davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
reak Legislation.

Although no measures belonging to
the class commonly known as freak
bills have been introduced in the leg
lslature, there have been a few meas
ures offered containing rather unusual
provisions. Conspicuous among these
is the bill offered in the house by Mr.
Heidelberg to "prevent the flying of
paper or toy balloons" and CHASING
this youthful pastime as a misdemean-
or. The argument advanced in sup
port of the bill is that such balloons
re1der the fire risk imminent
Another somewhat extraordinary
measure offered in the house is by
MI. Robinson. which seeks to prevent
gaming for amusement on the Sab
bath. Mr.. Robinson wants to keep
the bad boys at home on Sundays, and
his bill provides that a youth over II
years OF age who INDUCES in any
gambling game on that day shall be
fined not less than $50 nor more than
500. and imprisoned not less than ten
days and not exceeding thirty days.
The offense for grown folks is made
punishable by q fle of $25 and ten
days in Jail.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
Board Of Health Member.

The senate has passed the 4-endrick
bill providing for the appointment of
an additional member OF the State
board of health. This is rendered
necessary by the action of the last
legislature in redistricting the con-
gresional districts of the State. The
law creating the appointment of the
State board OF health provides for one
member from each congressional dis
trict, and the appointments could not
be made under the present formation.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
New Canning Factories.

The Gulf & Ship Island road ex-
poets to establish no less than doz-
en- canning factories along its line
within the next few months, and a
promoter has been employed to or
ganize stock companies among the
citizens of the various towns along
the line, the railroad taking a good
portion of the stock in each enter
prise thus launched. The truck
farming industry is being given a
simultaneous encouragement, and
the towns along the road will be an
important factor in the early fruit
and vegetable market during the
spring and summer.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
TWENTY-FlFTH DAY.

The committee on universities and
colleges has just completed it's in
vestigati0n of the various institutions.
The report will be read to the house
at an early date. The one of most in
terest is that relating to the university
and some of the testimony as to the
Greek letter societies is said to be of
q sensational character
The. judiciary committee of the
house has finally decided to report the
same code bill formerly reported,
which provides for a commission to
report a code to the next legislature.
Constitutional Prohibition.
When the house met the constitu-
ton committee reported concurrent
resolution No. IL, submitting an
amendment to the constitution pro-
hibiting the sale of liquor in the State
with the recommendation that it do
pass as amended. the amendment
changing the time Of submission from
a special election in August to the
general election in November.
Mr.. Brown, OF Adams, moved that
the resolution be referred to the liquor
traffic committee to pass on the sub.
ject matter.
Mr.. Ross moved that the Brown
motion be tabled and the roll was
called on this motion, which resulted.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
Park Work Stopped.

Capt: Rigby of the Vicksburg Ma
tional Park commission states that
owing to the lack of available money
under the emergency appropriation,
only the park commissioners, stenog-
rapher, and a couple of laborers, who
will be made to repair washouts and
other park road work, will be re-
tanned on salary between now and
July. The national park work will
otherwise be stopped.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
viii Widen Marrow GAGE.

Contract will be awarded within
the next few days for the widening
Of the narrow gauge track Of the
Gulf and Chicago division of the
Mobile, jackson & Kansas City road,
running from Pontotoc, this State,
to Middleton, Tenn, and commonly
known in that section as the Doodle
Bug Line. Several prominent con-
tractors have inspected the road
within the past week with the view
q submitting bids.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
Killed for One Dollar.

Because Sherman Fox would not
pay debt of one dollar he was shot
and killed, last week near ,Arkabutla,
in Tate county, by companion
named Andrew Brown. The latter
had been empowered to collect the
debt, which it is claimed Fox owed
to negro woman, and Brown was
urging immediate payment, declar-
ing that if it was not settled by the
following day he would kill Fox.
The parties met the next morning,
and true to his word Brown shot Fox
down, death resulting instantly. He
is now. in Jail at Senatobia.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
Will Retaiiate on Rates.

