Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-13
MOVE LEE MONUMENT
Proposed Bill to Transfer It to
the Capitol Square.
SAID TO Be NEGLECTED NOW
Too Far frOm The City 10 Be Well
Protected.
ENLARGE THE PENITENTIARY.
The Dill for This Purpose Meeting
|. With Favor I'm Both Branches
ENLARGE THE PENITENTIARY
The Dill for This Purpose Meeting
With Favor in Both Branches
Until Friday.

The members OF the General Assembly
are interesting themselves in the Lee
monument and some OF them are inclined
to the belief that IL Is not located where
it should be.
II has been asserted that the monument
is so remote from habitation as To be al
mos, unprotected, and there are said TO
DO evidences that 1t has already become
the prey OF vandals and reio-seeksrs.
With an idea OF protecting and saving
tho monument for future generations, a
bill Will be introduced i'm the Legislature
I'm the near future appropriating sufficient
money to move the monument 10 the
Capitol Square. The idea OF the gentle
men who will father the plan Is 10 place
tho monument on the brow Of the hill on
the south side Of the Capitol building. In
favor OF this movement it IS contended
that the monument can be cared for by
the Capitol police force. The last Legis-
lature made an appropriation for needed
improvements about the monument
The proposition to have the General AS
Monday is not meeting with as much
favor as had been anticipated and the
gentlemen who intended introducing tho
resolution TO this effect have modified
their resolution, and will ask the Legls-
lature TO adjourn to-day until Friday,
thus giving the members one day in
which 10 attend the Washington centen-
NAL ceremonies at Alexandria. This pro-
position, II is thought, Will Do agreed TO.
There is a strong probability that the
improvements so much needed at the
VIRGINIA penitentiary will be arranged for
during this term OF the General Assem-
bly,. Delegate Powell, Of brunswick, Of
fered bill yesterday approprlatins 3d.
| 00O FOR this PURPOSE, and is hopeful tnas
IL will 60 through.
Two years ago a bill was introduced to
provide for extra cell-room, but strong
fight was made on it and it was defeated.
| This year, however, the States finances
are said to be in a very much better con-
| dition and many members VINO voted
against the bill last year have expressed
their Willingness 10 provide for the I'M
provements now. The crowded condition
Of the cells is probably the best argument
in favor of Or. POwells bill, and 1t Is
thought that il will pass.
DELEGATE Gravely, of Pittsylvania, who
introduced a bill TO increase the pensions
now being paid the Confederate soldiers,
Is prepared to fight vigorously for tho
massage of his bill He expects that he
viii have trouble, but says he will intro
duce bill which will put $1,000 addition
| al in the State Treasury. This bill VIII
provide for cutting down the fees of the
! dduciary examiners, who, 1t Is contend
| ed are deriving larger revenues from me
State than any other Of it's officers. Ma
Tor William IL. Sands is the examiner Tor
| this district.
The gentlemen who came down from
Bedford and Roanoke TO lobby Tor ana
| against the movement to abolish the
| Eighteenth judicial Circuit are stIll mere.
| The House Committee on Courts OF JUS
tice will consider the question Friday. IL
* thought more than likely that the cir
! cult will be abolished and transferred TO
the circuits Of Judges White and Blair.
| The district only embraces the city OK
| Roanoke and Bedford county.
The Soldiers Home investigation IS one
| thar will prove OF considerable interest
during this session. The House concur
red i'm the resolution yesterday, but Act
ing Speaker Ryan did not appoint the
| committee on the part Of the House pre-
| ferring TO await the return OF Speaker
| Saunders The committee on the part Oh
| the Senate consists OF Senators Opie
| rare and Gold. The Soldiers Home
Board will meet tonight, but the legs
| lative committee will not be made up IN
| time to attend this meeting. thorough
| investigation will be made.
At the meeting Of the House Commit
tee on Propositions and Grievances yes
terday. a subcommittee composed o
Messrs. Parks Graveiy, and McAllister
was appointed 20 examine the trust bill
ROW before the House. This committed
will meet on the 2lst to consider Mr.
| Folkes's bill requiring telephone and tele
! graph companies TO place their wire'
underground.
The bin 10 empower the Virginia Poly
technic Institute, at Blacksburg, 10 Dor
row s250O0O secured by n mortgage upoi
| the buildings, does not meet with univer
| sal favor. The measure also provide
that the General Assembly IS to appro
pirate annually $1,000 for the purpose o
| defraving the interest on the bonds. Thi
| is 10 be in addition TO the usual appro
| prlation. The fear has been expressed
that there might be a foreclosure BY tn
bondho!ders, and that the institution
might get into the hands of private In
| diyiduals.
There has not been heard d word a
| the prssent session regaring reduction
| In appropriations 10 the support OF pub
ua institutions. Indeed. the opinion ha
been frequently expressed that the In
stltutlons Of learning and the insane hos
pitals should receive larger sums than a
present 4 slight average increase Is NOR
urobable than a reduction. This
especially true OF the Southwestern
state Hospital, at Marion, and the schoc
for the deaf and blind at stanton.
A bill levying a tonnage tax on ferti
llzers sold in Virginia viii probably b
] introduced in the Senate next week Niue
| opposition is expected.
Hon. W. Il. McRae. member OF IN
| House from Petersburg, Is drafting
bill for the establishment OF an epilepti
| colony In Virginia. 1t Is understood tina
| S75 600 will be asked for this purpose. ID