The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-18
few LEGISLATORS
YET ON THE GROUND.
The Body Meets at Noon
Tomorrow.
MANY FIGHTS EXPECTED.
Mt. Rogers and Eastern Rail-
road Matter Again.
RENEWTELEPHONES STRUGGLE
Said That Charter Will Be Applied for to
GbYiate the Difficulties Under the
New Constitution = Richmond
Delegation to Fight For the
Pollard BiIl-Leglsla-
tive Gossip.
RENEW TELEPHONE STRUGGLE

Members Of the Legislature are rather
slow in arriving. Although the body re-
out-of-town members could be found last
night. They were Senator w. P. Barks-
dale, of Halifax, and Hon. II. c. Weaver
GtepublicaD, Of Grayson- Many mem
bers Of both branches will arrive to-day,
however, and by tonight most of them
will be here. Already great stacks of
letters are at the Capitol for the mem
bers. and many of them have written
the various hotels and boarding-houses
to secure quarters. Clerk of the House
John W. Williams and Bill. Clerk John
7. Loving came in yesterday, and they,
with Assistant Clerk Bigger, have things
in shape for the meeting on the House
side The two Chambers will be reno
waited and put in good or6er this after
noon.
1t is believed that the session will be
extended for thirty days after March Atm,
in order to dispose of the many impor-
:ant measures that are said to be de-
sired to be passed by the people. At any
city, will offer a resolution providing for
such an extension. While its adoption
will require a three-fifths majority OF
both branches, it is pretty generally be-
lieved that it will be adopted.
There promises to be no special fea-
ture on the House side. That in the
Senate will be the assuming of the Savel
for the first time by the new Lieutenant
Governor Captain Joseph f. Willard.
Governor Montague will submit his first
message to the body. 1t will be brief and
win deal largely, it is thought, with the
subject of good roads for the State. 1t
Will. in all probability, touch OH pensions
and some other matters of State interest
All the committees were organized at the
short session, ana the body will get down
to business without much ceremony or
delay hessrs. Glass Keezell, Boaz and
Walker are members of the Legislature
and the convention. One of them said
last night that they would divide their
time between the two bodies. Mess1s.
Button, Watkins, Sullivan and Lpscomb
and many OF the legislative clerks and
pages are like officers in the conven-
ton. They, too, will divide time and re-
main where their services are most
needed.
Hon. 81. C. Weaver said last night that
the people of Grayson were united i'll
favor of the Mt. Rogers and Eastern
railroad, and he would press the bill to
leSalize the election held to subscribe
100000 to the stock Of the proposed new
road The bills relating to the other
counties have already been passed. Mr..
Weaver says his county is seventy
miles long and contains only one mile OF
railroad, and that at the terminus Of this
there is a cotton mill which cost over
So. 900 900. The proposed road is to run
from Norfolk to Bristol, and on to THE
coal fields of West Virginia, connecting
with the Illinois Central 1t is said that
this latter road and the Seaboard Air Line
are favorable to the construction of the
Mt Rogers and Eastern, and that uhe
Norfolk and Western is opposed to it.
Mr. Weaver said last night that he ex-
pected big fight over the passage Of the
bill, but that he proposed to press it, as
his people were demanding its passage.
There are going to be some lively fights
over various matters before the session
ends Many OF them will come up from
Norfolk and the Tidewater section.
Senator Sale has shipped his typewriter
here, and he and Messrs. Whitehead
and Woodward are expected to-day.
The quarantine bill, the bridge and tun-
mel bills and the Tcr-Centenary measures
will keep them busy, and then the House
contest Will conc in for its share of sat-
tention.
The record has been printed, and is q
voluminous document.
The Committee on Roads of the House
is going to visit NnrfoIk in few days to
look over the situation with regard to the
bridge bill and other measures now
pending from that city.
There is, talk of another big telephone
fight. and ifs it comes up it promises to
be a spirited one. "It will be a greater
and more spirited one than that of 1897
'9S, if it comes up" said one OF the
members yesterday. While the mat
ter does not sSeem to have taken any
very definite shape up to this time, yet
it is said that application will likely be
made for a charter allowing telephone
companies to enter cities and towns with
OUT the consent OF the local councils. The
hurry for such a bill at the present ses-
sion is said to be in order to obviate the
provision Of the new Constitution forbid.
ding these corporations to do business
in the cities and towns of the State WITH
out the consent of the latter.
If such charter should be PASSED and
become effective before the new Const1-
tuition goes into effect, it would be pro-
tected against the operation OF the new
oreaic law un6er the doctrine OF vested
rights Every one recalls the great5tisht
here over such a charter in 1878, and
a repetition of such a controversy would
provo very interesting
The appropriation bill. the reappor-
t,onment Of the State into legislative and
congressional districts. the matter of Sc
curing a better pension system. a general
dog law for the. State, and bill pro-
vjdinc separate street cars for the white
and black races are some of the matters
OF State importance that will come up.
There will DO no end to the private bills