HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
FRIDAY, February 14, 1873.The journal of yesterday was read and approved.
PROPOSED NEW STATE HOUSE.
The Speaker laid before the House a communication from the Attorney General, giving the opinion of that officer that the title of W. P. and E. P. Gallup to lot 3, block No. 48, in the city cf Indianapolis, is good.
On motion of Mr. Branham the bill [S. 29] for the enlargement of the State House grounds, by vacating a certain street and alley therein named, and by the acquiring of certain real estate therein described, in order to secure a suitable site for a new State House, was taken up on the third reading.
Mr. Branham. The importance of settling this matter now is, that these commissioners may acquire this property and quiet the title without going to the courts. The object is to acquire ground lying between here and Ohio street. The bill was drafted at the last session, and the commissioners required to report to that, or this, or the subsequent session, and they can do nothing without the action of the Legislature. If we pass this bill now, these commissioners will have to report to this session.
The bill was finally passed the House of Representatives - yeas 77, nays 3.
Mr. Mellett's bill [H. R. 87] to amend section 5 etc., of the common school law of March 6, 1865. [The council next May shall elect three school trustees and one annually thereafter, etc., to constitute a school board, etc., a revision of the the act; recognizing the county superintendents, etc., repealing, etc.,] was taken up on the third reading.
Mr. Given. The object here is to correct the school law so as to make it correspond with the page: 165[View Page 165] new assessment law, and remedy defects in the old law with few material changes. The school trustees of the cities are to hold their office for three years, so that one goes out and one comes in each year. As the law now stands, the city school trustees are all elected and all go out at the same time. It also changes the school year. As the law now is, the school year ends on the first of April. The bill proposes to change it to the first of June, (and as I think it should be. and probably will be if the House consent, changed to the first of July.) This is to make completeness in the school year, thereby giving the trustees time to settle before the beginning of the school business for the succeeding year. This bill also changes the time of taking the enumeration of the school children from August and September to the earlier dates from the first of March to the first of April, so that it makes the enumeration, come into the same school year, instead of extending into parts of two years. It also provides that the school trustees may levy a tax for school house purposes to the extent of fifty cents on $100. Other changes of the law proposed in the bill are not material. It provides for county superintendents, and makes it incumbent on the trustees to elect one of their number treasurer - to give bond, etc., because there is no provision of law for a school treasurer for incorporated cities. They do elect one, but the law is silent in the matter. The bill also provides that incorporated towns may establish graded schools - simply providing for what is now done in a great many towns and cities without law. It also provides that the school funds shall be loaned at eight per cent instead of seven. It also provides that the trustees, instead of settling with the County Commissioners in March, their office shall terminate in October, so that the Commissioners may receive their reports in such time as to make a deliberate transfer of the office from the outgoing to the incoming trustee - so obviating a present difficulty.
Mr. Satterwhite concurred in the opinion that the school year should terminate on the first of July. This bill provides that the school trustees shall be elected on the first Monday in May. That is the time of the election of the town boards, and it makes a conjunction which ought to be avoided. I have consulted the friends of the bill and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and it has been agreed upon that the town boards should elect the school trustees on the first Monday in July. I therefore submit and ask for unanimous consent of the House to the adoption of these amendments; in the first section strike out "first Monday in May," and insert "first Monday in July;" also strike out the words "second Monday in June," and insert "first Monday in July." The school men throughout the country agree that these amendments are really essential to the bill. The amendments were adopted by unanimous consent, and so the bill was finally passed the House of Representatives - yeas, 58; nays, 19.
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.
Mr. Reno's bill [H. R. 343] supplemental to the act of June 15, 1852, to license the vending of foreign merchandise, shows, legerdemain,etc., was taken up on the third reading. Mr. Reno explained its purpose and scope; that where there is no agricultural society in the county, it is provided in the bill that those licenses shall go to the district agricultural society to which the county belongs. It was finally passed the House of Representatives - yeas, 58; nays, 16.
CEMETARY HOUSE RAILWAYS.
Mr. King's bill [H. R. 404] to authorize cemetery associations to own or construct, or to purchase and operate horse railways, being taken up in order on the third reading, he stated that its object and its special emergency here is, to preserve the communication by horse rail between the city of Indianapolis and Crown Hill Cemetery. That horse railway being about to be sold, it is desirable to have a law which shall authorize the Crown Hill Cemetery Association to purchase and operate it. The bill was finally passed the House of Representatives - yeas 66, nays 8.
PUBLIC FUNDS DEPOSITORIES.
Mr. Woollen's bill [H. R. 24] to provide designated depositories for the public funds of the State and of the several counties, and providing for the enforcement thereof, was taken up in order on the third reading. For debate thereon see XIV brev. rep's. app., in which Messrs. Wilson of Ripley, Richardson, Lenfesty, Woollen, Satterwhite, Branham and Shirley participated till the recess for two o'clock P. M.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The Speaker resumed the chair and pursued the unfinished business, the consideration of Mr. Woollen's public funds depository bill [H. R. 241.
Mr. Woollen moved, ineffectually, to postpone the further consideration of the bill till Thursday. Affirmative, 29; negative, 46.
Mr. Baker demanded the previous question, but the House refused to second the demand.
