The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-02-06
BUSY AT OLYMPIA.
Senate Passes : Bill to Give
Power to Investigators
HOUSE TAKES Up jury REFORM.

FtO0Se TAKES W JOHy hEF OHM.
Prsvisseas ~ ne Measure - Reduce
Telegraph asss-Prssectisa 81
sAs Fisheries.
Olympia, Feb. Especial has been
the 6rst day OF rsais session Of the legis-
lature on which work was entered into
with real earressness. Both the senate
and house took up the business oa the
calendar and disposed OF Il In Q most
buslnessaike manner. Then an adjourn
menr was taken until tomorrow morning
TO allow sufficient time for needed work
in commitsee rooms. 1t now looks very
much as II the session viii be extremely
active in legislative work. Every one
seems 10 breathe with relief since ffse Io-
iiticai strife has been removed. and there
Is nothing 70 do but work for needed
legislation.
s. b. No. IS. 70 cloths legislative COM
mistees with authority TO conduct hives
legations and send for persons and papers.
-~assed the upper house today. This Is
merous Investigations promised In the
near future.
The senate Judiciary committee was re-
quested to prepare a comprehensive bill
for the government OF state institutions.
Senator Van Houten today introduced
a bin In the senate 10 compel telegraph
companies doing business in this state
to reduce their present schedule OF
charges for service 20 per cent. The ball
provides that hereafter 1t shall be un-
lawful for any person or corporation own
ing CT operating a telegraphic line or
lines In thls state 10 charge for the trans
mission and delivery Of telegraphic mes
sages between points wholly within the
state greater rate than 60 per cent. of
the rate established and maintained By
said persons or corporations for said SER
vice on the first day OF January, 1895.
1t shall be the duty OF al persons or
corporations owning or operating teie-
graph Enes 10 file with the secretary of
state within thirty days after this law
gees into effect a true copy Of the sched-
ule of rates for telegraph service be-
tween points IN tina state maintained by
II
shall be verified by affidavit Of the per-
son owning said line or lines. OF by the
president or secretary of the corpora
ton. Amy person injured by a refusal
to transmit and deliver messages for the
rate prescribed. or by the exactaon OF
any overcharge for teIegraz,stc service.
may maintain an action for damages In
any court Of competent jurisdiction. and
in any such action. II there be q recov-
cry. the plaintiff shall recover, in addi-
ton to his or her Damages. a reasonable
attorneys fee. TO be determined by the
court or jury trying the case and found
as q part of the verdict or findings. The
bill carries wsth it am emergency clause.
A bill by Miller OF Walln WalIa makes
II unlawf,a for any person 30 kill or trap
quail ard golden. silver. China or Mon
gciian pheasaxsts before October Is. 1898.
or to kill the birds mentioned in any man
ner after that date except during tho
period between October 10 and January
of each year thereafter. Tho bill is In
tended TO repeal the act OF March .. 1891.
which made 1t unlawful TO kill such game
for a period OF 1--WE years after the pass
age Of such act.
A measure OF especial Importance TO
both Washington and Oregon Is the bill
prepared by Senator Shaw. relating to the
fishing industries OF tho Columbia river.
II makes 1t unlawful to fish with a gin
net over $50 fatbosns long and 80 meshes
deep In the Columbia or any other river
within the state OF Washington, and fixes
a penalty for fishing within five miles OF
the Columbia river bar. In support of
the measure Senator Shaw shows that as
far back as 1883 Maj. w. A. Jones, of ahe
United States engineers, in his report 10
tho secretary OF war, stated that at that
time the whole number OF gill nets opar-
ating In and about the mouth OF the Co
lunhia river was 1.eoo. with an average
length OF l.soo feet each, or all told. about
5as miles OF nets. These made 1t almost
: impossible for salmon TO escape and as
cend the upper river and tributaries for
propa gatien, and with the continued
growth Of the fishing industry and the
constantly increasing number Of nets an
immediate remedy Is necessary.
Senator Hutchinson is IN receipt OF a
petition. thirty or forty feet In length,
from his Lincoln county constituents 1t
demands the enactment OF law reduc-
ing frelghts within this state on farm
products IN car lots per ton per mile. pro-
viisng that not more than So per ton shall
be charged between any points Within the
state boundary.
The duties OF incoming sherifs. con-
stables and eo-oners are defined in a sllI
presented by Senator yesterday. II pro-
vsfes that al wrtts and processes in the
hands OF the outgoing officers, not wllcgiy
executed. stall be executed by the incor-
ing officers This wiSI remedy the rncsr-
fasrty heretofore existing regarding the
right o. the incoming officers 10 cornpae.e
the partially executed Official acts OF thesr
predecessors
The pTesea: Law Is very specific IN the
prohibition OF prize fighting or sparring
matches. and the penalty even extends 30
those who send or carry Challenges for
such cornbats. II excerpts. however. all
members 81 pirate o1Itss who spar or
fence for exercise among themselves.
Senator Befkssap believes this exception Is
800 liberal ard fsas introduced a measure
enaking Il u un.sfemeanor for an athletic.
or any other club 70 conduct such fight
Ing. srzrr1ng or fencing
ssssF ss. 80 a ts4 ~. 49,. -