The age-herald., 1901-08-09

has forwarded to the Navy department an official report. thrilling in its details, of the biting off the leg of Quartermaster S. Mackie, thrd-class, of the gunboat Annapolis by a shark or other mammoth sea monster. Two of the men had been in swimming at Ilolo when Mackie join ed them and asked if they had been able to touch bottom. Being answered in the negative he made dive and was gone for
 
 order was then raised that the regular business being the consideration of the report of the committee on municipal corporations, the motion to reconsider could not be made then except by sus- pension of the rules This point was also overruled. An aye and nay vote was de- manded on the motion to reconsider, and this was lost by tie vote of 90 to 60 Ihe announcement of this vote was received with cheers and loud applause and thus the fight against the change made In the election of solicitors was ended,
 Municipal Corporations.
 The convention then proceeded with the consideration of the report of the com mittee on municipal corporations.
 Mr Boone of the committee moved to take section 1 from the table, and said he would offer as a substitute a provision that municipal corporations shall have the right to sue and be liable to suit In the courts of this State. The motion to take from the table was carried, and MT. Boone explained that the purpose or the section was to make 1t plain that munlcl- pal corporations were subject to suit, in- asmuch as there was section In the acc laration of rights that the State could not be sued, and it might be held that a municipal corporation, a political child or the State, could not be sued.
 Mir Hood of Etowah said that If thls provislon was inserted in the constitution it would be a matter of doubt whether the Legislature could regulate suits against cities, such as garnishment sults and that their revenues might be affected.
 Judge Coleman of Greene said this was an untried innovation upon existing law, and to his mind a dangerous experiment. It would authorize much new litigation against cities.
 Captain White of Jefferson approved of the section proposed. Cities under the present law can sue and be sued, ana placing this in the organic law does not give any additional rights, but simply makes them permanent. We are entering upon an era when municipal corporations are absorbing many businesses, such as water works and light plants, which in- dividuals formerly owned and operated, and they should be liable to suit in cases growing out of their operation. He moved the previous question, which was ordered. The substitute was then lost by tie vote of 40 to 40. The original section was retabled.
 MT. Weakley, chairman of the commit tee, then moved that section 2 be taken from the table and referred to the com mittee on corporations, which was done
 Municipal Franchises.
 He then moved to take section from the table for the purpose of offering substitute which provided that no county or city should be authorized to grant any franchise or privilege without advertis- ing the application therefor and granting it to the highest bidder; these provisions not to apply to a truak railroad or to cities of Jess than 5000 inhabitants.
 MT Murphree of Pike offered aE amen6- ment to provide that the exception should apply to cities of coco popula ton.
 pr. Cunningham of Jefferson said he thought this section was very meritor- ious. That little towns were ambitious for street railroads and eheir fraJchiseE it was true were not of great value, but that the franchises of large cities were very valuable and should not be given away. He cited instances O. street iaii road franchises in Birmingham and Mo bile which had become very valuable. He said 1t was outrageous for city councils to give away these fran ;l.Sss. He op- posed the amendment an1 thought the limit should be fixed at cities of 2000 peo- pie.
 MT. Merrill of Barbour said the adop- ton would be a thrust at local self-gOv ernment. There was no necessity why cities should not be allowed to manage