The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-03-15
HARRISBURG LETTER.
The House Provides for Additional
Hours of Labor.
TWO BUILDING ASSOCIATION BILLS.
One Proposes to Bring All Foreign Associa,
tions Under the Control of State oaiciais.
The Proposed County Of MonongaheIa-
Keciy Cure Investigation.
Especial Correspondcnce.)

Especial Correspondence.)
HARRISBURG, March 1.-THE house hns
settled down TO business in earnest. and II
the members do not insist upon discuss
ing every bill on the,calendar the promises
Of an early adjournment may be fulfilled.
Beginning tomorrow the house will hold
three sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays
and Thursdays. This Is step forward,
ms night sessions have not been held by
past legislatures until month or six
weeks later In the session. The senate
continues TO hold one session day and
adjourn on Thursday until Monday even
ing.
The records show that the house is much
further advanced than previous sessions
In 1891 the number of bills reported to
March was 322; in 1893 there were 269,
and in 1895 the number was 4lo. Up to
March |, 1891, the house passed II bills in
1898, 20, and in 1895, AZ. The governor re.
ceived up TO March In 1881 two bills; in
1898 two, and In 1895 seven.
The Focht amendment to the act Of 1891
relative to intercounty bridges has been
brought out by the senate committee on
counties and townships. The measure pro-
vides that where bridges are erected ovar
streams or rivers flowing between or form
ing boundary lines of counties, that the
expense be borne by the counties in pro-
portion to population. The bill affects only
three or four counties, and settles the con-
tention between Northumberland and
Union counties.
Proposed New Counties.
A bill which will probably bring about
the county of Monongahcla has been read
In tbn hpttcp tbn rat h.
is created IL will come from portions Of
Washington, Fayetto, Green and West
moreland counties. Charleroi is the CEN
ter of the proposed county, and may be
made the seat. The bill provides that on
the petition of 1000 citizens of the district
affected the governor shall appoint three
commissioners, who shall within sixty
days, survey the lines and establish the
new boundaries, under the constitutional
restrictions that no line shall run within
ten miles of any county seat. The report
shall be made to the governor and secreta-
ries of the commonwealth and internal af-
fairs. Tho governor shall order an cleo
tion within sixty days, Mt which all tho
qualified voters in the district affected
may vote on the question. il the vote is
In favor the governor shall appoint the of
ficers, who will hold until after the next
regular election, mt which time the loca-
tion OF the county seat shall also be fixed
by vote of the electors. In the meantime
the county commissioners can spend S20,-
600 to secure quarters for the courts The
new courts are to be organized by the
judge of the county from which the most
territory was taken.
This week petition will be filed with
the secretary OF internal affairs asking for
anew county to be formed out OF Luzerne
to be called Grow, after the illustrious
congressman.a at-large from Pennsylvania.
The new county will be asked for under
the Lackawanna county act, which pro-
vides for the division Of counties contain
ing population of 150, 900 or more. 1t is
proposed to take in on the west side of the
Susquehanna, Salem Shickshinny, Union,
Hunlock, Ross, Huntington, Fairmount,
New Columbus, part of Newport Conyng-
ham, Hollenback, Dennison, Slocum, But
Ter, Black Creek and Nescopeck.
Two bills indorsed by the Building and
Loan Association League OF Pennsylvania
have found their way into the senate. One
brings all foreign building and loan asso-
Citations more directly and explicitly un-
der the supervision and control of the
banking department. Before doing busi-
ness in the state they must deposit with
the state 100000 to cover losses which cit
izens Of the state may incur through their
failure to meet their obligations, and re-
ceive from the banking department GER
tificate authorizing them to do business.
They are also taxed for this privilege and
required to make annual reports to the
commissioner of banking. The second
bill authorizes domestic associations to is
..f.t II, l..
sue all paid up certificates of stock in
which permanent Investments may be
made and which may be taxed as other
moneys at interest.
The Clarency amendment to the bank
ing act to relieve building and loan asso-
Citations from making semiannual reports
TO the department has been made special
order for second reading next Wednesday
and third reading the following Tuesday.
To Investigate the Keely Cure.
The house has adopted joint resolution
for an investigation by the state board of
charities of the Keely cure treatment. The
board is to inquire into and report to the
next legislature as to the scientific treat
ment of drunkenness as disease, and the
feasibility of applying the treatment in
connection with the penal, charitable and
resolution was introduced at the request
of the Catholic Temperance league OF Lu-
zerne county. A waggish member wanted
to amend 1t so that "all old drunkards in
the state be sent to the Keely institutes at
the expense of the state" but was ruled
out of order by the speaker
The manufacturers are making bitter
fight on the new revenue bill. 1t provides
for q tax of one mill on the stock Of man
ufacturing corporations. A committee
from the Manufacturers club, of Phila
delphia, was given a hearing last Thurs
day night Charles Heber Clark, secretary
of the club, who was member of the state
tax conference which formulated the bill,
but left in disgust, made bitter attack
upon the measure and Joseph d. Weeks,
OF Pittsburg, president of the conference.
Mr.. Clark said President Weeks repre-
sented the railroads, and that the money
to nay the expenses of the tax conference
was furnished by the railroads. He
charged Mr.. Weeks with having travelled
through the state with fine tooth comb