Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-18
FIGHT OVER FISH.
THEIR PROPOSED PROTECTIO,
PREcrPrTATEs A CONTEST.
SENATOR MASON WILL RESIGN.
The Toga to he Laid Aside for the
Ermine-BiII for a Free Press--The
Accomac Judgeship-snlari of
Examiners.

Delegate Gwyn. OF Smyth, Is very ac-
tive in his opposition to the bill for the
protection OF fish in the Holston river, in
Smyth county. The aim Of the bill is to
prevent the refuse from the Mathieson
AlkaIi-Works. at SaltviIle. being dumped
into the river, az this Is said to kill the
fish. as well as to render the water below
the works unfit for drinking or laundry
purposes. Mr. Gwyn says he doesn't
want 10 destroy the fish, particularly,
though he doesn't tclieve there are many
OF them. but he would rather see all of
them go than do anything to embarrass
the alkali-works.
why do you know" ne said. last
night those people WORK from go to 800
men. and that their payroll every month
amounts to from $4,000 TO $1,000 The
company has about $3.0CO.OJO invested
there and turns out every day about 10
tons of caustic potash, besides large
| quantity Of soda and ash. The works
consume 500 tons Of coal and 200 tons OF
limestone every day. besides more salt
water than you would believe, If 1 were
TO tell YOU You know caustic potash is
the basis Of concentrated lye; the Lord
only knows what soda ash is. There are
few works Of this kind In the world, and
these have been Of immense value 10 my
section. l am willing to let them KID
every fish i'm the river, If they want TO.
l never fish, except when l carry the bait
in u jug, and | believe that's the way
most of the people do their fishing out
there. I'm going to tight 10 the bitterest
| the bill that proposes to embarrass those
people without good cause otherwise
you'll have them pulling up and locating
somewhere else"
THE TOGA FOR THE ERMINE.
Senator John f. Mason. Of King George,
| will resign his seat i'm the Senate Tuesday
| to enter upon his duties as Judge OF the
| Tenth Judicial Circuit. to which position
| he was elected few weeks ago.
| Judge Mason will hold his first court in
| Caroline county March 10th. He says
| business has greatly accumulated in
| every county Of the circuit. owing To the
| prolonged Illness Of Judge Barton, which
| finally resulted I'm his death. Consequent
| ly. Judge Mason does not anticipate mu IN
| Of restful change by reason of laying
| aside the tOga for the ermne. lie has
| been in the General Assembly as delegate
| and senator for nine years, and in active
| politics for a very much longer period.
| He says he will be glad to get out of the
| hurly- -burly, but that he may want to mix
l
| in the fray again. Quien sabe?
FOR A FREE PRESS.
| Il believe in an absolutely free press
| about as much as in free religion and
| speech" said Senator McIlwaine, iegord-
| ing the following bill which he ,etently
| introduced in the Senate:
| "Be IL enacted by the General Assembly
| Of Virginia, That the councils OF any in
| corporated city or town or board Of su-
| pervisors of any county in this state shall
| not require license TO be obtained. for
| the privilege or right of printing or pub
| fishing any newspaper in said Clties
| towns or counties. But this act shall IN
| no manner be construed so as TO exempt
| those so engaged in the publication of
| newspapers from the payment II a. lax
| upon the plant, machinery. capital. or
| other property 50 used in such business;
| or upon the income derived therefroin.'
The action of the City Council of Nor
| folk in imposing a license-tax upon the
| newspapers of that city aroused great
| deal of comment and excited widespreli
| interest one of the papers affected re-
sisted payment, but i'm the Court o APP
| peals 1t was decided that il was within
! the jurisdiction of the Council to levy
| such tax. Senator Mcllwaine's bill,
| which was reported favorably yesterday,
| will make such unlawful
THE ACCOMAC JUDGESHIP.
A new candidate has entered the field
for the judgeship of the County Court of
| Accomac, i'm the person of Mr.. George
| Parramore one OF the best-known law
yers of the county. The pressure being
| brought to bear upon the Senator and
| Delegate from Accomac-Messrs LeCato
| and Matthews respectively-to endorse
| one Of the various candidates, Is very
| strong and as was laughingly said yes
| terday, they can't hold out much longer.
| They will probably reach a decision la a
short while. 1t is not unlikely that enc
or two other legislators from the East
| ern Shore will be called I'm TO help select
candidate to place before the caucus.
1t is understood that an agreement has
been reached. whereby the fight Will be
settled outside of the caucus
FIX THE BOUNDARY LINE
The message which the Governor sent
to the Legislature yesterday regarding
the boundary between Virginia ana
Maryland contained the findings of the
legislative commissions of the two StaIes
appointed two years ago to lay down the
exact boundary line I'm Pocomoke Sound,
Accomac county. This had been unset
tied for some years. and it was desired
TO have II fixed for police purposes. This
the commission has done.
WILL GO TO WILLIAMSBURG. G.
The House Committee on Schools ana
| Colleges and the Senate Committee on
Public Institutions and Education will
go TO williamsburg and Hampton to-day
TO visit William and Mary College, the
Eastern State Hospital. and the Normal
institute. respectively II is expected that
nearly the full membership of the com
mittees will run down-also, number ol
Senators and Delegates not members
The party expects to return tonight
SALARIES OF EXAMINERS.
The Senate Finance Committee yester'
. day decided that Mr.. Wizards House bill
amending the law under which special
Circuit Court examiners now act. and tht
substitute OF Judge Watkins, should Dt
made the special order for next Tuesday
az 10 4 NJ when Mr. Willard and Judge
watkins will appear. Mr.. Willard preters
the substitute Of Judge watkins "hlcf
providcs an examiner for each county, III
stead Of for each circuit, as at present
hut saws II either measure is adopted. i
viii carry retrenchment where the SIZE
of salaries absolutely demand IT,
rhe House Committee on Militia an'
| Police Yesterday decided To report favor
oblv the Senate bill which reduces the
term of enlistment In the Virginia volun
| tee~s from five to three years
POLICE ASSOCIATION ORGANIZES.
Major ID. II. Howard Elected Presi-
b