The telephone and telegraph peo-
pie are worried about the bill which
passed the senate the other day max
i1g them liable for damages on &C.
count of mental anguish" caused by
failure to transmit or deliver a mes
sage. They say that If this bill be-
comes a law it will increase the cost
of doing business in Mississippi SO
enormously that the rates will have
to be put up way beyond what they
are now. The bill is now in the hands
OF the house committee, but as yet it
has not taken it up.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
Coming to the Front.

The Rankin farm, which has usu-
ally been drag to the penitentiary,
and which at one time it was thought
advisable to sell, came to the front
this year with $4,000 to the good, be-
sides the men taken from that camp
earned $6,43S.99 grading the CAPT.
tol grounds. This is the best show
ing Rankin farm has ever made.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
COMMENT AND CRITICISM.
Some Opinions About Legislation Past,
Present and Prospective.
Mortality Statistics.

Mortality STATISTICS.
A bill has been introduced in the
house to provide for a bureau of NOR
tality statistics for the purpose of
keeping an accurate report of births
and deaths. The bureau is to have a
head located at the capital, which
may be the insurance commissioner
or some other department., AID physi-
clans are to be required to report
deaths and causes of same, and re-
port births, receiving a compensation
for such reports.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
State Land Sales.

State Land Commissioner F.. II.
Nall reports Land sales for January
amounting to $11,407.14, which is
far in excess of the record for the
same month last year. Of the total
amount, $3.50 was for trespasses and
$152.5O for fees.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
Pardons Wanted.

Gov. Vardaman has been pcti-
toned to grant pardon to T. B.
keene, convicted in the Circuit
Court of Yazoo county Of larceny
and sentenced to the penitentiary
Tor three years. He claims. to have
been under the influence Of liquor
when the felony was committed.
The governor has also been petition
ed to grant pardon to Will Lee,
convicted in Lincoln county Of ct
tempted murder.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
State Committee.

Chairman c.. c.. Miller of the
Democratic State executive commit
tee has not yet taken up the matter
of calling a session of the committee
for the purpose of arranging for a
State convention to name delegates
to the national convention.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
TWENTY-ElGHTH DAY.


The legislative feature today was
the consideration of the bill in the
senate providing for a Uniform system
of school books, which was left pend
ing when the body adjourned for din
ner.
The working committee of the SEN
ate accomplished some good work. Fa-
vorable reports were made on the bills
for better working of public roads, in
creasing Supreme Court to five men,
bers and making terms ten years each,
the house bill changing Office hours
of State officials so as to cut out the
noon dinner hour, and the measure
fixing the maximum legal rate Of in
terest at 8 per cent instead of 10 per
cent. Unfavorable reports were made
on the bill regarding the management
OF the penitentiary.
The house judiciary committe Ia
vorably reported on the bill increasing
salaries OF judges, as amended. Mr..
Estes introduced . bill providing for
g geological survey of the State. The
house wrangled for some time on the
bill to reimburse Greenville citizens
for funds expended n preparing for q
military encampment which failed to
be held at that place, and the meas.
ure was finally defeated. The house
passed the bill allowing the governor
q s2ecial contingent fund Of $500
per annum to suppress whitecappin4
and other forms Of lawlessness.
Nothing further Of general interest
happened In either branch of the leg
islature.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
Want Aarbor Improved.

The citizens of Natchez are en-
deavoring to get special bill
through congress making an appro-
priation for the harbor at that place.
Natchez was sighted in the report
of the house committee on rivers
and harbors, and petitions have been
sent to Congressman McLain of the
Fifth district and Congressman
Ransdall Of Louisiana, the latter be-
ing member of the committee on
rivers and harbors, urging them to
get through special measure before
the adjournment Of the session.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
bv charcoai Eure.

