The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-02-14
was void, because it was repugnant to the
body of the act, which stands against
them. House adjourned till to-day.
Continued on Sixth Psgel
Legislative Notes.


Senator Claiborne's disorderly house
bill, which has passed the senate and which
the senate refused to reconsider yesterday
by a vote of II to 7, after defining dis
orderly house, goes for property own
ers as follows:
"Any owner, lessee or tenant, who shall
keep or be concerned in keeping or know
ingly permit the keeping of disorderly
house in any house, building, edifice or ten
ement, owned, leased or occupied,by him,
shall be deemed guilty of keeping or be-
ing concerned in keeping or knowingly
permitting to be kept, as the case may be,
disorderly house, and shall be punished
by fine OF not less than 800 nor more
than $500 for each day he shall keep, be
concerned in keeping or knowingly per-
NIT to be kept such disorderly
house. Any owner, having informa-
ton that his house is be-
ing kept, used or occupied as
disorderly house, shall be held guilty of
knowingly permitting his house to be kept
as a disorderly house under this act, unless
he shall Immediately proceed to prevent the
keeping, using or occupying of such house
for such purpose, by causing to be insti-
tuted criminal prosecution against such
lessee, tenant or occupant for violation of
this act"
The bill also has this to say in refer
ence to officers: "Sheriffs and their dep
uties, constables and their deputies, may
ors, marshals, chiefs of polije, their dep
uties and assistants, and policemen of
towns and cities are especially charged
diligently to discover and report to the
proper legal authorities, and by all lawful
means to aid in the enforcement of the
law for all violations of the articles of this
chapter; the district judges are required
to give them specially in charge to the
grand juries, and grand juries are re-
quired at every term of the district court
of their county to call before them each
and all officers charged with the enforce
ment of the articles. of this chapter and
examine them under oath touching their
knowledge and information of violations
thereof, and as to their diligence in their
enforcement"
The legislature should pass law Gre
ating the Office of janitor for the new
capitol and defining his duties. Such an
officer is an imperative necessity and the
architect of the building provided for such.
aside for such an officer. In the room are
electric annunciators which are connecte
with every room and at proper places in
the corridors 30 that any officer or visitor
can call the janitor at any time. Again
when the lighting fixtures are put in they
are to be lighted from the janitor's room.
By electric connections standing in his
room he lights the gas jets in any room
in the building at moments notice.
Standing in his room he lights the burn
ers in either the senate chamber or hall of
representatives or bob and he can light
all or any number he chooses. Should
the governor. or any of the heads of de-
partments visit their Offices at night
they have but to touch an cleo
trio bell and to the janItor from his room
on the instant light the gas. Again by
system of electric appliances the janitor
standing in his room can tell at any time
if any of the vault doors in any of the Of
fees are open. He can tell whether it is the
top or bottom door and precisely where it
is located. At any time after office hours
he can ascertain from the annunciator in
his room if any of the vault doors have
been left open by mistake. Should any of
the vaults be forced open he can tell in
stautly what one and whether il is in the
treasury, attorney-general's, secretary of
states, comptroller's department or any
other office. The position requires con-
slant attention and it is one of Importance
and should be created at once. The de-
signer of the building at cost of thou
sands of dollars prepared for such an Of
ticer and in building costing millions of
dollars and furnished with thousands upon
thousands of dollars worth of furniture a
janitor is imperatively required.
A janitor for the new capitol is imper-
atIvely nee ded. The building, through all
of its departments is arranged for one,
and in nearly every room and in all the
corridors are electric bells bearing the
word "Janitor." Every vault in the build
ing is connected with his office as an addi-
tional preoaution against burglars, and
no vault door in the building can be
opened without his knowing it. 1t cost
thousands of dol ars to arrange for such
an officer, because he is absolutely needed
at all times in building of the magni-
tude and cost of the new capitol
Mr.. NJ D. Burney, the house journal
clerk, is m ost efficient officer and he is
getting up the best and most conveniently
arranged Journal probably ever furnished
the house.