Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-01-31
Senate.

| week.
| Senate.
BILL TO REGULATE THE EMPLOYMENT
OF CoNvICTs.
| In the Senate, the Finance Committee
presented an important bill proposing rad
ical changes in the present system Of hiring
out penitentiary convicts. At present the
contractors pay probably from thirty to
forty cents per day for these men, the Com
monWealth feeding, clothing, guarding,
housing and transporting them from the
prison to the point where they are worked.
The Finance Committed bill proposes to
change all this. 1t fixes the minimum price
OF this labor at thirty cents q day, the con-
tractors to bear all the expenses of main
tanning, guarding and keeping the prisoners
AT this time there are large number of
cOnvictS hired out to contractors in the
penitentiary and ON public improvements.
At the present prices paid for it this labor
is usually considered quite desirable to GER
tain classes Of contractors.
The Committee on General Laws reported
adversely on the bill to repeal the pilot
laws.
RAILROAD DISCRIMINATION.
A communication was received from
Railroad Commissioner J. G. Hill, inclos-
ing, in response to resolution of the Sen
ate, the tariff sheets Of the Baltimore &
Ohio and Atlantic & Danville roads, and
also the live stock rates for less than car
loads. In the communication he said: $50
far as l have information there is no dis
elimination in favor OF non-competitive
points. Such points as Staunton, Roanoke,
Suffolk, Charlottesville, Strasburg and
| n nav no OIL ,torvo
non-competitive points, The communi-
cation was tabled and ordered to be printed.
ABoLIsHING THE OFFICE OF wEIGHMAs-
TER OF LIVE STOCK AT RICHMOND.
The Senate Committee on Finance have
reported unanimously in favor of abolish
ing the Office of weighmaster of live stock
at Richmond. Senator Dunn, the patron
Of the bill, said that he could not see why
the city Of Richmond should have such an
office when no other city in the state had
it.; that the Auditors report shows that
the salary OF the Weighmaster for 1SS7-SS
was 81 ,452 IS and for 1SSS-S9 it was 81 ,4O7,-
%. The State received the same amount
MI. Dunn will follow up this bill by an
other to provide for the sale of the cattle
pens and scale-houSe situated on the Brook
turnpike near Richmond. This property
CAlUICSCfo oCNC Oil tbClCp VI WI lttk16 ldliQ.
House.
COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEYS
FEES.
MI. Dupuy introduced a bill to amend the
Code relating fees for the Commonwealth
Attorneys. The bin provides that the at
torneys for the Commonwealth shall each
receive the sum of $500, and an additional
,ofGs f1>, Al,
habitants over 10000, to be determined by
reference to the census of 1880, and after
wards to the last preceding official enumera-
ton OF the inhabitants of this State. The
compensation to be paid quarterly out of
the Treasury of the State. The Common
wealth S Attorneys are now paid by fees. In
each case of conviction for misdemeanor
they receive So, and in every Indictment
for a felony $40. MI. Dupuy claims that
if this bill becomes a law it will reduce the
criminal expenses OF the state enormously
THE RAILROAD LAW.
The House Committee on Roads is still
considering the bill to appoint three COM
missioners to regulate the freight and pas
sengers rates On the railroads in the State.
A substitute bill has been brought to the
attention of the committee which is prac-
last House and was defeated in the Senate,
The object of this bill is to make Il State
law to conform to the Inter State Commerce
Act.
THE CHESAPEAKE & OHIO ROAD
A bill was passed authorizing the Chesa-
sapeake & Ohio road to build line around
Richmond for the convenience Of it's through
freight, after it was so amended as to re-
quire the Chesapeake Il Ohio Railway to
pay it's State taxes on this branch, and all
other roads operated by said company with
in the State, in money, and any use of cou-
pons by this road in payment of it's State
taxes shall cause the forfeiture of all the
rights of this act.
THE AVERAGE LAW.
The bill abolishing the average law with
regard to teachers pay has passed both
houses and only waits the signature Of the
Governor to become q law.
BUENA VISTA.
The bill to provide charter for the new
town of Buena Vista, has become law