Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1900-12-14
SOLONS' EXTRA SESSION.
STATE LEeIsLATURE To DISPOSE
0FIMPoRrANT MATTERS
Concerning thc Constitutional Con.
vention and - New state Pensten-
tiary-wiii Elect supreme Court
Judge and Probably second Audf.
toy-Private Bills OF Local Int-resf.

viii be that called especially by Gov
ernor Tyler TO assemble in Richmond
on January ed next Matters of great
moment to the State at large will be
considered and disposed OF by the Sol
ons who compose the upper and lower
branches and while their action In the
cause for which they Will be assent led
can be but preliminary In the very ma
ture OF things. yet every step Is OF ma
terfal consequence and will be watched
with interest by every one who has the
Old Commemorative future at heart
The question OF a new constitution
has been agitated for some time; the
great Democratic party In convention
assembled has declared itself In favor
OF change: a large majority OF the
people OF the State recognize that
something has to be done and that
quickly. and this Legislature has beer
called for the purpose OF naming the
time and place for holding a consutu.
uonal convention and of fixing the lba.
ais OF representation from the difreteni
counties and cities to this Convention
Just how much further business the
Legislature will have to do with ths
convention is a matter OF conjecture ir
certain quarters. but II Is generally be.
neved that with these questions eis.
posed of, their work will cease. 1t scent
to be the consensus OF opinion thai
Richmond will be the place, late In the
Spring OF 1901 will be the time for Tho
convention. and that II will be CON.
posed OF about as many members al
are at present In the Legislature. ThIi
latter body will also Ak upon the date
Tor the election OF the delegates to IN,
Constitutional convention.
But this mater Ia by no means thu
only one to be disposed Of The mam.
nners will receive pay for 45 days work
and II Is thought. that while they vii
not work overtime. yet their hands vii
be full of law-making matters until
they serve the full month and a half
Another question TO be decided at thii
epecisl session 10 as to the successor %
Judge Reilly on the Supreme Cour
Bench. Governor Tyler appointed Judge
A. A. Phlegar. OF Christiansburg, &c
MI the vacancy on the bench until an
election and this gentleman Is a form.
tdable candidate for the position.
Besides him there Is Judge Robert r
Prsntis OF the Circuit Court OF THU
section. who has received the unani-
NOUS endorsement OF the Bar Associ.
etionB OF this District. and who has
many friends all through the State
who believe him to be Just the man for
the important and dignified position
Judge william II. Mann. OF Nottoway
Is also n candidate for the Judgeship
Gnu ne TOO mas "a StTOf1R backing az
has Judge Stafford @. Whittle, Of the
Danville District. Norfolk members
OF the House and Senate will give their
support to Judge Prentis. and believing
that this section is entitled to a place
on the Supreme Court bench, will dc
ell In their power to secure his election
II Is also probable that q Second Au-
ditor OF the State viii be elected to sue
coed the late Josiah Ryland. AS yet
-.
sroken OF In connection with this post.
ion. and as Portsmouth has. In the per.
son OF the Hon. Joseph T. Lawless. q
etate officer OF rank and dignity, II Il
not thought there will be any seeker
after the Second Auditors desk from
this section.
Another and equally important mat
ter which will probably receive con
sideration IL that concerning the i'm.
provements to the State penitentiary. i
is known that the present building II
entirely inadequate for the purpose re
Quired. II is always full 70 OVERLOOKING
not because of the particular wicked
ness OF the people OF Virginia. but be-
cause OF It's small size and poor con
struction. 1t is too crowded for hui
manity's sake. and tina. money should
be appropriated for the erection OF
penitentiary which could meet the de
fact patent to all who have given tn,
subject any consideration whatever
The newspapers OF the State have beer
fighting for this for some time. and
Is believed that the Legislators hav,
awakened TO the idea that they Shout,
do something and that at once.
Besides the money to be appropriate,
for the building or a new psnitentiar.
the Legislature will also raise NOR
To-
session. the law was changed TO a Ger
tain extent and II was thought that tn
money appropriated at the time woul,
be sufficient to supply all the demands
This has been found erroneous. and on
OF the items IN the appropriation bud
get will likely be one FOR pensions. Thi
Is most important TO many of the poo
OF the State and will receive early con
alteration. There WILL OF course, b
other bills OF general interest consider
ed. but these seem TO be the most i'm
| portant
There win be. however, several mat
| tiers OF local interest 70 come up for dis
position One OF these will be fathere
by the Spanish War Veterans OF Nor
| folk. The present law Of the State doe
not permit officers who served durin
the Spanish-American war TO retir
with the rank held by them durin
their service In the field as officers
the u. 8. A. but compeis them to retir
with the rank held by thsm when the
entered the service. The veterans {
Norfolk. and for that matter from a
sections OF the State. think this does
gross injustice and viii petition III
Legislature to so change the law as
allow an officer to be retired with tt
rank held by him at the close OF h
service.
One OF the most interesting and Pc
haps important private bills TO CON
up at this extra session will be or
which 10 now being prepared by Judl
Thos. II. Wilcox. of this city. This,
Il passes, will allow the construction
q tunnel at the bottom OF the Elizabet
river between Norfolk and Portsmouth
II will be recalled that some time az
a company. of which Mr.. II. L. Page
the promoter and which Is composed
the main of wealthy Phiisdelphians, g
cured a charter from Judge Hanckel
construct this tunnel. Through this,
Is the purpose OF the company, to n
street cars and to have means OF trav
for foot passengers as well az carriage
1t is proposed to have elevators on bo
sides OF the river for the use Of trave
lers and to use the tunnel the same
II IL was q bridge. After getting tn
| charter, IL was learned that the Sta
had authority over the bottom OF Il
| river and hence application had to