The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-20
Not Much Is Likely TO Be Accomplished
in That Direction This Year.
Representative Daley Introduces Measure
for General System, and the House
Discusses Mr. Pippen's Bill
Both Branches Declare for Sunday Open
ing of the Worlds Fair al Chicago.
Prize Fights, Dog Laws aud Mortgages-Mex.
lean Dates ResOlution-0ficial Co-Em-
plOyes Liability Bill in the House.


ROAD LEGlSLAIlON.
Not Likely that Much Will BE Done-Daiiy's
RiiI-House Debate.
It looks very much as though the Legs
lature of 1893 was going to pass into his
tory without accomplishing any thing of q
very notable nature, further than to amend
O few laws. enact some bills demanded by
organized labor and some others demanded
by the organized liquor interests. It was
supposed that its most notable work would
be the establishment of State system of
roads, but it 10 doubtful now whether any
thing of Importance Will be done In that
direction.
The agitation of the subject last autumn
reached it's climax In the December road
congress- which was captured partly by
politicians and partly by civil engineers
measure was outlined for presentation to
the Legislature which Is copied very much
after the Pennsylvania system, and Penn
syIvania has as bad country roads as In
diana. The system would create demand
for moro engineers. it Is said by those who
have looked into it, without helping things
much.
A raft of road laws have been introduced
in the House, some of them worthless. and
most of them designed simply as amend
ments of existing laws. Reuben Daily. OF
Jacksonville. a member of the road
committee. yesterday introduced bill
which takes up the whole subject and en-
deavors to construct O system, but. ]udg-
ina from the tenor OF the road discussion
which came up little later. he will hardly
know il when the house gets through
amending 1t. The bill was referred to the
road committee without reading.
DAlLY'S ROAD BILL.
A brief synopsis of it Is as follows:
Section requires the township trustee to levy
not less than a 10-cent tax on each 500 aud not
10 exceed % cents, one-half of which must be
expended In permanent road Improvement.
Sec provides for tile drainage OF dirt roads.
see. requires pools and cuts on the roads to
be opened and drained after each rain.
Sec provides that all work may be let to the
lowest bidder.
Sec provides that in case work is not done by
contract the trustee must place the material on
the road ready for work. and requires trustee OF
advisory board to fix stated task for each hand
In lieu OF two or four days work.
Sec. requires permanent work to be done on
the most frequented and principal highways OF
Sec provides that first-class highways, being
the main thoroughfares of a county. are 10 be
built by tax of SO per cent. of the cost on the
lands within two miles, and so per cent. by gen.
eral taxation in the county. including all towns
and cities through which the road runs, on the
vote of the people
see requires County Commissioners to class
lfy roads.
See 9 requires commissioners to order the
levy 10 be made IN not LEES than three annual
lnstallments. nor more than ten; contract not to
be let until the levy Is made.
Sec. 10 requires township trustees TO construct
second-class roads upon the same plan of yearly
lnstallments, and no bond TO be assessed in
either county or township.
Sec. II taxes bycicles and other pleasure vehi-
sles 81 per annum for general road fund
Sec Is taxes inheritances OF $500 net and up
ward from 10 D per cent for roads.
Sec. IA puts a SO tax on traction engines,
timber wheels and portable enslnes
sec. Is taxes all franchises hereafter granted
or renewed per cent. of gross receipts
Sec. 6 abolishes the toi-road laws.
sec. n provides Tor working county prisoners
upon the roads.
Sec. Is permits wardens to put trusty convicts
on roads OF the first class.
Sec 10 appropriates all unclaimed fees for
roads.
SEQ 20 abolishes the concurrent Jurisdiction of
Mayor In cities under $4,000, In misdemean and
State cases.
see. q provides wife-beaters cannot be fined,
but must work the roads
Sec. % creates an advisory board of trustees,
justices OF the township and one freeholder who
shall determine the amount of work to be done,
and the task each citizen shall do in building the
road.
Sec. % provides how a days work is to be COM
muted 10 specified task.
Shortly after this bill was introduced
the House INDUCED in a road debate. Mr.
Ica2ey, Oh Tue committees on TOaub report
ell. killing Mir. Hays bill to provide against
breaking bridges with traction engines.
The report was adopted. 1t reported in
favor of passing DIR. PASSAGES bill fixing
the depth of gravel upon toll roads, and
the report was adopted.
FIPPEN's ROAD BILL DISCUSSED.
1t favored killing Fippen's road bill. and
this made the sleeping Beauty" wroth.
His bill was for the purpose Of repeating
the law of 1885, which changed the require
ment about petitions. At present. petit
tion from "a majority OF the resident prop
erty-Owners" is required, and Mr.. Fippen's
bill wants to change it back to "the own
ers OF majority of the acres with.
In q two-miIes limit" He said the
law had been terribly abused. par
ticularly by securing signatures in cities
anc towns TO run free gravel roads out into
the country. The committee had not noti-
fed him of its intention to act on the
bill and surely did not understand it.
He was informed that il knew all about it,
bat he nevertheless begged that the report
be not concurred in. Barnes spoke against
the bill because committee largely COM
posed of formers, for whom Mr.. Fippen pre-
sumed TO speak. had reported againrt It.
and because he was against any further
legislation about dogs. game, fish or gravel
roads.
Mr.. Daily made on this subject the first
speech of any length that he has made. 1t
was thoroughly earnest appeal against
the flppen bill as step backward when
the demand of the people was for progress
siveness in bodybuilding. They wanted to
leave obstructionists as little power as pos
slble. Mr.. Hunter made a speech based
upon practicable experience. in which he
advocated q law taking into consideration