Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-01-29
hPEcrAL. coRREsPoNDENcE.l

OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
LANSING, Jan. IL, 1890.
Representative A. Il. Ferguson, OF Ing
ham, has introduced a uniformity text
book bill, which is practically the Indi-
ana law. 1t constitutes the State Board
of Education State Board of Commits.
sioners, who let the contract to the lowest
bidder. The books are paid for by tho
pupils, but at less than half the present
cost.
The bill to abolish the State Weather
Service appears to be trifie unneces-
sary. All that is required for the Legis-
lature 60 do in the way OF abolishment
is to fail to pass the usual appropriation
bill.
Representative II. Johnson, OF Shia-
wassee, has introduced a bill In the
House providing bounty of 800 for
every Union soldier who served between
1861 and 1865, the amount of bounty
paid to certain veterans serving between
those years being deducted from the
amount provided by the proposed bill.
Ex-Register OF Deeds Montgomery, OF
Hillsdale County, memorialiZes the Leg
islaturc to modify the fees of registers
making fees for record of deeds contain
ing 600 words or less of manuscript at
GO cents, and for those Of greater length
10 cents per hundred words, and for frac-
tions in excess of fifty. Record discharge
of mortgages 20 cents, assignments 10
cents, examination of records to verify
title to cover period Of twenty previous
years, s cents per year.
The owners of real estate abstracts
have long been viewed with envy, and
there is disposition on the part of the
present Legislature TO clip their wings,
oy authorizing the procurement from
other sources. Senator Bastone has in
troduced a bill to compel registers OF
deeds to furnish abstracts Of titles at a
low figure.
The self-conceit of some of the new
members is considerably abated upon
learning that the janitors are upon a
financial level with themselves, and un-
hesitatingly declare it an outrage and
express their purpose to make fight for
general scaling down Of the compensa-
tion Of employees.
1t is proposed to honor Don M. Dick
inson, Postmaster General under Cleve-
land, by naming county after him,
carved out of Menominee.
Representative Fitch has introduced
a bill for dividing the Jackson and Ing
ham Judicial Circuit asd under it. Ing
ham will constitute the Thirtieth Circuit.
Representative Hayward, of Grand
Rapids, has introduced bill for a cot
tage system at the Soldiers Home, so
that the wives of deserving inmates can
be cared for also, and families not
broken up.
Representative Connor, of Saginaw,
will renew his efforts to have the State
acquire title to Masiou Island, in Wild
Fowl Bay, over which historical fight
was made two years ago. 1t is one of
the finest sporting localities in the State.
II. H. Warner, of Rochester, N. Y,
claims t'tle which is b. no means per-
feet Two years ago Mr.. Connor had the
warm support Of Lansing sportsmen, as
well as that class generally, but the ad-
verse influences were too strong to be
overcome. The status Of the matter has
been changed in some degree since. Sew
eral suits have been brought by Warner
against parties shooting there for tres
pass, and one in Huron County, where
verdict was obtained by the respondent
which will go to the Supreme Court on
appeal. A suit for eIectment has also
been commenced by the Attorney Gen
eral, but this is rot thought to be the
proper action; one in equity would be
more effective.
Representative Cook, of Muskegon,
has introduced bill prohibiting Circuit
Judges from practicing law or to have a
partner who does. They can have no
interest in litigation except personal
The following nominations from Gov.
Winans have been confirmed by the
Senate:
Commissioner Of Railroads-Charles r.
Whitman, of Ann Arbor, at present
Regent of the university.
Warden of Jackson Prison-George N.
Davis, Of Grand Rapids, late Collector of
the port of Grand Haven.
Warden of Ionia Prison-Galusha Pen
nell, of St Johns, formerly United States
Marshal.
Fish mmissioner-Herschel Whit
taker, the present incumbent.
The Lansing public building bill passed
the House with not a dissenting voice.
1t is the first bill TO pass the House and
is given immediate effect.
The total mileage Of House members
is 1884; of employees, 9,93S; which at
ten cents per mile amounts to $3,527 20.
Tho total appropriation asked for by
the State University for the years 1922
is $20O,025.
Mr.. White has introduced bill to
reorganize the Board of Trustees of the
Soldiers Home. The membership at
present consists of seven. The bill will
reduce the number to four, conforming
to other State Boards. The Governor is
ex-officio Chairman. The bill will further
provide that the membership of the
Board shall be non-partisan, no more
than two members from any political
party being eligible.