The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1903-02-07
Afternoon Session.
TWENTIETH DAY.

AT the session of the senate this
morning the committee on local and
private legislation made an unfavOr-
able report on the Groom bill, author
iZing the city of Jackson to issue
bonds in the sum of $250,00 for the
purpose of erecting a new water works
plant.
The report of the committee created
surprise, as the bill was carefully
framed by Judge r. H. Thompson the
city attorney, and was unqueStionably
in proper legal form. Inquiry among
members of the committee brings the
statement that the unfavorable report
was made because, in the opinion OF
the committee, a special legislative act
is not necessary to give the city the
proper authority to make the bond is
sue The members believe that the
code chapter on municipalities gives
all the authority necessary, and there
fore they reported that the bill do not
pass"
Notwithstanding this report, the
members of the city council will insist
on the passage of the bill, to make
the authority doubly sure. and prevent
the question of invalidity being
brought up when the bonds are placed
on the market. The proposed issue,
if made, will draw per cent inter-
est AID run for period of twenty
years.
Inspecting Colleges.
The members of the house commit
tee on universities and colleges left
last night for Oxford, where they will
investigate the needs of the University
OF Mississippi before passing on the
appropriation bill for that institution.
Some of the most prominent mem
bers of the house compose this COM
mittee, the personnel being as fol
lows: Bell of Washington, chairman;
Maer, Upton, Millsaps, Eddins, Nixon.
Lopez Patty, Mitchell and Ellis.
After visiting the University of Mis-
sissippi, the committee will in turn
make trips to the Industrial Institute
and College, the Alcorn Agricultural
and Mechanical College and the Mis-
sissippi Agricultural and Mechanical
College, at each place making rigid
inquiry into the expenditures for sup
port, and forming estimates of the
financial needs for the coming bien-
NAL period. None of the educational
appropriation bills now pending will
be passed upon until these inyestiga-
lions are concluded.
Railroad Legislation.
A number of prominent railroal Of
ficials were in Jackson for the pur-
pose of expressing opposition to The
bill introduced in the Legislature, p.o-
hibiting the running of "double-head-
err engines.
The railroad men contend that this
matter should be left to the railroads
and their employees for settlement, Is
it is not properly within the province
of legislation. The chief argument Of
fered in support of the measure is that
engineers and firemen on the second
locomotive of "double-headers" are I'M
able to see the track ahead, and place
their lives in the keeping of the crew
of the forward engine, which a gu
ment is answered by the officials by
calling attention to the fact that ev-
erybody aboard the train place their
lives in the hands of the same Inen.
and the contention of the trainmen is
purely selfish one; that, in all fair
ness, they should take the same risk
as the people who travel Oh railroads,
and trust to the skill and GOODNESS OF
the men at the throttle for their safe
ty 1t is furthermore urged against
the bill that the accidents on double
header" trains are less freC~ent than
when passenger trains are run IN sec