The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-08
THE FUSION HAND
CALLED BY HOUSE
Continued From Second Page)

payment of money out of State Treasury
without authority Of law; appointment
of special joint committee 20 request the
Governor to send to the House the pa
pers in the case of suspended Railroad
Commissioners: to pay Judge Norwood
1888 back salary; to condemn acton
of the War Department in sending ne
gro officers to pay off the Second North
Carolina regiment.
When the calendar was taken up all
the bills and resolutions on it were dis
posed Of, either by passing on their
several readings or by reference to prop
er committees.
Among the resolutions adopted was
one to raise special committee of tf-
teen to be known as the Committee ON
Election Law: to have a joint special
Committee on Courts; to investigate
salaries and fees paid the Secretary Of
State: to investigate payment of money
out of State Treasury without authority
. Of Law.
or the half dozen or so bills passed-all
LEGAL in characterize most important
were: Repeal of charter of the SWAIN
County Lumber and Boom Company;
repeal of the Halifax and Edgecombe
stock law: authorize the appointment
of commission of navigation for Beau
fort harbor: repeal the law in regard to
collection of taxes in Chatham county;
commissioners of EdgecomDe county IN
creased from three to five.
Quite a discussion arose over Mr.
Leatherwood's bill to repeal the charter
of the Swain Lumber and Boom Com
pany. Explaining the bill Mr.. Leath-
erwood said the incorporators of the
company were Northern inen who had
come to Swain county, announcing that
they were there to get rich.
THE act / now ask repealed confers
most extraordinary powers. When the
incorporators of this company gave no.
tice of their intention to get the charter
they went as far away from Swain
county as possible. They published the
notice of application for their charter in
Il small Perquimans county newspaper
This charter was procured through the
grossest fraud ever perpetrated in North
Carolina. They have coerced every
man who owns land on the river banks
to sell his timber to them and so far
has it gone that they have come to the
point where they object TO man
cutting timber off his own land. They
have cut up the roads and otherwise
done great damage in the county"
Mr.. Mcneil, Brunswick, saw no reason
for haste in repeating the charter. He
therefore moved TO refer the bill to the
Committee on Corporations.
Mr.. Allen asked whether or not the
corporation had acquired any property
rights.
Mr. Leatherwood said they had not,
though they claimed the earth. "They
;. have never even Incorporated, nor com
Eplied with the law. simply using this
ed to know if no
# the application
1T was an issue
it was understood
that if was elected the law should be
repealed
Mr.. Craig said he was willing to
trust the gentleman from Swain; he
knew some of the incorporators named
of them.
Mr.. Julian hoped the House would re
fuse to refer this matter to commit
lee. Uul fepeal 81 ihlaiious 1t Jaw III
once.
Mr.. Clarkson thought it ought to be
repealed As it was a local matter, he
was willing TO comply with Mr.. Leath-
erwood's request.
Mr.. Mclean, of Harnett, said he was
startled. on hearing the act read, to
find out what extraordinary powers it
conferred. Powers that ought not TO
be given to any corporation, especially
a corporation of foreign adventures.
He favored immediate and complete
repeal.
Mr.. Mcneil, of Brunswick, was OPP
posed to the railroading of any sort of
measure through. He wanted all sides
given Il hearing. This could do no harm.
That is what committees are for.
The House refused to refer, but pass