Will Mileski, Bohemian OYSTER
man, was smothered to death last
week at Biloxi from the effects of
charcoal gas. He built a charcoal
fire in the hold Of a schooner, and
went to sleep, leaving it burning.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY.

The feature of the legislative session
today was the consideration of the
Sample amendments to the primary
election law, which were the special
order for the day. Fairly good head
way was made on the bill during the
morning. and the measure was left
pending when the house adjourned for
dinner.
At the opening of the session con-
sideratiOn was resumed on the bill fix
ing penalty on railroad companies for
failure to deliver f-eights. The meas
ure is quite drastic in it's provisions,
and was passed in al amended form.
1t is held by its opponents, however,
that it will not stand a test in the
courts
Another somewhat remarkable bill
passed was in the senate, being a bill
to confer on illegitimates and mothers
of illegitimates the same rights as le-
gitimates to recover damages for death
or injury. There was practically no
opposition to the bill, the vote being
2S to 5.
Outside Of the Introduction of the
usual deluge of duplicate and local
bills, nothing further of a general ma
ture transpired in the deliberations of
either house before adjournment for
the day was taken.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
Fridge Takes Oath.

Arthur Fridge, of Ellisyille, who
was appointed acknowledgement of
the Mississippi National Guard, took
the oath Of Office last week. before
the clerk of the Supreme Court.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
Prohibitionists Scared.

The prohibitionists have sent out
an appeal to the legislators who are
friendly to the cause OF constitutional
prohibition to remain at the capital
continually for the next few days in
order to assure the successful passage
OF the constitutional amendment
1t appears that the prohibitionists
were rather surprised at the small
showing made by them in the first
skirmish last week, and they are now
making an energetic effort to rally
their forces and wage a fierce fight
for the cherished measure. They re-
alize that it is a difficult matter to
command eighty-nine votes at full
session of the house or to maintain
this ratio with maay members ab-
sent, and as the amendment is to be
voted upon three successive days, it
might meet defeat on either of these
days by falling few votes short of
the required two-thirds. The advo-
Gates OF local option and the anti-pro-
hibitionists have taken much courage
over the new phase of the situation,
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
May Have Plenty to Do.

Plenty of work is being mapped out
for the> Mississippi Agricultural and
Mechanical College to perform during
the next few years. Following close
ly on the heels of the proposed estab-
lishment of State department of az
riculture at that institution, whose
chief work shall be to suppress the
boil weevil, comes a bill introduced
In the senate by Mr.. Boyd providing
for a geological and agricultural sur
vey of the State, to be made under
supervision of the director of the ex-
pertinent station, and to be completed
by February, 1908. The bill is ably
prepared, and sets forth at length the
manner in which the survey shall be
made and printed reports of the result
given to the public.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
Prison System.

The proposed revision of the method
OF governing the penitentiary finds it's
first legislative manifestation in the
bill introduced by Mr.. Denton, of Lau.
derdale, which abolishes the prison
board of control and places the man
agemeat of the penitentiary in the
hands of an assistant, who is required
to give a $4,000 bond, is appointed
by the governor for a period of four
years, and is authorized to employ
such assistants as may be necessary to
conduct the affairs of the prison. The
superintendent is made responsible for
the finances of the prison, must make
payments direct to the State treas
ury, and is required to close his &C.
counts on the first of January each
year and make Official report.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

