Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-02-28
THE LEGISLATURE.
SENATE.

to the people, at the spring election OF
| 1899, the question of calling q conVen
ton to revise the constitution.
The Senate also passed the Wharton
insurance bill, already passed by the
| House, which prohibits fire insurance
| companies troa combing on rates. 1t
is no secret that this measure is aimed
| at the southern tariff association.
The Richmond aud Petersburg Rail
road won its fight and got the bill for
consolidating its line with the Peters
burg road passed. The Senate concur
| red in the House amendment, and the
bill now goes to the Governor. The
new corporation will be called the At
lantic Coast Line.
Two bills Of public interest We're Of
fered in the Senate and passed under
! suspension OF the rules. Oae author
lies the U. S. government to acquire
the battle fields around Petersburg and
establish a park, as it is proposed to do
at fredericksburg. The other gives
the board OF visitors of the university
discretion in the matter of furnishing
houses to the professors.
During the night the following House
bills were passed by the Senate
To amend section III of the code
with reference to how judges of cleo
ton appointed; to amend section 120
of the code with reference to form OF
poll books; to amend section COG of the
code in reference to the form Of list
made by treasurer; to amend an act 10
relation to charter fees; to amend sec
ton ~ of the code in reference to Va
cancies in electoral boards; to amend
an act to provide q method of voting
by ballot; to provide for destruction of
~poll-books. &c to require all corpora.
tons to file annually q list of officers;
to provide for the registration of per
sons who desire to catch oysters; re-
lating to negotiable instruments; to
amend section 1852 in relation to writs
of error: to amend section IA of an act
incorporating the Falls Church and Po-
tomac Railway company; to amend
section 1909 of the code with reference
TO clerks, etc. Also the Senate bills
to prohibit changes in school books, etc
The Senate ordered to its engross-
ment the bill to empower the trustees
of Front Royal to establish q dispensary
for the sale of liquors.
The Senate passed the bill to permit
stripes to be imposed upon minors 10
lieu of fines in misdemeanor cases, up
on consent OF parents or guardians.
Mr.. Morris introduced and had pass
ed a bill making certain changes in the
rules Of management of the University
of Virgins, among them one making
> the assignment of residences TO ell pro-
fessors not obligatory upon the Board
of Visitors.
HOUSE.
The House spent the most Of the
morriug and all of the afternoon ses-
sion in the consideration of the appro.
prialion bill. The most important
change made was the reduction in the
appropriations to the insane hospitals
at Staunton, Williamsburg, Marion and
Petersburg. The reductions il these
amounted to about $50, 900. The amend
ment adopted, which is somewhat in
the nature ofa rider, takes from the
boards OF visitors the power Of fixing
the salaries OF the officers of these in
situations and nsmes the compensation
each is to receive. The bills cuts down
the salaries of the superintendent Of
these hospitals. Instead of the officer
Of the Wesleyan Asylum at
Staunton receiving 5000 be is
TO get under the House bill
only 50 300. The first assist
ant physician, instead of getting
81 800 is put down TO $1,000. All of
the other officers are cut almost in pre-
portion.
There was a big fight on the ques-
ton of refusing to give the old Virginia
Medical College in Richmond five
thousand dollars. The amount was
finally fixed at $4,000.
An effort was made to increase the
Governors contingent fluid from $500
to 10000, but the House thought the
former amount ample.
The House passed the Senate bill to
require fire insurance companies doing
business ia this State to refund to pol
icy holders 8 certain proportion of the
premium paid in certain cases.
The legislature elected Samuel T.
Ross Judge OF the Accomac County
| Court, TO succeed Judge Blackstone,
promoted to the Circuit ~judgeship.
The indications are that the appropri-
alton bill cannot get through before 10
morrow, the limit of the present SEES
sion. The House will hardly get
through with it before late tonight.
In the Senate there will be a hot fight
wei some of the House amendments.
The impression is that an effort will be
made to induce three-6fths of the two
houses to agree to extend the session q
few days in order to allow the govern
or to attach his signature to the nu-
merous bills now to be sent him. IN
less the appropriation bill is passed
sooner, it would be necessary to have
an ~tenslo for the purpose of allow
ing time to dispose of that measure. 1t
is probable that enough members will
remain 10 keep the two houses in ses-
sion until the bills can all be signed by
the governor.
The crowd in the lobby IN Satur-
day was the largest and most pressiog
of the winter. The rotunda and the
outer space of both halls were throng-
ed; especially was this so in the House.
The Governor on Saturday evening
approved the bill to exempt the pub
fishers of newspapers from the payment
OF license tax.
The democratic caucus held Saturday
night to discuss the question of calling