The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-02-13
THE MICHIGAN STATESMEN.
Some Notes from the Journals of Senate
and House.

Some Notes from the Journals Of Senate
and House.
LANSING. Mich, Jan. 30.-A grist OF
startling railroad legislation was dumped
into the hopper by Representative Jack
son, of Detroit, yesterday. He presented
bills repeating the charters of the old
Grand River Valley road, operated by the
Michigan Central, and the Erie and Kala
mazoo railroad, operated by the Lake
Shore and Michigan Southern, and fol
lowed this up by joint resolution to sub
NIT to the vote of the people next spring
proposed amendment to the constitution
which will enable the state to buy rail
roads outright under certain conditions
All this was followed by a bill announcing
that under the provisions of Act liz, ses
sion laws of 1876, the state elects to pur
chase from the Michigan Central com.
pany its railroad and its property and eff
fects.
Real Purpose of the Bill.
The bill makes the governor the pur
chasing agent, and provides that in case
the company and the state cannot agree
upon the market value of the stocks of the
company, the supreme court shall fix the
valuation, and within two years the state
treasurer shall pay the company the
amount due it. The bill conflicts with
the constitution as the latter stands at
present. and therefore will not be pushed
until the proposed amendment is voted
upon in the spring. The real intent of the
bill is to force the Michigan Central people
to give up the special privileges and i'm.
munities they enjoy under their charter,
and if this can be accomplished no serious
effort will be made to force the state into
railroad buying.
Tho KaIama zoo Asylum.
The committee appointed to visit the
Kalamazoo asylum for the insane will ask
for the appointment of special commits
sion to look into alleged abuses of the in.
stitution. The committee brought back
with them affidavits backed up by verbal
statements from citizens and police Off
GERS, alleging brutal treatment of patients
by Attendants, the withholding of needed
medical attendance and the starving OF
violent patients into submission.
LANSING, Jan. 3l.-The house yesterday
ordered an investigation of the affairs and
management of the state prison at Jack
son, where it Is charged the warden and
subordinate officials have saddled most OF
their personal expenses, including cigars
and similar incidentals, upon the state. A
full and thorough investigation of the
abuses which it is alleged exist in the state
asylum for the insane at Kalamazoo was
also ordered. These charges were form.
ally presented to the house. The manage.
ment of the Kalamazoo asylum deny these
charges
LANSING, Mich, Feb. 4.-Yesterday Lieu
tenant Governor Strong announced to the
senate the members Of joint committee
on reapportionment of representative and
congressional districts, consisting of eight
Democrats, eight Republicans, and three
p. of rs Bills were introduced in the
house making an appropriation of SIS, 30(
for the support and improvement of the
state public school for the years 1912:
appropriating $1,000 for purchase of
books for the state library for 1912
A joint resolution submitting to the
people constitutional amendment
fixing compensation of members of the
legislature at $500 per annum and prohib.
iting the use of free railroad passes. A
resolution for tho return of all railroad
passes held by the members was intro.
duced in the house and unceremon;ously
tabled. One to pay members for actual
attendance upon daily sessions which had
been made the special order for 0 p. III.
was buried beyond recall.