In tabling by So ayes to 80 nays, the
house refusing to send the amend
ment to the liquor traffic association.
A minority report from the consti-
tuition committee was presented to
the house and signed by Mr.. Watts,
of Lauderdale, and II. E. Williams,
in which they took the position that
the proposed amendment to the con-
stltu:lon was unnecessary, and for
that reason they could not concur in
the Recommendation of the majority
of the committee.
There were no bills introduced of
general interest, and the house at
1880 adjourned for the day.
In the Senate.
The senate met at p. m. A sealed
message was received from the gov
ernor to be acted upon in executive
session.
A motion was entered by Senator
Franklin to reconsider the vote in
definitely postponing senate bill II,
exempting 3-year-old cattle in the
hands of the original owners.
The committee on local and private
legislation reported favorably senate
bill to refund to owners of live stock
II COpiah county an amount equal to
the value of the stock destroyed on
account of glanders.
Senate bill 10S, paying the adjutant
general the remainder of his salary
due him for 1902-O3, passed.
At 5 o'clock the senate went into
executive session and later adjourned
TWENTY-SlxTH DAY.
BY the narrow majority of two votes
the lower house of the legislature last
week passed the bill allowing boards
OF supervisors to make partial pay
ments on contracts for public build
ings as the work progresses.
This measure was indefinitely post
pOned in the house a few days since,
and the motion entered to reconsider
was called up by Mr.. Stelnis. of Lau-
derdale. The debate was quite spirit
ID, Messrs. Watts ard Stennis, of Lau-
derdale, and MCGEE and Kinds leading
the forces in favor of the bill Their
chief contention was that the present
law practically prohibits small con-
tractors. who are not plentifully sup
piled with funds. from bidding on pub
lie buildings. The vote by which the
bill was reconsidered was the closest
that has been taken since the legisla-
ture convened
The house committee made a favor
able report on the bill providing for
new codification of the laws OF the
State.
In the senate the bill prohibiting
non-members from wearing the en-
blems of secret societies was passed
by practically unanimous vote. An
other interesting bill passed was to
prevent frauds in awards of contracts,
by boards of supervisors by providing
that such contracts must be examined
and passed upon by the circuit judges
of the districts
The uniform school book bill, which
was the special order in the senate,
was postponed until Thursday. The
house made the amendment for con-
stitutional prohibition special order
for next Tuesday morning. at which
time the first of three votes will be
taken.
There was the usual number of To-
cal bills introduced in both branches
of the legislature, but no further ac-
ton of general interest transpired in
either the house or senate before ad-
jOurlment
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
Mules Die With Pneumonia.

The cold weather Mississippi has
been experiencing is proving some
what fatal to live stock, which is un-
used to such extremes of tempera-
ture. Report comes from Laurel
that a carload of thirty fine mules,
en- route to that place from st. Lou
is, were stricken with pneumonia,
and twelve of the number died dur
ing the journey, while the others are
in a bad fix. It is claimed by the
consignee that the mules were al
lowed to lay over day in the stock
yards at East St. Louis while the
thermometer at that place was near
the zero mark.
Infanticide on the Increase.
. The crime of infanticidc, hereto
fore somewhat unknown in Missis-
sippi, especially among the whites.
seems to be on the increase. Within
the past week the bodies of two mur-
dered babies were found by the
jackson police, and similar find is
reported from Aberdeen, where the
dead body of young child was
found in the yard of citizen living
in the northern part of town. In
neither of the three instances have
clues been found to the identity Of
the perpetrators.
Will Reappoint Mr.. Pepper.
Gov. Vardaman has signifed his
intention of reappointing Hon. d.
&. Pepper of Lexington as one of
the members of the levee board for
the 1azoo- Mississippi district, and
it is understood that he is one of the
very few Of the old members of the
two levce boards who will be re-
tanned. Mr.. Pepper has been prom
inently identified with levee affairs
for many years, and is one of the del
egates before congress to- urge the
passage of bill providing for gov.
ernment control of the levees.
The Grenada sentinel., 1904-02-13
Anti-Compact Law.

