Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-07
THE CAPITOL SQUARE.
PROPOSITION TO HAVE A SUPERVISOR OF
TIE STATE PROPERTY.
Mr. Barbour to be Notified by Committee
ofHis Election as senaiOr-The East
ern Lunatic Asylum.

The legislative committee appointed to
inquire into and report upon the man
agement OF the Land Office held another
yesterday and paid visit to
Governor Lee to get his views, after
which they adjourned to meet on Monday
next.
In the House yesterday Mr.. Curtis in
troduced bill, which, under the rules,
was referred to "a committee, proposing
to separate the duties of the Register of
the Land Office from those of the Super
intendent of Public Grounds and Build
ings. Now one officer discharges the
duties of both positions.
THE CAPITOL SQUARE.
If Mr.. Curtis's bill becomes O law the
Register will attend to the duties of the
Land Office while the sergeant of pO-
lice will act as Superintendent of Public
Grounds and Buildings and will have the
present corps of policemen under him,
and will be charged with the distinct re-
sponsibilty of keeping the public
grounds and buildings i'll order and po-
hcinG the same.
ADVANTAGES OF TIE NEW PLAN.
The recommendation in his message
having failed Governor Lee prefers some
arrangement such as is proposed by Mr..
Curtis. lie does not care whether the
General Assembly or the Governor is
charged with the appointment of the
sergeant
1t seems from the evidence exhibited
to the legislative committee that IN the
Land Office proper there is ample work
to keep the Register employed all day.
There is, the Governor has no doubt,
ample work TO keep n sergeant OF police
or supervisor OF public property at work
all day, too, and he hopes for great
benefit from the separation Of the offices,
especially as it can be done without i'm
posing any additional tax upon the
Treasury, and if Mr.. Curtis's bill does
not bring the expenses within the
present compass one can be drawn up
that viii.
Governor Lee is OF the opinion that an
improvement can and should be made In
the attention paid to the Capitol and to
the Capitol Square III respect both to
tidiness and policing. He thinks, too,
that an arrangement could he made with
the city authorities by which the Square
could loo better lighted than at present.
His view is that the grounds in every part
should be as well lighted as Main or
Broad streets. He also fayOrs, and Mr..
Curtis's bill provides, for the abolition OF
convict-labor on the Square 70 this both
political parties are committed, and 1t
will be strange indeed if the two houses
adjourn without sending the zebra
clothed wretches back to the penitentlary
for good aud ali aud putting honest men
III their places.
MR.. BARBOUR TO BE NOTIFIED.
The special legislative committee con-
sistiug Of Delegates Ryan chairman,
Hay. Echols, Gordon, and W. A. Ander-
son from the House, and Senators KOiner,
Mcdonald, and Hurt or most Of them
left for Washington last night. This
morning they go to Alexandria, where
they Will meet Mr.. Barbour and convey
TO him the official information that be
has been elected q senator IN the United
States Congress for the term beginning
March /, 1889.
Mr. Barbour will no doubt give them
can Old Virginia welcome.
THE CoUPON-TENDEREBs.
The House has passed the bill amend
ing the coupon-crusher so as to permit
/ those who have rendered coupons to
withdraw the tender, but some OF the
senators think it q dangerous thing to
tamDer with the crusher, which has been
passed upon by the United States Su-
prcme Court, and which 10y mischance
may be amended into litigation again.
f They go in for passing the measure as q
separate and independent bull.
CoNKLISG' s FEE.
II is understood that Mr.. Conkling is
willing to allow Governor Lee or Attor-
ney-General Ayers to say how much of
fee he should have for appearing for the
State before the United States Supreme
Court in the pon-crusher case.
WASHINGTON MONUMENT.
At the request of Mr. Lyon G. Tyler
Mr.. Netherwood yesterday examined the
masonry of the Washington monument
and reports it in need of repairs.
LUNArIC AsYLUAls.
AT the meeting Of the Senate Com
mittce on Finance held Thursday after
noon DR.. J. D. Moncure, Superintendent
OF the Eastern Lunatic Asylum, at
Williamsburg, and Captain +. ID. Starke,
one of the directors, appeared III the
interest Of the bill which has been in-
troduced appropriating $4,000 to re-
placetb buildings sdestroyed by tireab
three years and half ago. No action
was taken on the bill, and the probability
is that il will not he further considered
until next Tuesday meeting.
A ioint session of the Senate Com
mitfce on Public Institutions and the
! House Committee on Asylums and
Prisons will be held next Wednesday
afternoon at o'clock to consider the
reports of the superintendents OF the
lunatic asylums appointed at the special
session To consider the propriety OF
making certain changes in the laws con-
cerning lunatic asylnms.
FLOUR AND FIsH.
The Senate Committee on General
Laws has fixed next Wednesday morn
ING at 10 o'clock as the time for consider
ing the bill heretofore fully explained IN
the DispatchD abolishing the compulsory
inspection of four and fish. This bill
was prepared by counsel for the mor-
chants desiring its passage, presented,
and is pending before the above-named
committee. Much interest is being man
Tested over this measure, and the fight
for it's passage will no doubt be hotly
contested.
TEE NEWS OF MAECHESrER.