Year: 1868




SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE oF THE CHRONICLE.


SACRAMENTO, March 1lth, 1868.


THE LEGISLATURE


transacts so very little business Of general
interest that it is very difficult for CORES
pondent of country newspaper to find
material for an interesting or readable letter.
1t would not interest your readers, particle,
to be informed that Sonoma county was au-
thorized to subscribe forty millions of dollars
to the Cloverdale Railroad, OF that Smith
Jones and Brown had been granted fran
chise to construct and maintain a wharf near
the Bay OF San Diego, and to charge and
collect toll thereon; or that John Doe and
his associate, Richard Roe had obtained the
right to build bridge ACROSS Tiger Creek in
visors of the City and county of San Fran
cisco were authorized and empowered TO re-
NIT certain street assessments levied for the
purpose of improving Jones street, say it
would be of no interest to your readers to be
! informed that all these local bills and meas
ures had passed, or were pending before the
House; yet there is but little else to claim
the attention of the Legislature, other than
these local bills. In looking over the general
file of the Assembly to-day, observed there
on over hundred bills waiting their turn to
be considered; but among the whole lot
did not notice more than one or two of a
general character, and they were ofno special
interest.


THE WATER FRONT


of San Francisco is just now claiming the
attention of Legislators more than any other
question. A Bill has been introduced in the
Senate granting to the various Railroads
that will center there, portion of the water
front of San Francisco, for depot purposes i;
the parties receiving the grant are required
to construct good and substantial sea- wall,
and are to pay the State for the land lying
back of it. 1t is conceded by all parties that
good and substantial sea-wall around the
water front of San Francisco, is greatly de-
manded by the commercial interest, and that
the construction of such a wall would add
millions to the taxable property of the State;
but the question is who shall receive this
vast franchises Various propositions are
suggested and urged for the disposal of this
question but as yet none of them have assum-
ed a tangible form.


THE CENTRAL PACIFIC RAIL ROAD
is being assailed by the people of Placer and
Nevada counties, who are very urgent and
clamorous for reduction of freight and fare
on the road, by the Legislature but 1 hard
ly think their demands will be acceded to.
The people of those counties seem to forget
that it costs vast amount of money to build
rail roads in the mountains of California, and
have obtained the impression that the road
should give to every resident along the line
of its route "free pass" and convey goods
to their doors free Of charge. l apprehend
that if the Central Pacific Rail Road was
transferred from its present location to
route through San Joaquin and Calaveras
counties, the people of those counties would
not grumble or complain of the rates of fare
or freight they would have to pay. 1t would
be much pleasanter travelling from the Hill
to Stockton, in the cars at the rate of forty
miles an hour, than going in a stage coach
through the mud at the rate of about three
miles an hour; and merchants would feel
more certain and sure of receiving their goods
in time to supply the wants of their custom
ers when shipped by rail than they do now
when they have to trust to Simmons and his
twelve mules, with the probability that his
"bsck action" will be left in mud hole with
the most needful articles in it. The action
of the Placer and Nevada people verifes the
old adage. "that people never know when
they are well off.


THE SALARY BILL


passed the House on last Friday after con-
suming nearly two days time of that body in
its consideration. San Francisco is the only
county exempted from its provisions though
strong efforts were made by different mem
bers to have other counties exempted but
without avail. think the rates of salaries
fixed by the Bill are sufficiently low to meet
the views of the most exacting economist.
Under its provisions the annual expense of
maintaining our county government is re-
duced to something near eleven thousand
dollars, sum less than it now costs under
the present law to support the Sheriff s office
alone. There is but little doubt but what
the Bill will pass the Senate and become
law.


MORTGAGES,


The House consumed the whole of to-day
and part of yesterday in discussing bill to
exempt mortgages from taxation, and to re-
init the taxes heretofore assessed against
them. After very stormy debate, this af-
ternoon. and much wrangling and confusion,
the bill passed to engrossment. There is no
doubt but what the taxation of mortgages at
their full value, and the taxation of the prop
erty on which the mortgages are secured,
creates a double taxation on the same prop
erty, and some plan should long since have
been adopted to remedy the evil.


PUBLIC MORALS.


Two bills have been introduced in the
House that will conduce to protect the NOR
rails of the people and make them more re
strained and virtuous in their habits. One
Furnishes seduction and adultery, with
imprisonment in the State Prison, for term
OF five years, and also Furnishes any person
who shall entice or persuade female under
the age of sixteen years, from the house of
her father or guardian, for the purpose of
marrying her, with Imprisonment for five
years in the State Prison. The other bill
alluded to provides that no person can main
tain an action for damages by reason of a
breach of marriage promise, unless it be
shown that the marriage contract is in writ
ing signed by both parties.
THE SUNDAY LAW


question has been settled by a kind of COM
promise by amending the old law so as to
allow theaters to be opened on Sunday
evenings.


NEW ROAD LAW.


MIR. Mentzell will, tomorrow, introduce
new road law for Calaveras, materially
changing our present system of road laws.
1t provides that the County assessor shall
be -officlo Road Commissioner of the coun
ty, and that the roads shall be laid off in Sec
tions, the sections numbered and let out by