Insurance Commissioner Cole
appeared before tho house COM
smittee on insurance last week
for tho purpose Of discussing
the proposed law seeking to
amend the statute on trusts and
combines, known as the Noel antitrust
law, seeking to exempt insurance COM
panies from its operations, so as to en-
able them to maintain rate-making or
ganizations in the State. The bone OF
contention on this bill IS the question
OF whether 1t Is violative OF the con-
stitutional provision against class leg
1slation. The insurance commissioner
contends that It is not, as the. meas
ure does not seek to confer special
benefits, but applies to Insurance or
gani2ations as whole.
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-25
RAILWAY DEAL
IS UNDER WAY
San Jose Street Car Lines
Are About TO Be COnSOli-
dated Into One Corporation
ROADS TO BE IMPROVED
Parties Interested in the
Project Refuse to Discuss
Details of Negotiations
Special Dispatch to The Call.

SAN JOSE. March pa consolida-
tiou Of the san JOse-Los Gatos Inter
urban Electric Railway. the San Jose
and Santa Clara Electric Railway and
the san Jose Railroad Company into
one gigantic corporation is rumored on
the street. The presence of Vice Pres
fdent Edwards of the Interurban Com
pany in the city gives color to the
story Edwards is from St. Louis and
represents the Germania Trust Com
pany, which holds 100000 worth OF
bonds Of the Interurban and has fur
nished money for the building of the
road. Ii is known that consolidation
Of the roads was broached some
months ago. The San Jose and Santa
Clara line was willing TO sell, but the
high price asked by the San Jose Rail
road Company blocked the deal This
road is owned by the German Savings
and Loan Society of san Francisco.
The road runs north and south on
First street, with branches into the
four quarters Of the city. The German
Savings and Loan Society secured the
road on foreclosure a few years ago
for little more than 5000, 900. but when
approached by the representatives of
the St. Louis people asked $780, 600 for
the property.
The San Jose and Santa Clara Com
pany lines extend from Santa Clara TO
San Jose, with branch TO Alum Rock
Park and a line down Tenth street. Its
length is about fourteen miles. The
Interurban runs from this city TO Sara
toga and Los Gatos, distance of flf-
teen miles. The line has only been in
operation a few weeks. 1t is broad
gauge and up-to-date in equipment
The other roads have been built many
years and would require rebuilding and
modern equipment in few years.
The consolidation of these lines
would give san Jose a perfect street car
system. The rumored consolidation OF
the roads could not be confirmed, as ali
the interested parties either deny il OF
refuse TO talk. A gentleman close to
the managements Of the various roads
said there had been Overtures looking
TO such a thing, but nothing has come
OF il so far, as the parties are too fal
part in the valuations placed on the
roads.
The Interurban is preparing to build
q short line from Los Gatos TO San Jose
by way of Campbell. Other lines about
/ the county are also being projected By
/ the company. which, il is said, has in
( terested Eastern capital to the extent
l Of 81, ,000. 600. 70 be expended in building
/ electric roads in this vicinity.
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-25
OPENS The WAY
TO COMPETITION
Sacramento Builders AssOci-
alton Announces Import
ant Change in Policy
SPECIAL Dispatch to The Call

SACRAMENTO, March 24.-The de-
s-el0pment Of importance IN the labor
situation to-day is the announcement
NJ The Citizens Alliance that here
after any independent builder may
purchase supplies from local houses
and mills without objection by the
Builders Association. Ever since the
lockout, which precipitated the pres
CIT suspension Of building operations,
more or less public criticism has been
directed al the Master Builders As
so--iatiOu because Of its policy in re-
fusing 10 permit lumber yards. mills
aId supply houses TO furnish materials
10 nOn-members of the association.
tile effect q this policy being TO shut
out al competition in the building
line. In line with this criticism, the
Citizens' Alliance represented TO the
Builders Association that If il de-
sired 10 have this an open shop town
IS regards employees II must consent
20 have 4 an open town with respect
20 competition from resident and non
resident builders who cannot get into
The Builders Association or who may
r9r desire 70 join il. AS a result OF
-lis argument an agreement was
n 7sOciatiOn as a close corporation and
ea bles outsiders 10 compete for build
Ing contracts.
Other than this important develops
ment there is no change in the labor
situation and policy Of watching
and waiting appears 70 have been