Morning journal and courier., 1886-03-18
THE GENERAL AssEmRLY.

| New Plan of Estimating Taxes. HARTFORD, March F, 1886. | Special to the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 This has been another busy day at the Capitol. Important matters are being rapid l ly reported by committees and the conse- | quence is that both houses have all they can l do. There seems to be no doubt at present
 that afternoon sessions will be held next l week, as most of the committees will have
 reported all the matters before them before
 the close of the present week. There seems, | however, to be no prospect of a final ad- journment much before the 10th of April.
 The contest between Bridgeport and Nor
 walk will soon be transferred from the com
 mittee to the legislative halls for final dispo
 sition, To-day the committee voted seven
 to one to report in favor of retaining the
 county seat at Bridgeport, the mega tive vote being Colonel Brown oi | North Stonington, chairman of the commit
 tee on the part of the House, who will pre-
 sent minority report in favor of Norwalk
 The contest ill many respects has been one of
 the most active before the present legisla-
 ture. Bridgeport feels comparatively sure I of retaining her supremacy as shire town of the county, but Norwalk will not yield without struggle in the Senate and House. The report of the committee will be made to | the Senate by Senator Bradley, and the re- l port will be tabled for calendar. It will
 not be ready for action until some day next ' week.
 The Committee on Female Suffrage met | this afternoon and agreed to report in favor of a bill giving women the right | to vote at all school district meet ings without any restriction as to l property holding. There was only one of l the committee that voted in opposition to the proposition. A similar bill passed the House last year, but was killed by the Senate; the friends of the measure, however, think their chances of success this year better than last.
 Ex-Judge Lynde Harrison appeared be- fore the Railroad committee this afternoon in regard to fixing the time for hearing on | Meadow streets. The judge stat ed to the committee that he thought there | was very general feeling in New Haven | that these crossings should be abolished and all Instructions to the streets by this rail road be removed and the track so changed
 
 Union depot. He thought this could be done by giving the railroad commissioners full power to order the removal and assess costs which he thought should be partly placed on the city and partly on the railroad company. He thought the Derby railroad would never have been located where it now is if the Union depot had been constructed at that time. The time would certainly come when the change would have to be made, and if the people ot New Haven are ready, now that the entire people of the State are interested, he saw no reason why some suita- ble legislation should not be adopted at this session before more persons are injured or lose their lives, and greater expense is en- tailed. If a hearing was had he thought the Mayor of New Haven, the town agent, the corporation counsel, the president of the Derby railroad, the president of the Consoli- dated railroad and the president of the Board of Aldermen should be notified. If the mat ter is left with the railroad commissioners appeals from their decision to the Superior court by any person aggrieved should be provided for. The judge thought the mat ter of great public interest. He had no interest in the matter himself except a private citizen. The committee, after con- sidering the matter, decided to give parties in interest an opportunity to be heard on Wednesday, March 24, at 1:30 p. m. It is thought that the committee will formulate a bill that will carry out the wishes of the citi- zens in the matter and present it to the Gen eral Assembly before adjournment.
 George D. Curtis, secretary of the execu- tive committee of the legislative general re- union to be held at Hartford on May ,, has issued circular letter expressing the desire of the executive committee to obtain list of members of past General Assemblies liv- Ing in the several towns of the State with their present postoffce addresses before Wednesday next. MT. Curtis address is box 450, Hartford.
 The Committee on Cities and Boroughs gave an adjourned hearing to-day on the bill amending the charter of the city of Meriden so as to give them power to build an outlet sewer that will empty into Quinni- piac river somewhere in the vicinity of Wal lingford. The latter town is all up in arms in opposition to the proposed scheme and claim that Meriden stole march on them at the start and obtained a hearing unbeknown 1 to them. They were present in full force | te-day and under the lead of Attorney L. l NJ. Hubbard made vigorous onslaught | against what they consider will be hui sance to the peaceful inhabitants of their | pretty little borough. Attorney James | T. Platt represented Meriden's in | terests in the matter. The citi- l zens Of Wallingford testified in general ! way to the great nuisance which they were now compelled to endure by the emptying of | Meri6en's sewage into Harbor brook, which l has it's outlet through their town. Another | hearing will be had on the matter tomorrow l (ThursdayI afternoon.
 At the hearing before the Finance com mittee this afternoon Charles H. Clark of | Hartford member of the special tax com mission, explained the report. The commis- l sion thinks that the best method of estimat- l ing the amount of taxes each town ought to | pay is yearly enumeration of the school | children of the State, this enumeration | being taken as the basis. This is not a tax | ,ohiJ ok oil hut Ao their share of taxes and this is the best way l to get at it. s. E. Baldwin, of New Haven, | spoke of the efforts made twenty years ago | to have State agents in each senatorial dis | trict to compare values and supervise the | taxes, but it was unsuccessful. In New York State assessors are employed. Popula- tion is much fairer basis than any measure | of wealth could possibly be and the commis- | sion recommends that this method be adopt | ed. |
 Following is summary of the business transacted in the Senate and House to-day:
 The Senate.
 The Senate was called to order at 1O:l5 by Lieu tenant Governor Cooke Prayer offered by |
 Immediately after the Senate was opened sena-
 ind n paper published in ety ths morning comments made by reporter who occupies seat should be made to understand what his duties are In discharging my duties to my constituents, as |
 
 bill relating to the celebration of the Fourth of July, The Hartford Courant says that Senator Cleveland went back on his constituents in | favoring the repeal of the law Of last year. There was question of repeal before this body. find another item by the same writer who reports the I Senate proceedings, which says that it seems strange to account for the fact that the Democratic Senators all voted one way. claim that no re- porter has any right to report anything but the tual proceedings of this body He has right 10 Il criticise Senators and to impugn their motives in the discharge of their official duties. | He has right to raise a par tisan issue when exists. The fact that | the honorable Senator from the Ninth (Mr. Stan ton) favored the amendment, did the Senator Il from the Tenth (NIr Brewster), shows that it was not party question. It is not the first time that this reporter has taken liberties with the members of this body. have myself borne it until this at tack which lmpugns my motives. shall stand by my position in opposition to a measure which pro- poses to punish boys for celebrating the Fourth of July We are all occupying the same position here. We vote according to our convictions, and when reporter crticises and attributes wrong mo. tives to Senator's it is time that his conduct was rebuked.
 Committee reports received as follows:
 Judiciary-Favorableo on substitute bill that 'no persons shall be married until one of them shall under oath inform the registrar, etc.''-adding words under oath' to present law; tabled for calendar
 Claims Adverse petition of John I Hutch nson for bounty; minority report favorable; both | tabled for calendar. rporations-Favorable on incorporation of Il New England Brown Stone Quarry company. Resolution recalling resolution from the secreta-