The San Francisco call., 1905-02-22
AMEND BILL
OF INTEREST
TORAILROADS
Crossing Measure
Is Changed by
Senators.
Special Dispatch to The Call.


SACRAMENTO. Feb. 21-when
the Senate convened this morning it
was apparent that something had
been doing the night before. But
eighteen members were at their desks
and they did not look overjoyed at
the prospects of hard days work.
The banquet given by the Chamber of
Commerce last night was the cause of
the delay in the arrival of the law
makers, but enough of the yawning
solons were located in the corridors
TO enable the upper house to proceed
with its business
Wright, French and Bunkers, who
have been found guilty of bribery by
the special investigating committee,
were at their desks, but Emmons was
not. 1t was announced that he had
taken turn for the worse and that
he was fighting a hard battle for his
life. This afternoon he was operated
upon for appendicitis.
Wright, determined to get all of
the advantage he can out Of the few
days activity that remain to him,
spoke this morning on behalf of his
bill for the relief of E. d. McCabe,
who asks for 1888 salary as Build
ing and Loan Commissioner he was
deprived of through the appointment
of a successor to his office before his
term legally expired. AS all appre-
ciated Wright's position no one raised
a voice against the bill and it passed.
The most important legislation be-
fore the Senate this afternoon was
the railroad crossing bill. A protest
against the measure has gone up all
over the State, with the result that to-
day Senator Pendleton, author of the
measure, offered an amendment he
believes will meet with general ap-
proval. This amendment follows:
No railroad main track crossing outside the
limits OF any Incorporated town, city, or city
and county, shall be at grade, unless the party
proposing such crossing at grade shall, at
its own sole cost and expense. protect such
crossing by the construction. operation and
maintenance Of an interlocking plant, with
suitable signals and derails but either party
to such crossing may insist upon a separa-
tion of grades, in which the cost of
constructing such crossing with separate grades
shall be- equally divided between the railroad
companies concerned; and provided further that
where any crossing has been constructed at
grade. ether company may. at any time there
after, require a separation of the grades at
such CROSSING each company paying one-half
yided further that the foregoing provisions
shall not be construed as requiring Separa-
tion of grades where such separation is physi-
cally impractcable. and in case OF a@y dis
pute or controversy as to the physic; prac-
ticabillty OF any undergrade or overhead cross
ing the same shall be determined by the Su-
perior Court Of the county in which such cross
ing is situated action proceeding
brought by either party fG that purpose.
The amendment was adopted and the
bill ordered on the third reading file
for final passage.
Senator Welch's bill aimed to pre-
vent the feeding of diseased animal
meat to poultry passed the Senate
without a dissenting voice.
Lukens' bill to authorize the mainte-
nance of spur tracks in municipalities
was the subject of a lengthy debate
and was finally referred to the San
Francisco delegation for investigation.
Senator Welch said he was of opinion
that the bill would permit of the con-
struction by the Santa Fe of spur
tracks in the Potrero against which
the citizens of that district had pro-
tested to the Board of Supervisors and
he wanted time to look into the mat
ter. Lukens denied that the bill was
intended to aid the Santa Fe.
Wastes Assembly bill providing for
the appointment of officers of the dis
trict courts of appeal and providing
for their salaries was passed by the
Senate after amendment in minor de-
tails and returned to the Assembly for
its concurrence.
Wickersham's Assembly bill to ap-
propriate $5075 for the erection of d
new forestry station at Santa Monica
was passed by the Senate and sent to
the Governor
McKinney's bill to place the whole
burden of the support of inmates of the
Whittier reform school on the State
was defeated.
The Senate. by a vote of nineteen ayes
to nine noes, denied passage to Simp-
sons bill authorizing the employment
of men convicted of vagrancy upon
county road work.
The Senate passed the following
bills:
BY Coggins-Appropriati $12. 600 for the
purchase and instalment of heating plant for
the of the State Normal School at Chico.
BY Carter-To provide for the erection of a
State historical building. to be located in the
city of Los Angeles.
BY Coggins-Permittins the State Board of
Prison Directors to sell jute bags at any time
and at such prices they 1t.
BY Coggins-Providing that three instead of
four members OF the State Board of Prison
Directors may constitute a quorum for the
parole of prisoners; that the wardens of the
State prisons need not be electors, but that
guards must be electors. The bill also pro-
vides for the appointment Of a special agent
to look after parcled prisoners.
JOURNALIST EXPLAINS.