AFTERNOON SESSION.
Mr. Dittemore introduced a bill [S. 331] for an act fixing the times of holding commissioner's courts in counties having a population of 30,000 and upwardsone sitting each month. It was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Haworth offered a concurrent resolution directing the State Librarian to procure a full set of English and American herd books at a price not exceeding $200. Adopted.
Mr. Bird, from the special committee thereon, returned the joint resolution [S. 11] instructing Indiana Congressmen, looking to the establishment of a district court for Northern Indiana at Fort Wayne, and for a distributing postoffice at said city, with amendments changing it to a concurrent resolution. Concurred in.
Mr. Thompson offered a joint resolution [S. 11] concerning certain stationery purchased by the Librarian for the use of the General Assembly. Because the Auditor of State has refused to draw his warrant to pay for the same. The Joint Committee on the State Library is directed to examine into and report the facts in relation thereto.
It was referred to the Joint Committee on Public Libraries.
Mr. Brown, from the Committee on Railroads, returned the bill [S. 328] to authorize railroad companies to change their termini in certain cases, with a favorable report thereon. Concurred in.
Mr. Dwiggins presented six claims in the Burson contested election case of 1871, which were referred to the Committee on Claims, without reading.
ASSESSMENT FOR TAXATION.
Mr. Boone, from the Judiciary Committee, returned the bill [S. 294] to amend the assessment act of December 21, 1872, with amendments repealing section 255, 256 and 257.
Mr. Harney opposed concurrence in this report.
Mr. Boone said the rules laid down in these sections would not be sustained in cases of sales on execution much less to a sale for taxes.
The report was concurred in.
Mr. Howard moved to recommit the bill with instructions to amend so as to allow the assessor till August 1st of each year to complete and make out his returns, giving four months instead of two.
Mr. Rhodes said that under the new bill the assessor's work will be much more than ever before, and therefore this amendment is very necessary.
Mr. Williams was of opinion the amendment would give the auditor too short a time to make out the duplicates.
Mr. Harney hoped the bill would not pass.
Mr. Howard reminded Senators that under the old law these assessments were returned on the first of June, and the auditor had one more month in which to make out his duplicate than he will have under the new law. Two months is not a sufficient time to make assessments under the new law; it will require at least three months.
The friends of the bill, when it passed last session, assured us its defects should be remedied by supplemental law, and now when this is proposed to be done it is met at the threshhold with opposition. Upon a close examination of this law in the mode and manner of its execution it will cast upon this Legislature more stigma than any law it has passed.
Mr. Williams suggested that County Commissioners could adjourn over in order to give the Assessors further time to complete their lists.
The Senate refused to lay the motion to refer on the table.
It was then agreed to by yeas 25, nays 44.
Mr. Daugherty moved to further instruct the committee to reinstate sections 255, 256 and 257 of the original law.
Mr. Bunyan moved that these instructions be laid on the table. Agreed to.
Mr. Dwiggins moved to further instruct the committee to amend by striking out sections 8 and 9 requiring insurance companies to pay a tax of two per cent. of their gross earnings.
Mr. Slater raised the point of order that the matter was not in order, which point of order was sustained by the Chair.
Mr. Dwiggins moved to reconsider the vote by which the amendment to the bill was adopted. Mr. Slater moved to lay the motion on the table.
This motion was agreed to by yeas 30, nays 14.
Mr. Sleeth moved, ineffectually, to further instruct the committee to investigate the propriety page: 206[View Page 206] of repealing section 57 and striking out the word "banking" in the first line of section 59.
FEES AND SALARIES.
The Senate now returned to the consideration of the fee and salary bill [S. 292] pending at the time of the recess. The reading of the substitute for section 4, proposed by Mr. Dwiggins was resumed and completed.
Mr. Dwiggins spoke in favor of adopting his substitute and Mr. Rhodes against it.
On motion by Mr. Dittemore it was laid on the table by yeas 24, nays 14.
Mr. Brown moved to amend by allowing county Treasurers for each mile traveled in going to Indianapolis, each way, ten cents.
It was agreed to.
Mr. Cave offered a substitute increasing the fees of County Treasurers. Under which his county Treasurer will not make more than $15.It was laid on the table.
Mr. Sleeth proposed an amendment, which was agreed to, that, the Treasurer shall not receive more than one per cent for receiving and disbursing county monies.
Mr. Haworth moved to amend by way of substitute, allowing treasurers eight per cent on the first $1,000, seven per cent on the second thousand, six per cent on the third thousand, five per cent of the fourth thousand, four per cent on from four to fourteen thousand, three per cent on from fourteen to twenty-five thousand, two per cent on from twenty-five to seventy-five thousand and one per cent on all over seventy-live thousand dollars.
It was laid on the table.
Mr. Brown moved, ineffectually, to substitute $5 for $1 as the fee for a plat of subdivisions of townships. He also moved to increase the fee to $2 50. It was laid on the table.
On motion of Mr. Rhodes, the fee for disbursement of school revenue was fixed at one-fourth of one per cent.
Mr. Glessner made an ineffectual motion to strike out the twenty-five cent fee for searching records.
Mr. Brown moved to increase the fee for issuing notice to viewers of roads from fifty cents to $1.
Mr. Haugh made an ineffectual motion - yeas 18, nays 22 - to lay the amendment on the table.
It was rejected by yeas 17, nays 24.
Mr. Glessner moved to reduce the per diem for attendance on Commissioners Courts from $3 to $2. It was laid on the table.
Mr. Rhodes moved to allow the Auditor for making footings of tax duplicates, settlement sheets with the county boards, etc., not to exceed $3, at the discretion of the Board of Commissioners.
It was agreed to.
Mr. Cave moved ineffectually to increase the sheriff's fee for serving a writ and taking into custody from fifty cents to one dollar.
Mr. Scott moved to make the fee for taking prisoners to the Suite prison fifteen cents per mile.
It was agreed to.
Mr. Rhodes moved to allow the sheriff five baliffs, at a per diem of $3 for riding baliffs and $2 for the others.
It was laid on the table by yeas, 25; nays, 15.
Mr. Chapman moved ineffectually to make the fee for keeping prisoners seventy-five cents instead of sixty cents.
On motion by Mr. Ringo, the words "to be paid by the county requiring the service" were added to the clause for taking prisoners from one county to another, or to State prison.
Mr. Scott moved an amendment allowing the appointment by the Sheriff, of as many bailiffs as are necessary, with the knowledge and consent of the court.
On motion of Mr. Rhodes, the per diem of riding bailiffs was fixed at $3, and other bailiff at $2.Mr. Cave moved to make the per diem of each fifty cents a day higher. This amendment to the amendment was agreed to.
The amendment [Mr. Scott's] as amended was agreed to.
Mr. Howard moved an amendment providing that fees taxed for services performed by bailiffs shall go into the county treasury.
Mr. Dwiggins did not think the amendment would amount to any thing, because bailiffs would not be sent to perform such service.
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Slater moved to amend by reducing the printers fee for first insertion, brevier measure, from $2 to $1 75, and each additional insertion from $1 to 75 cents. Agreed to; substituting 250 ems for a square. Adjourned.
