The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-30
HOUSE CLOSED ITS DOORS.
ONLY WAY SPEAKER LITTLE
GOULD MAINTAIN A QUORUM.


Hut no Keys TO the Doors Could Be
Found-Much Time Taken Up in
Discussion of AtIantn's Charter
BiIs-Mr. wright Charges At
Ianta Council With Trihing with
the Legislature-The Copeland
Bill Relating TO Charters Granted
by Superior Courts, Defeated.
Atlanta. Nov. 29.-The House did not
adjourn this afternoon until nearly
o'clock, all on account of the fact that
the ave and nay vote was being taken
ON motion TO adjourn until MONDAY
morning, and there were only 50 men,
bers present. 1t was necessary 10 nave
a quorum, and at 4:45 Speaker Little
ordered the doors locked and instruct
ed the doorkeepers not to let any mem
bers leave the hall, under any circum-
stances. Then he sent the sergeant
alarms and two men out to scour
the city for enough members to make
a quorum When 5 o'clock, the hour
of adjournment arrived, the point was
made that the House stood adjourned
until Saturday.
Speaker Little overruled the point
and declared all motions out OF order,
the House acting under the previous
question.
1t was an hour later when the ar
resting officer returned with the two
members necessary to make quo
rum Their votes We're recorded amid
applause and, by a vote of so to 80,
the House was declared adjourned un-
til Monday morning at $50 o'clock.
The greater part of the ses-
sion of the House this morn
ing was taken up with the con
sideration of the substitutes for the
Atlanta charter bills passed by the
Senate. Several pretty warm speeches
were made on the measures by the
members of the Fulton delegation who
secured the passage of the bills
through the House containing provi-
sions for the taxation of public utility
franchises.
These provisions are eliminated in
the substitute as passed by the Senate.
On account of the fact, however, that
there is provision for the election of
a new alderman, and the election takes
place on Wednesday next, the mem
bers from Fulton asked that the House
pass the substitute, though they ex-
pressed their desire to have the taxa
ton amendments included. The sub
stitute, containing all the features to
which there was no objection was
passed, and Mr. Wright of Floyd then
made a few remarks charging that the
City Council of Atlanta was trining
with the Legislature. and gave notice
of a motion to reconsider.
At both the morning and the after
noon sessions the House did business
behind closed doors. That is. the doors
were closed to the members VINO want
ed to go out into the Hobbies, Speaker
Little having determined to take this
step in order to hang on to the bare
quorum that was present to-day.
1t all came about when the bill by
Mr. Copeland of Walker, relating to
the charters granted by the Superior
Courts, was on it's passage. The ques-
ton was put 10 the House three times,
and no quorum voted. Speaker Little
then ordered the doorkeepers to lock
the doors and to allow no members of
the House to depart. No keys to the
doors could be found, and the SER
geant- att arms was instructed to see
the keeper of public buildings and
grounds and find out why there were
no keys to lock the hall of the House.
Two members wanted to leave the
hall after the doors were locked, but 1t
was necessary for them 70 secure per-
mission from a majority of the mem
bers present. The permission, after
several votes had been taken, was
granted.
The Copeland bill was defeated.
At the afternoon session the business
usually transacted at the Saturday ses-
sions was disposed Of This consists
of reading bills a second time, and
passing local bills.
Bills Passed and Introduced.
Among the bills introduced to-day
were the following:
BY Mr. Darlington of Madison-To
authorize town of Conner to issue $4,000
Of bonds for school purposes.
BY Mr.. Johnson of Appling-To pro-
vide that the clerk of Superior Court
and sheriff Of Appling county shall be
clerk and sheriff of the City Court OF
Baxley.
Among the bills passed by the House
were the following:
BY Mr. Harper of Chattooga-To cede
to the United States jurisdiction over
certain lands and public roads APP
breaches to the Chickamauga, Chatta-
nooga National Park in Chattooga and
Walker counties.
BY Mr.. Shipp of Colquitt--A resolu-
ton to provide certain Supreme Court
reports destroyed by fire in the Col
quit County Court House.
By Mr.. Court of Charlton-To change
the county site of Charlton county
from Traders Hill to Folkston.
By Mr.. Gary of Richmond-To APP
propriate $50 for the expense of cor
recting certain errors in the Georgia
monument on the Chickamauga battle
field.