The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-02-16
Especial Correspondence)


Especial Correspondence
Harrisburg, Feb 14.-The principal
legislative event of last week was the
action of the house in postponing the
MoCarrell jury bill until Feb. 21. The
vote on postponement was SO to 90.
seventeen Democrats voted against
the motion to postpone and five Quay
Republicans for it. Every member was
present and voting, with the exception
of Harry Manning, who lies in his
grave in Cumberland county, and Clin-
ton Rogers Woodruff. of Philadelphia,
who was absent without being paired.
The unusual extent to which legisla-
tion is held back by the senatorial
deadlock is likely to result soon in a
rush and crush to save favorite bills
from defeat threatened by the early
final adjournment on April 20. The
danger to all such bills except appro-
priations will be largely increased when
altered house rules shall give the
right of way to the appropriation bills.
These circumstances probably will
evoke from some faction a proposition
to fix a later date for final adjourn
ment. SJ6SXZ
ever without a two-thirds vote of each
house. 1t is little to early to foresee
how the parties and factions may be
lined up on this question. Ordinarily the
Democratic members might wish
plague on both Republican houses and
seeing nothing for Democratic gain in
pulling Republican chestnuts out of the
fire might stand as q unit against
changing the date unless it should be
impossible to dispose of the states in
dispensible business by that time.
When the necessary work shall be
done the Democrats may see a party
advantage in refusing to help members
of either Republican faction to push
their special schemes through. If the
senatorial outcome or prospect shall
not mollify present feelings between
the Republican factions, the anti-Quay
Republicans will be no less eager than
the Democrats to kill pet projects of
their enemies. The Democrats will aim
to put all the blame upon the Republi-
can side for any neglect of the states
interests, and each Republican faction
will try to bring popular censure upon
the other for the delinquencies of the
legislature.
Worried Over Treasury Deficiency.
With the senatorial question unset
tied no legislative leader predicts the
particular element from which a pro-
posed fixing of date later than April
20 may emanate, or what degree of sue
cess it may have. All legislators feel
sure that trouble is brewing over these
questions, however. If for no other
reason than that found in the treasury
deficiency of two millions or more, and
in the necessity pointed out by Gov
ernor Stone and others for increasing
the states revenue.
Continued Republican factional fight
ing in Philadelphia is regarded as a
certain consequence of whatever may
be the result of the senatorial struggle.
Senator Martins close friends say, how
ever, that he has had enough of the
city feuds and proposes to content him
self as a mere looker-on.
An illustration that might seem ridic-
ulous If not connected with a solemn
duty to a dead associate. is given of the
extremes to which many legislators are
disposed, in consequence of the expos
ures Of former Legislative scandals, to
save for the state at the spigot while
loss at the bunghole Is threatened by
numerous questionable bills. 1t trans
pires that no claim is to be made upon
that state for the expenses of the COM
mittee who represented the Legislature
at the funeral of the late Henry Man
ming. Two members of the committee
after themselves contributing, perform
ed the hat passlrg act and collected
from legislators about $50 to cover their
personal outlays.
Innumerable large buildings not here
tofore required to have fire escapes
must get them IL two bills introduced
by EbeneZer Adams, of Philadelphia
shall be enacted. They are on the Sec
ond reading calendar of the house. Un-
der the present law the buildings that
must have, in addition to outside stair
ways, a chain ten feet long and rope
an inch thick reaching to the ground
and attached to a bolt through the wal
inside Of at least one window in each
room of everv floor higher than the
second, are hotels, factories, tenements
schools, hospitals, halls and amuse'
ment places. Where floor is but on,
room. or a room has more than three
windows, there must be means of es
cape in proportion.
The Adams Fire Escape Bills.
One of the Adams bills adds to thi'
list any other building more than twt
SlOTleS HlBD, III NIllCH ~ OF more per
sons are or may be employed in an!
sort of work, every lodging house o
other building in which rooms or floor
are let to five or more families anC
every large boarding house or board
ing school," The other Adams bill add
to the buildings that must have, unde
present law, the outside open irol
stairways, every boarding house o
boarding school three or more storie
high" Another new provision is tina
all the buildings mentioned in the pres
ent law and in this bill that are ca
pable of accommodating more than 90
and less than 1000 persons as oper
atives, guests or inmates, shall hav
three such stairways, or as many NOR
as the constituted authorities may deer
necessary. Fire proof Office building
are excepted in the Adams bill, as b.
present law.
The Baldwin mercantile tax bill, a
introduced. would have been muc