Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-02-26
Virginia Legislature.
SENATE.

The main question before the Senate
was the bill to appropriate 5000, 900 to
the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, at
Blacksburg. The committee report reduc-
ed this amount to S165, 900 and attempts
were made to still further curtail it. A
substantial appropriation is assured,
though the institute will not receive the
full amount asked.
The Senate, by a vote Of 20 to IL,
passed the Keezell resolution, expressing
it as the sense of the body that single
system of school books should be adopt
ed by the State school board. The reso-
luton is intended to head of the book
agents and secure cheaper books for
school patrons.
Bills were introduced to provide the
legislature of an oil inspector, whose form
term for the election by shall be two
years alta yearly salary, of 81, 500 and
expenses, whose duty it shall be to in
spect all oil used for heating or lighting.
The bill makes it unlawful to sell or give
away oil not inspected.
To authorize the State board offsheries
to procure for use in its Office complete
lists of persons holding oyster-planting
grounds by assignment of record in clerk s
offices and the number of acres, and also
the number of acres occupied for oyster
planting which are not of record.
Milking it unlawful for insurance COM
panies to insure the lives of persons under
twelve years OF age. The penalty is a
fine of So to $500.
To appropriate and distribute among
the various counties $500 for road
improvement.
BY vote of 6 to 4, the Senate COM
mittee on fish and game last night decided
to report favorably the Jordan oyster bill.
1t was amended so as to make the COM
mission consist of five members, as fol-
lows: G. Fenton Day, OF Isle of Wight ;
Frank Fletcher, of Accomac ; T. c. Pill
cher of Fauquier ID. G. O'Flaherty, OF
Warren, and A. d. Watkins, of Prince
Edward.
The courts of justice committee, by a
vote of 8 to 4, decided that the bill to
distribute along the line of railroads the
tax on their rolling stock is unconstitu-
tional.
A favorable report was made in the
House on the bill designed to prohibit
negroes from riding in Pullman cars and
also on the measure allowing Portsmouth
to issue bonds for school purposes.
The Anderson annexation bill, en-
crossed on Wednesday, passed the House
by vote of 65 to II.
By vote of So to "a the House passed
the bill making it unlawful to entioe
away domestic or farm laborers who have
contracted in writing to serve certain
length of time.
Mr.. Griffith, of Russell, republican,
furnished a sensation by introducing a
resolution, which was referred, calling on
the attorney general to institute suit to
recover from the estate of Joseph Fl.
Shepherd certain money embezzled while
the latter was clerk in the auditors Of
fee, and also to begin suit against the
auditor and his surieties for any adj
ditional amount necessary to replace the
whole sum embezzled. Mr.. Griffith took
the ground that as the auditor appointed
all his clerks, he was responsible for
their actions.
The House devoted much time to the
discussion of the bill providing for the
Torrens system of land registration.
Much opposition has developed, and the
bill will almost certainly be defeated.
The House adopted the resolution Of
fered by Mr.. Adams, Of Charlotte, call
ing upon Virginia's representatives in
Congress TO support the Gaines bill re-
pealing the federal tax on tobacco. Bills
were offered
To require chairman of county super
visOrs to verify the assessments of the
corporation commission on public works.
To establish system of efficient dis
trict night schools.
To amend the act in relation to in
Identifying bonds to officers and to pro-
vide for suspending bonds in certain
cases.
To require commissioners Of revenue
to transmit to the commissioner Of agri
culture accurate lists Of all crops and of
all trucks, fruits and berries raised in
their respective counties, receiving 3
cents for each list submitted.
To require owners Of peanut cleaning
factories to provide sponge shield for
each employee to keep floating particles
out Of his lungs.