The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-10

SEVERAL MEASURES PASSED
An EFFORT TO CORRECT THE METH
DDS OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

The bill for intermediate prison was
defeated after long discussion in the Sen
ate yesterday afternoon and there seems
to be "A strong sentiment in favor of con-
verting the Prison South into such an in
termediate prison or reformatory. The Sen
ate also defeated the resolution for con-
stitutional amendment charging the Su-
preme Court, but motion to reconsider the
action was entered.
The Senate devoted it's attention in the
morning to the passage of bills ana three
of considerable Importance got through.
One of these was the contrlbutory negli-
gence bill by Senator Hugg. upon the dis
cussion of which the Senate spent two
whole days last week. 1t makes the charge
of contributory negligence in damage suits
an affirmative defense and puts the burden
of proof Of such negligence upon the de-
PENDANT. Another important bill was that
of Senator Nusbaum. which was defeated
the day before. but was taken up on d
motion to reconsider and passed with but
four negative votes. 1t requires county COM
missioners TO audit the books OF auditors
and treasurers, requires them to make all
allowances at regular public sessions and
requires that all claims against the county
ming of the regular session at which they
are allowed
Senator Shivelys pure food bill was
passed without discussion, though "a num-
Der of amendments were offered and
promptly voted down when the bill was on
second reading. The bill applies to food
and drugs and is very stringent in it's pro-
visions 1t does not create a commission for
he. fnt Of he hut Ia hos
it the duty of the state and county boards
of health to enforce il.
Minor bills were passed by the Senate
as follows: BY Senator Null, requiring rail-
road trains TO whistle at all road cross
ings; by Senator Humphreys. to lift Greene
county out of it's big road debt by Sena-
tor Goodwine providing for the release Of
invalid tax deeds: by Senator Horner. re-
quiring operators of mines TO provide means
OF escape in case of fire; by Senator Haw-
kins, to pay the claim of the Indiana Ber-
mudez Asphalt Company.
The afternoon in the Senate was devoted
to q thorough discussion Of the bill to es-
ers between the ages of sixteen and thirty
years. The tenor of the discussion indi-
Gated that it was likely TO meet with de-
feat largely from the expense that IL en-
tailed upon the State. When it came to a
roll call the bill was defeated by a vote
of 81 TO IL. but a motion to reconsider was
prison reform died in the House yesterday
upon adverse committee report This was
the bill OF Mr.. Lambert aboliShing the con-
tract labor system and providing method
utilizing the labor OF prisoners in manufac-
turing supplies for the state institutions
and for the poor who are charges upon
the various counties.
The monotOnous work of passing bills of
greater or less Importance was enlivened in
the House yesterday afternoon by the dis
cuSsioE of a bill prepared by the Associa-
tion OF Hotel Keepers to get the best of peo-
pie who jump their board bills. The bill
was discussed upon its merits upon mo-
ton TO indefinitely postpone and was saved
pass upon third reading. Nearly all the
amendments TO the bill were defeated,
among them one to strike out the emer-
gency clause so that the members could
get their trunks out OF their boarding
houses a the close of the session and n
other TO prohibit hotels from using French,
Spanish or Choctaw on their bills of fare.
The bill is very drastic in it's provisions
and makes refusal to produce cash on de-
mand in payment of Il board bill prima
facie evidence of fraudulent intent with
heavy penalties.
The measures passet. by the House were:
Mr.. Remington'S road bill providing that IL
shall be unlawful for any person to haul
the same Is soft from freezing and thaw-
ing or from excessive wet weather and in
condition to be cut up and damaged from
such heavy loads; MIR. Canada's bill. per-
hitting Incorporated cities to require that
lots in plated additions be numbered in
stead OF described by notes and bounds
Mr.. Goddard's bill amending the act of
1885 concerning the building of bridges upon
county lines; MIR. Blankenships bill pro-
viding that a justice of the peace may is
sue - capias upon the filing of an affidavit
and bond by the plaintiff; Mr.. Blanken-
ships bill slightly amending the libel law.