Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1907-02-14

courts boards, etc; to remove re-
strictions in regard to judicial pro
cedure, giving greater fleXibility to
court work; to abolish aldermen and
appoint municipal courts in their
place Then there will probably be
score or more subjects raised when
the time comes for the convention
to act and it will practically amount
to legislative session. The bill pro-
vides that the con yention shall be
held on the first Tuesday in Decem-
ber next in the hall of the House Of
Representatives
All Want Good Roads.
A bill introduced by Mr.. Moore of
Allegheny provides for an amendment
to the constitution in order to pro-
vide that bonds to the amount of
$25,000,000 be issued for highway i'm
provement. By far the most popular
subject for legislation is that of good
roads. A large number of good roads
resolutions and bills have been pre-
sented and there is certain to come
out OF it all an act that will put the
highways in this state into first-class
condition.
The senate has adopted Mr.. Blew
tits resolution providing that the
state highways department make sur
veys for the construction OF a state
highway across Pennsylvania from a
point near Port Jervis through Sun
bury to Pittsburg.
The Riley bill for the resurvey OF
all the railroads in the state is going
to have a rocky road to travel before
1t goes on the statute books. The
author of the bill thinks that mas.
much as some of the roads, particu.
larry the Pennsylvania, have been
taking out curves in their lines the
distances between given points must
be shorter than they were before.
Distance Increases.
Queer Railroad Figures.
But his theory that a straight line is
the shortest distance between two
points is all wrong. At least accord
ing TO reports filed with the secre-
tary of internal affairs and sworn to
by the third vice president and the
chief engineer of the Pennsylvania
the distance between Harrisburg and
Pittsburg was greater in 1906, when
the last report was filed, than it was
six years ago Notwithstanding 10 or
is miles of curves were taken out of
the lines recently. To be accurate
the mileage between Pittsburg and
Harrisburg in 1900 was 24S.25 and in
1906 it was 24S.47, or almost a quar-
ter OF mile more than it was before
the curves were taken out.
The railroads have lined up to fight
the Riley bill They don't want the
state to be so eXtravagant as to spend
100000 for a survey of the roads and
some fearful pleadings to save all this
cash will be made by the railroad
statesmen and lobbyists here.
Speaking of lobbyists they are com
ing here by the dozens. They are both
for and feminist" a great quantity of
legislation now in committees And
il is with the committeeman that the
lobbyists are laboring. If petitions
and memorials count for anything the
local option people Will get what they
want. Many anti-Saloon league peo.
pie are here and when the local op-
tion bill comes up it is going to
cause lots OF embarrassment for some
of the legislators Some of them re,
gard it as politically the most dan
gerous bill it will be their fortune
or misfortune to vote upon.
Commission to Be Appointive.
What is known as the real thing"
railroad commission bill to carry out
the Republican partys pledge was
introduced by Representative Duns.
more OF Tioga in the House. The pro
posed commission is to be made
branch of the department of internal
affairs. The governor is to appoint
five commissioners. The commission
will be empowered to same a secre-
tary an attorney and marshal. The
secretary is to be executive officer.
The commission also will appoint an
expert accountant and two inspectors.
1t will be pretty nice thing for those
who get the appointments for the
commissioners are to be paid $4,000
a year each, the secretary and attor
ney $4,000 a year each and the mar
oudl PG,oOu l. lie eApCHSSS vi IuC COlu-
missioners are to be assessed upon
the railroads.
The Fahey-Murphy resolution for
general probing of railroad company
shortcomings and the substitute of
fered by Mr.. Kennedy, of Allegheny
authorizing the attorney general to
prosecute railroad companies for vio
lations of the constitution were tenn
porarily postponed.
New Automobile Law.
The first bill to pass the legisla-
ture this session is one of much i'm
portance to many counties of the
state. 1t allows the county commits
sioners of any county to construct
new bridges whenever it shall appear
to them that those heretofore in use
are no longer adequate or sufficient
to accommodate the public travel. The
commissioners are required to first