Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-09
IN THE OLD DOMINION
NEWS OF INTEREST GATHERED
THROUGH VIRGINIA.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.


RICHMOND. Va, February 8, 1908.
The house has passed two bills which
have for their object the placing of con-
victs on the public roads. The laws also
provide that hereafter the judges of the
state shall sentence men to the roads
in all cases where the terms are five
years or less. 1t is not optional: the law
is imperative. This applies to those who
have heretofore been sent to the jails,
and they, too, are to go to the roads.
whether for one month or two years. The
bills were fought in the house for two
weeks, the shoe company which now has
a contract with the state and which is
employing some 1850 in the shoe shops
employing many lobbyists to oppose any
interference with the contracts. The
present contract provides that certain
| number shall be kept on the shoe work
until 1913. but it is believed that enough
men will be received. together with t.ivse
already there, to maintain a good average,
leaving all the five-year men and under to
go to the roads. u is estimated that the
shoe company has cleared something like
$500, 600 a year in the shoe contract.
Smallpox in Caroline County.
Reports received here say that there is
an epidemic of smallpox in Caroline coun-
ty, and that there are about one hundred
cases in the section surrounding Bowling
Green. The reports say that the term OF
the court for that county has been called
off and that the schools have been COM
PEELED to suspend by reason of the out
break. The disease is said to be of a mild
type and to be confined largely to negroes.
but 1t is causing a great deal Of uneasi-
ness In this section of the state, as the
business of that county is largely trans
acted in this city. and there is a constant
stream Of visitors from the county to
this city and to other parts Of the state.
The recent outbreak of the disease here
is SAID to have been due to a visit on Inc
part of woman from that county to a
home near here. and in that way q stu.
dent at the Medical College of Virginia
contracted 1t and attended lectures and
classes following the breaking out Of the
disease. The doctors managed to control
the two cases that developed here and
there have been no new cases, though
one of the two students was sent to tn
pesthouse by the health authorities soon
after the symptoms manifested them
selves. and he is said to have had per
fectly beautiful case of the ailment.
Slow Work in Legislature.
The session of the general assembly is
more than half over and as yet there has
not been solitary measure Of general
character written on the statute books of
the state. The committees are working
day and night. but the pressure of pri-
vate and local measures has been SO
great that the consid ,ration of general
measures has been and is being retarded.
The repeal of the Richmond. Fredericks-
burg and Potomac exclusive franchise
measure. which was introduced at tn
opening of the general assembly, Is TIL
only one that has thus far been consid-
cred by the senate. That measure Is be-
ing fought in a manner that indicates the
senate is going into the matter with de-
liberation. and the only test vote so far
is the one which was had on the PROPOSE
ton of Senator Halsey Of Lynchburg to
recommit the bill and his substitute to
the finance committee for consideration.
That was rejected by a vote of 81 to 6.
and the discussion is now under way in
the senate. Several amendments are
pending. but the chances for an uncondi-
tional repeal are very good.
Trouble for Social Clubs.
The social clubs of this state are very
much upset by the bill which is now
pending in the general assembly which
places all the clubs on the same footing
as the saloons. They are to be required
to get out the same license. to obey all
the requirements. and to end the selling