The record-union., 1893-03-10

Lhe Dill should be amended TO that end.
but others of the counties named should
be given the relief they asked. Under
the decision in Dougherty VS. Austin the
Supervisors cannot allow officials extra
deputies, and some legislation on the
subject was necessary.
On roll-cau the motion to kill the bill
was defeated. Further action on the
measure was cut off, however. by the in
tervention of special order.
SHARP EXCHANGES.
There was debate and some repartee
in the Senate last night over Mahoney's
bill making telegraph companies Liable
for non-deliyery of ordinary dispatches
The author was called upon for some
information on the measure, but as he
did not respond with alacrity, Senator
Carpenter took the floor and denounced
the bill. He said it practically made
common carriers OF the telegraph com
panies and made them liable for damages
II tree should fall and break wire in
forest. They are liable now for negIi-
gence, and should not be liable for the
work of the elements, he said. In con-
clusion the Senator said that the bill was
an outrageous one. 1t was in the Logis-
laturc two years ago, and now was on
hand again. There was not a principle of
! law, not principle of equity ana not
principle of honesty about the bill, lie de-
clared.
Senator MCGOWAN took the floor but
toned up his Prince Albert and prepared
for speech. Notwithstanding the de-
nunciation of the Senator from Los An
| Onl of l,is l,
gan, Notwithstanding his statement that
no honest man could"
Il did not say anything of the kind"
interrupted. Senator Carpenter warmly,
land 1 don't propose that you shall put
words into my mouth"
81 can't fill that mouth" retorted the
Humboldt Senator. He then resumed his
speech. The bill was no a new one, he
said, as it had passed both branches of the
Legislature four years ago, and passed
one branch two years ago. He believed
that the telegraph companies should be
made liable to a greater extent than they
are now. Not being common carriers,
they can now tell those who employ them
that they will not be responsible for any
loss, no matter how great the damage
may be, except for the sum paid by the
sender for forwarding the dispatch.
1t was time, he argued, that telegraph
companies should be made common car
riers, so that they could not dictate as to
what they would be liable for and what
they would not. He read the printed
contract on each telegraph blank, and de-
clared it to be a sample of presumption
that could not be equalled.
Senator Carpenter took the floor and
sent some hot shot into McGowan's
corner, as payment for the latter's little
mouth joke. 1t was a beautiful sight,
he said, to watch the dove-like friendship
that existed between Mahoney and Me-
Gowan and the Siamese-twin-way they
held together on all legislative matters.
The speaker knew that when AIahoney
was called upon for an explanation that
it would draw MCGOWAN out with one of
his fine speeches. He knew that the
bosom friend OF the San Francisco Sena-
tor would come to his rescue.
Mr.. McGowan interrupted the Los
Angeles statesman with a sarcastic query
as to whether it was better 10 be the
friend of Mahoney or the Western Union
Company.
"Well," replied Mr.. Carpenter, ''it's
good deal like the old lady that kissed the
cow-it's a matter OF choice as to your
friends"
This retort caused a great laugh at Nc
Gowan's expense; and the Humboldt
Senator sought to get back by declaring
that Carpenter must have kissed COW,
judging from his remarks.
mo; l don't come from a COW county,
replied Mr.. Carpenter. He then went on
with his speech. He argued that the tel
egraph company made ample provisions
against the loss of important messages,
by agreeing TO be responsible for miscar-
riages, provided the sender pays double
and forwards repeated message. How
was a telegraph company to know how
valuable a dispatch was, unless so in
formed by the sender. With common
carriers it was different, for they charged
according to the value of the parcel or
message sent He believed the bill was
vicious one, and hoped it would be killed.
The roll was called and the vote stood
nineteen for the bill and eighteen against.
a call of the Senate was ordered in order
to bring in the absentees Senators
Goucher, Hoyt and Streeter. They were
brought in. Goucher and Streeter voted
against the bill, while Hoyt voted for it.
This made the vote twenty ayes against
nineteen noes, and the bill was declared
lost
/ SANTA YNEz BEATEN.
The bill to create the new county of
Santa Inez came up for final passage in
the Senate al the night session and met
fate similar to San Antonio's.
Senator Orr spoke against the bill. He
said that division would only increase
the expenses of both counties and double
taxation. There We're various other OBJ
jections to the proposition.
Senator Hart of this city took the floor
in favor of division. He did so, he said,
as a member of the Committee on County
Boundaries, who had heard the evidence
and was convicted that the divisionists
had q Just claim. 1t was only fair that the
people should be permitted to decide by
Il two-thirds vote whether or not they
should have a new county. BY doing so
the Legislature would only be doing its
duty.
Mr.. Orr referred sarcastically to the alb
sence of support for the measure from
southern epresentatives-that the di-
visionists had to get the Sacramento Sena-
tor to fight their battle for them. lie then
argued that the new county would not be
able to take care of itself, and he hoped
the bill would be killed.
Mr.. Hart replied that the Santa Barbara
representative in the Assembly was max
ng the Santa Ynez fight, and that he was