Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-01-25
THE LEGISLATURE.
SENATE.

The employers liability bill, which
passed the House last week, was
presented to the Senate yesterday
and referred to the committee on
roads. Mr.. McIlwaine, the cham
pion OF the bill in the Sen
ale, tried to get it referred
to the committee on courts, but
the Senate declined to alter the ruling
of the chair by vote of 10 to II, and
this is considered victory for the rail-
roads, and to presage the defeat of the
bill.
Senator Mushbach hit the measure q
vigorous blow. When he asked what
bill was under discussion, some one
told him the employers liability bill.
ooh, yes, that is the measure that
will cause the relatives of a man killed
in sawmill to regret that he was not
killed on o rail!oad,' remarked the
Senator, and the point made against
the bill caused much laughter.
Senator Jackson introduced bill to
amend the code in relation 10 the ger
eral and enumerative powers of couL-
ties, cities, and towns. The present law
ia changed so as to extend the jurisdic-
ton of councils in the matter of wat or
works three miles above such works in
order to prevent pollution of the water
or injury to works.
Senator McCune offered q bill provid-
ing for the examination and licensing
of herb doctors. The same bill was pre-
sented in the House by MIR. Jordan. l;
provides for board of examiners, COM
posed of W. j. Whitlock, J. L. Whit
lock, and VIM. M. Starr.
The Senate passed the bill abolishing
the fees of witnesses for the Common
wealth in misdemeanor cases. The
statement was made on the floor of the
Senate that tho enactment of this bill
into a law will save the State $75, 600
annually.
Bills were introduced to allow a pop
ulnr vote on the question of urging a
special tax for the support of the de-
pendent veterans and their widows, not
to exceed 5 cents on the 500; to amend
section JOG OF the code in relation to
filing vacancies in county, corpora.
ll0n, ana QlStTlCC CuCes.
The bill to prevent the unlawful de
struction of telegraph ard telephone
lines was reconsidered~
HOUSE.
Mr.. Williams introduced a resolution
providing that the retrenchment and
reform committee be requested to re-
port bill which prohibits the re-slec.
ton of city or county treasurers unless
they shall haye made full settlement
for the term for which they were
elected.
A bill was introduced for the relief OF
, Lieutenant Luther r. Ashby, q dis
abled Confederate soldier of the county
of Fsuquier.
The bill providing for laying off and
surveying the natural oyster beds,
r, oks, and shoals in York river, in the
county Of King and Queen, which
caused considerable discussion, was de-
feated.
The Senate bill providing for board
of fisheries to control the oyster in
dustry was favorably reported by
the House committee yesterday
afternoon, with slight amendments.
Onc of the amendments provides
that 10 sub.inspector and no captain of
one of the vessels of the oyster navy
shall be Financially interested 10 any OF
the oyster planting grounds. The bill
having already passed the Senate, is
likely to become law. Gloucester
county oystermen met Saturday and
passed resolutions opposing the pro.
visions of this bill.
Three election bills were offered in
the House. One by Mr.. Campbell pro-
poses to amend the Constitution so as
to prohibit any man from voting in any
election unless he has paid his capita
ton tax four months before the cleo.
ton 10 which he proposes to cast bis
ballot. Mr.. Darnall offered two billa
One of these provides that only one
clerk, instead OF two, shall be appoint
ed at each precinct, and the other re-
quires the auditor TO furnish one poll
book or list instead of duplicates as now.
Moro than half the members of the
House have united in a call for the
caucus tonight to consider what shall
be done in the way of retrenchment.
The LIE Cato bill to create State
board of fisheries has been reported
favorably in the House.