The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-01-29
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES.
Down to Work and What They are Grind
ing at.

IL Is nardly prooaole Ih"O Che 7o"
ate educational committee will be in
favor of printing school text books at
the state printing office. Testimony
yesterday produced before the COM
mittee had ttndency to correct the
prevailing idea that the pupils OF the
deaf and dumb asylum have been do
ing the printing turned oLt at the
state office. The evidence
above referred to was to
the effect that all the employees
on the pay roll of that establishment
are takers, and voluble ones at that,
some of them. If any mute pupils
have been taught to print, they
have been lost in the
shuttle and can't be found.
Just how the people have been led to
believe as they do, that the work in
the printing Office was done by the
mutes, is thing that further investi-
CATION may develop.
THE MARTIN AND RIDDLE BILL.
The bill introduced in the house by
Messrs. Martin and Riddle relative to
the working of dirt roads provides for
the appOintm by the commission
ers court OF road superin tendent for
each commissioners precinct and the
organization OF them into board OF
public roads. The board will adver-
tise for thirty days the amount, char
acter and description OF the
work to be done on each road
and let the contract for such work to
the lowest bidder, he giving bond for
performance according to specifica
tions. Said contractor not only puts
the road in good condition, but keeps
It that way. Ii the contractor fails
to do his work the superintendent
has it done at the expense OF the con.
tractor. Superintendent are to be
paid 50 per day and 10 cents mileage
for attending the meetings of the
board not to exceed $50 per annum
each, and So per day for inspecting
roads and bridges and reviewing not
to exceed $40 per annum. All per-
sons over Is aud under 45 years of
age are subject to road duty for five
days in each year, or to pa, ~ 80 in
cash. The county commissions will
make list Of all persons in each dis
trict who are liable to road duty for
the Use of the superintendent and
each name to count $3.50 in payment
on the contract, provided said
person does not leave the
district Failure to work
on due notice is misdemeanor, sub
ct to a fine OF ~ 80 and costs, ard
80 cents per day for every day failing
abates such prosecution. County
convicts may be put at labor to pay
fines. Superintendent are to hold
Office on year, and their salaries are
paid out of the road and bridge fund,
which may be Increased by levying
tax of not exceeding 80 cents on the
800 valuation. All new roads be.
tween county sites are to be laid out
straight, or nearly so as possible, and
shall not be changed. All other first
class roads are not to be changed ex-
cept to shorten them, and they shall
run as near as possible on section lines.
A FAVORABLE REPORT.
Senate judiciary committee No. |
yesterday had Senator Potter's bill,
making invalid all Con tracts limiting
the time for bringing suit or giving
notice otherwise than a. prescribed by
law, before i, and decided to report
the same fayOrably.
THE AUSTRALIAN BALLOT SYSTEM.
The senate committee on state az
fairs had Senator Clemens bill, pro-
viding for change i'll the election
law, under consideration. Alderman
North of Austin made speech before
the committee, explaining how well
the Australian ballot system had
worked in Austin, and urging the
committee to take favorable view OF
the matter. The committee decided
to refer the bill to sub committee
for report on details, and Senators
Kimbrough, Garwood and Kearby
were appointed on the subcommittee.
The committee also decided to refer
the bill establishing the Confederate
Home to q subcommittee consisting
of Senators Lubbock, Weisiger and
Maetze.
FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
At meeting OF the finance COM
mittee held last nightit was decided to
report to the house uufavorably the
resolution declaring it inexpedient to
appropriate money for state exhibit
at Chicago in the event Of the pass
age of the force bill.
Help Advertise Austin.
To the Citizens of Austin:
The Commercial Club has been hard
at work making its preparations to
properly and Systematically advertise
the advantages of Austin. 1t is now
about ready to begin the work. By
first OF next week large supply of
namphlata ouJ ~ bar a Ivnrti ~ mat