble health; Representative Rainey
Tor the day on account of sickness
and Representative Merriwether fol-
the day on account of important bust
ness.
Mr.. Chambers, of Tarrant, was ex-
!. cused on account of a telegram from
: Mrs. Chambers requesting him to
! come home on account of some impor.
: tant business.
Hon. George Todd, Hon. Scion Stew
art and Hon. Joseph s. Bates were in.
vlted to seats in the bar of the House
Mr.. Acker, chairman ofjthe judicia
~ committee No. !, sent up minor
lty report to appear in the journal on
House bill No. % in favor of the bill
relative to aliens not acquiring title
10 real estate in Texas. except through
Inheritance
The report is signed by Mr.. Ayres.
By Mr.. LindsayoPetition of citi-
zens of Brown county asking amend
ment to the road law. Referred.
MI. Frymier, chairman of the conf
mlttee on contingent expenses, re-
ported claims audited amounting to
SlO9o.4 and including $500 for post
age and several newspaper accounts.
Adopted.
Mr.. Robertson, for judiciary COM
mittee No. 2, reported by substitute
for House bills Nos. sc, SO and SO, a
bill to be entitled, IAN act to amend
sections 3, and 80 of an act entitled
an act to redistrict the state into Judi
c1al districts and fix terms for holding
courts therein. Report to appear in
Journal.
Mr.. Foster, of GraySon, chairman of
special committee on fence cutting,
reported three substitutes for House
bill Nos. 2, 8 and 9; first
bill to prescribe the punishment
for the wanton and wilful cutting, in
juring and destroying fences, and to
fix the venue of prosecution therefor"
second bill, to be entitled AN act to
prohibit the unlawful fencing, or en-
closing or keeping enclosed of the
lands of another and OF the public
school, university and asylum lands of
the state" and third, a bill to be en-
titled can act to provide Tor the cree
ton of gates into any opening ways
through enclosed lands III this State
for use of the public"
The general features Of the recon-
mendation of the report OF the COM
mittee have previously been reported.
| The report was received and made
special order for Thursday next.
Mr.. Dennis, chairman OF the COM
mittee on federal relations reports fav-
orably on Senate joint resolution, ask
ing Congress to provide for deep water
at Sabine Pass. Report adopted.
On motion of Mr.. Douglass, the
resolution was taken up and finally
passed.
On motion of Mr.. Upton, Mr.. Fry
mier being in the chair, the deficiency
appropriation was considered in COM
mittee of the whole, reported favora-
bly, and the bill was finally passed by
the House. 1t allows $4,000 for
Texas veterans and small amount
for employees of last session of the
legislature.
House bill No. II, by MIR. Woods. of
Lavaca, road bill was called up but
passed over for the present.
The House considered the special
order, substitute for House bill n os.
6, %, "a, %. 26, 90. "a, %, A and SO, to
amend articles 1850. 1881, 1866, 1875,
1884. 1887, 3489 and 1890, and to add
1890, and C, and to amend articles
1892 and 4418 of the revised statutes,
relating to public roads.
The bill empowers commissioners
| courts to create new roads, culverts
and bridges, and change roads, either
on their own option or petition of
eight freeholders in any section. The
commissioners are to make sworn re-
ports as toithe condition of roads and
bridges, what improvements are nee
essary, costs of same, etc. The court
shall appoint overseers for new roads,
who are to file complaints with the
county attorney or some justice of the
peace, against all parties who refuse
to perform requisite service on all
| public roads through their neighbor-
hoods.
Various amendments were proposed,
discussed and lost, the discussion
being joined in by Messrs. Acker,
Barrett, Davis, Foster of Limestone,
Stout, White. Ayers, Camp, Cochran,
Patterson, Robinson, Caven, Rogers,
Woods, Cramer, Nash, Parsons and
Jones.
Articles 1850 and 1851. forming a
part of the first section, were finally
adopted without amendment, and the
House took recess till o'clock.
Mr.. Nash, as chairman Of the COM
mittee on state affairs, sent up an adj
verse report of the committee on
recommitted substitute House bill
| No. 80. making an appropriation for
| the commissioners to the New Or
leans exhibition. AS anticipated, the
report of the majority is adverse on
the ground that the appropriation
would be unconstitutional.
The recommitted bill provides an
appropriation of $4,000 to the CON-
missioner of insurance, history and
statistics for the purposes of the bill.
1t provides also for one chief and
| eleven assistant commissioners, the
chief to have salary of $4,000, with
a clerk at salary not over $1,000, and
assistant commissioners to have a
salary of $500 each.
The chief is to arrange for space for
Texas at the Exposition under direc-
tion of Col. Brewster, State Commits
sioner of Insurance, Statistics and
| History; and at the close of the EX-
position he is to have all articles ex-
hibited by the State returned to Col.
Brewster, to be deposited in the State
| Museum.
The governor is also to appoint
| twenty commissioners, who are to re-
ceive no salary.
The minority committee report in
favor of the bill saying 1--WE believe
the legislature has authority, under
the constitution, to make the appro-
priation, and therefore present the
bill conforming to the instructions
of the House with recommendation
that it pass, be printed and made the
special order of business for Tuesday,
the 10Th inst, at II o'clock a. m. This
report is signed by Messrs. Frymier,
Thompson of Bexar, Nash, Kendall
and Coffman.
Mr.. Thompson reported House bill
No. 80, the deficiency bill, duly en-
| crossed.
AFTERNOON RECESS.
The House resumed It's sitting at
! o'clock, with speaker Gibson and Il
quorum present.
Mr.. Patterson moved to amend the
bill, so that county commissioners
courts do not have the power to
change the roads at present classed as
first class into inferior or third class
roads. Agreed to.
Mr.. Robinson moved, and it was
adopted, that where number of par
ties reside within an enclosure, either
or all Of them may petition the COM
missioDers' court to provide road to
their nearest trading post, mills, gins,
church and school houses and county