Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-28
4 VOLCANIC.
BlackmaiIers Of the Ca pitOl Contrac-
tors Being 1raiIed by Sharp Eyed
Reporters at Austin.
Another Bold Fight Will be Made To-
Day on the Capitol Bill-Trump
Cards Unplayed.
rms Geological Survey Bill Passed to
E-gro'snent in the ssnate-rhe tax
Blu rssssd 10 Third Ksadipx.
THE NEW CAPITOL BILL.

THE NEW CAPITOL BILL,
Special to the Gazette.
AUSTIN, TEX, April 27.-Tne discus
sion In the House this morning WAS lurid
If not luminous. The bill creating .
board to receive the new capitol was the
main theme, and personalities formed the
interesting side OF the issue. The chief
d gnt was over the proposition to adopt
Johnson's substitute for Birds bill.
johnson and Bell OF Cooke led the con-
angent fsvoring the substitute, while
Moore of Travis, Browning and Payne
championed the, opposition. Johnson,
who is good talker, lost his heai. but
made avery incorporate harsngue in
which he took occasion to impugn the
motives Of certain persons who favored
the board bill. Moore came
back in short talk that burned and
blis.ered everywhere it struck. The bill
an lded will undoubtedly pass to-mor-
row and will probably meet with few OBJ
jections in the Senate.
THE TAX BILL.
After the capitol bill had been ordered
engrossed the tax bill came up for dis
cussion. The friends Of Is cents school
tax again made q fight to have their
amendment inserted in the bill, but their
IF orts failed and the bill passed to the
th,Id reading with the state tax fixed st
10 cents for this year and 1S cents here
aite'. and leaving the school tax as 1t
now Is.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BILL.
The geological survey bill was passed
to engrossment in the Senate to-day. Il
was amended in several places, but re-
mains In the main as when introduced.
1t will undoubtedly pass the Senate, and
/ it is thought 1t Will get through the
House, t ough 1t will have q somewhat
hard time, as Bell Of Cooke and Johnson
are both dead set against 1t and will
knife 1t IL possible. Bell still thinks 1t
scheme 10 favor OF corporations and other
sorts OF wealth, and will so denouuce it.,
while his followers clap their hands and
pound the lids of their desks.
TO REPAY TIE UNIVERSITY FUND.
The Senate also had 8
lively tussel this morning with
the bill appropristing S154, 900
to pay back the money borrowed FROM the
university fund. After the expenditure
of many words aud some eloquerce the
bill was made the special order for to-
morrow.
LOAN TO THE SCHOOL FUND.
The bill making q loan Of $780, 900 to
the school fund to psy tine current in
debtedness Is special ordsr in the
House for TO morrow. It will probably
so through without trouble, as there
seems to be unanimous desire among
the members TO put the schools On good
fnancisl footing.
A great many ladies' were present, this
morning to listen to the Solons IN the
House as they wresthed their oratory into
bouquets Of influence with which to fes-
toon the hall.
THE CAPITOL BILL.
Special to the Gazette.
AUSTIN, TEX, April 27.-It is reported
late tonight that nnnt--c hard 6ght will
will be made on tic cspiso! bill Jo-mor-
row. The opponents OF .ae ball are said
to be determined to defeat it
If possible and the Information is
that they have very high
trump to plsy which may take the win
ming trick on the other hsnd. II is re-
ported that some Of those who to day
voted against will tomorrow vote with
the majority SO as to put il in fleet from
its passage.
A RLACKMAILING SCHEME.
Rumors are abroad neTe OF black
mailing scheme whereby money has been
more than once demanded Of the capitol
contractors, accomps MED bv tbTasts Of
exposing alleged detects il the work
manship of the bui ding The
latest attempt Is alleged to have
been msde about ten days sgo when
$3.50, it is said, WAS Indirectly demanded
as the price of silence while the Legisla-
ture is delihersting upon receiving the
building. A certain individual Is reported
at the head of the scheme. He has covered
up the tracks, but the reporters are on
his trail, and when they get evidence SUI
hcientlY explicit the exposure will be
made, in which event the Austin black
mail fsnd may ind 1t to his
interest to emigrste to other
pastures. THE GAZETTE reporters
know nothing Of the alleged facts except
from rumor and the statements made by
high cfacisl who, however, refused to
let them 60 to the public, at
least for the present. The mat
ter YVES laid before Hon. A. L.
Matlock, attorney for the Capitol Syndi-
cate, who promptly replied:
"We have plenty OF money for defense,
but not cent for tribute"
This matter Is a volcsno with very
thin crust. An eruption is liable to come
at any moment. No member Of IN Leg
islature is in any way connected with the
the affair