Mr. Glasgow submitted a motion to recommit the bill, with instructions to amend so as to remove objections to the provisions with respect to the loaning of the county funds - so that they shall not be loaned out of the county, which was rejected.
Messrs. Woollen, Satterwhite, Given, Branham, Shirley, Barrett, Cobb, Cowgill, Kirkpatrick and Mellett took part in the debate which followed thereupon.
Mr. Gifford demanded the previous question, which was seconded, and under its pressure the bill was rejected by yeas 27, nays 58, as follows:
Yeas - Messrs. Anderson, Barrett, Cauthorn, Clark, Claypool, Cline, Coffman, Cole, Cowgill, Crumpacker, Eward, Furnas, Hollingsworth, Hoyer, Johnson, Martin, McKinney, Miller, Odle, Offutt, Ogden, Peed, Schmuck, Shirley, Teeter, Tulley, Walker and Woollen - 27.
Nays - Messrs. Baker, Barker, Baxter, Billingsley, Bowser, Branham, Broaddus, Buskirk, Butterworth, Butts, Cobb, Dial, Durham, Eaton, Edwards of Lawrence Gifford, Given, Glasglow, Glazebrook, Goble, Goudie, Gronendyke, Hardesty, Hatch, Hedrick, Heller, Henderson, Isenhouer, Jones, Kimball, King, Kirkpatrick, Lee, Lenfesty, Mellett, North, Prentiss, Reeves, Reno, Richardson, Rudder, Rumsey, Satterwhite, Shutt, Smith, Stanley, Thayer, Tingley, Thompson of Elkhart, Thompson of Spencer, Wesner, Whitworth, Wilson of Blackford, Wilson of Ripley, Wood, Woodard, Wynn and Mr. Speaker - 58.
BENEVOLENT APPROPRIATIONS.
Mr. Branham, (by unanimous consent,) submitted from the Committee on Benevolent Institutions, a report in writing, setting forth the excellent healthy and orderly condition of said institutions, commending the officers in charge; and recommending a total appropriation for the Hospital for the Insane of $218,600; and for the year ending March 15, $133,000; and for repairs, $10,000. Furthermore, in view of the increased capacity of the Hospital for the Insane, by the commencement of the second year (which will necessarily increase its current expenses,) the committee ask an allowance of $30,000 to cover this contingency, making in the aggregate $163,000. For the Deaf and Dumb Institution, the sum of $65,000 for the year ending March, 1874, and for the year ending March '75, $67,500. For the Blind Institution for 1874, $32,500; and for the year 1875, $32,500. For the Soldiers' Home the allowance in blank: and the committee re- page: 166[View Page 166] commend that this report be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, with instructions to insert these appropriations in the specific bill.
Mr. B. said the committee do not report the sum to be appropriated for the Soldiers' Home because we have no report from that institution. I submit to the House whether it will consider this matter at once, and as a whole, or take it up by items.
The Speaker. The question is on concurring in the report.
Mr. Branham. We have recommended the amounts asked for by these several institutions. The amount reported for the Insane Hospital will give to that institution an increased capacity for no more patients. The committee think that these accommodations can be provided cheaper at that hospital than anywhere else; and the committee also think that it is entirely proper to make the proposed enlargements. But there are two items left out of the report which the committee intended for the institution for the education of the blind. The first is an appropriation of $1,000 to buy books for the blind, not only of that institution, but for the benefit of the destitute blind all over the State; and the other is demanded by the fact that the blind institution is not sufficient to accommodate all the pupils that are coming in; and the question is whether the House will agree to appropriate $65,000 to be appropriated for the fiscal year commencing on the first of April, 1874. I will move those amendments to the report, as follows:
Add the following words:
"That $1,000 be appropriated for the purchase of books for the blind, not only for the Blind Institute, but for the destitute blind throughout the State; and that $65,000 be appropriated for the purpose of making additions to the Institution for the education of the blind for the fiscal year ending March, 1875."
The amendment was adopted, and then the report, as amended, was concurred in, and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means with the recommended instructions.
EVANSVILLE CHARTER.
Mr. Riggs' bill [H. R. 289] to amend sections 4, 5, 26, 35, 48, 58, of the act of January 27, 1847, granting to the citizens of the town of Evansville a city charter, was taken up on the third reading, with the report of a majority of the Committee on Cities and Towns, recommending the same with amendments, adding authority for a city clerk, surveyor and assessor, and amending the title; and a minority report recommending the passage of the bill without amendment. The question being on adopting the report of the minority as an amendment to the majority report -
Mr. Reno said the opposition to the amendment was, that it allows those officers to be appointed, whereas they should be elected by the people.
Mr. Riggs stated that he was just from home, and could state directly that the provision in question was unanimously desired by the people as far as he was informed - there was a desire to be rid of an incompetent clerk.
The report of the minority was rejected, and then the amendments reported by the majority of the committee were adopted; and the bill, as amended, was ordered to be engrossed.
On motion of Mr. Riggs (a suspension of the constitutional restriction having been obtained for the purpose) the bill was advanced, considered as engrossed, and finally passed the House of Representatives - yeas, 56; nays, 16 - the title being amended by affixing these words: "additional sections thereto."
Mr. Dial obtained leave of absence for two weeks; and after sundry other leaves of absence, and an ineffectual motion to adjourn till Monday, the House adjourned
