Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-02-02
THE LEGISLATURE.
SENATE.

I
: abolish the Tenth Judicial circuit, over
which the late Judge Barton, of Fred.
ericksburg, presided.
i The Withers bill providing for sub
/ hitting TO the voters at the COMPRESSION
| al election in November the question OF
calling constitutional convention was
discussed at length. Mr.. Withers
made speech in advocacy of the
proposition. He said this Legislature
could not, owing TO the Influences and
environments, be likely to enact any
important reforms on the line of cut
ting down the expenses of the State.
The only relief that could be expected
in tina: direction was from convention
Mr.. Wickham made an argument
against Assem- bling convention. Tho
subject was posrp ned until the 18th.
This action was taken in order to allow
the retrenchment committee to submit
iIs report and for the Legislature to act
upon it.
Mr.. Ksezsl offered an election bill.
This amends the present Parker law 50
as to require the electoral boards to
supply each voting precinct with three
extra official ballots. These are to be
posted up on the day of election liz a
conspicuous place near the vot-
| ing booth, and the judges of
election are to see that they are not
torn down or defaced in any manner.
The object of posting these ballots is to
enable illiterate voters to have explain
ed TO them how to prepare their ballots.
tickets when they enter the booth. This
provision, if enacted, would enable the
republican managers to instruct the
colored voters, so they could have little
difficulty in preparing their ballots 10.
diligently. If this bill is adopted, and
there SCENE little likelihood that it will
be, it would give the democrats but lit
tie advantage over their opponents un-
der the operation OF the present cleo
ton law.
Senator Fairfax, from the committee
on finance, reported with an amend
ment the bill providing for building an
addition to the penitentiary. The
amendment places o limit upon the
money to be expended. It provides
that in addition to. the labor to be per-
formed in the work by the convicts, the
net receipts from the penitentiary for
the next four years shall constitute the
fund out of which the improvement is
to be paid for.
The Senate passed House bills to de-
fine and regulate traternal orders, etc;
for the protection of assignees, ETC.; to
define and prescribe the effect of deeds
conveying property sold under deed of
trust; to reorganize the Deaf, Dumb and
Blind Institute. Also Senate bill to
amend sections 1851 and 1858 of the
code in relation to search warrants; to
amend sections 1866 and 1856 of the
code in relation to process of persons
charged with crime; to amend section
1866 Of the code in relation to school
trustees.
HOUSE.
The House sent to epgrossment the
Senate bill creating board of fisheries,
with several amendments. One re-
duces the appropriation from $1,000 to
81 900, and the most important of all
allows others than citizens of the State
to LEASE the oyster grounds. This is a
feature that the Tidewater people have
long been fighting. 1t is believed that
it will bring much capital into the State,
and immensely increase the industry.
The fishery board will have control of
the industry, and have in charge the
oyster navy for enforcing the law and
the machinery for collecting the rev.
enue. The whole system practically
will be changed.
The House passed the Senate bill al
lowing the Norfolk and Western Rail
road to build branch of its line from
Front Royal to Washington. The pro-
posed branch line, If built, will form an
important connection of the Norfolk
and Western and allow them to tap at
Washington all the leading northern
and western trunk lines.
The House passed TO its eugrossment
the Saunders bill creating board of
appraisers, with authority to assess the
value of telephone, telegraph and ex-
press companies, and also determine
what constitute such companies. This
measure is an exact copy of the Ohio
law on the same subject. Its provis-
ions are very rigid. The penalty for q
failure of the agents of these companies
to make annual returns subjects the
corporations TO fine of one hundred
dollars, besides forfeiture of five hun-
dred dollars.
The Wharton bill, designed to break
up the Southeastern Tariff Association,
was passed aud the fight over it will be
transferred to the Senate side.
The frat of the series of bills from the
retrenohment committee to pass was
carried through the House yesterday.
This was the one that places the costs
ir prosecutions for vagrancy upon the
counties aud cities. The bill to regu-
late the allowances to jailers for keep
ing prisoners was gotten into reason
ably acceptable shape after good deal
of wrangliDg, but it being suggested
that as framed the act would largely in
crease the jail expenses of the State, it
was passed by.
MIR. Parks introduced two bills de-
signed to reduce criminal expenses. One
reduces the fees for arrests in trials OF
misdemeanor cases from so to Is cents,
and the other allows officers making ar
rests in misdemeanor cases a fee of one
dollar, if made out of the prisoner, but
only 40 cents instead of 30 as now, if
paid out of the treasury.
Col. Barley offered bill to regulate
the liabilities of insurance companies in
certain cases. The bill is designed to
make fire insurance companies more
careful in taking risks and to compel
them after accepting premiums on large