AFTERNOON SESSION.
Mr. THOMPSON demanded a call of the House, which being ordered and taken, discovered seventy-eight members as present and answering to their names.
Mr. KENNER moved that the House inform the Senate that the House is in waiting for that body to join it in a Convention for the purposes indicated in a concurrent resolution heretofore adopted.
The motion was agreed to, and the Speaker made Messrs. Kenner and Teter to constitute said Committee.
This Committee then left the Hall to perform the duty required of it, and shortly after returned with the Senate, which was furnished with seats on the Speaker's right.
JOINT CONVENTION.
Senators being seated on the right of the Speaker's chair in the Hall of the House of Representatives-
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, commanding order, stated the purpose of this Joint Convention the two Houses of the General Assembly to be the election of three Directors of the State Prison North and one Director of the State Prison South, in pursuance of a concurrent resolution passed by each House heretofore. By his direction, the Principal Secretary of the Senate called the roll of Senators, which discovered forty-four as present and answering to their names. By the same authority, the Principal Clerk of the House called roll of Representatives, which discovered seventy-nine present and answering to their names.
Senator COMSTOCK offered a resolution that this Joint Convention proceed to elect one Diretor to the State Prison South, to serve for the term of four years, from the 17th of February, 1881, and three Directors for the State Prison North, to serve for the term of two years, from the 11th of March, 1881.
The resolution was adopted.
There being no further nominations--
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ordered the vote to be taken, the Principal Secretary of the Senate calling the roll of Senators and the Principal Clerk of the House calling the roll of Representatives.
The result of the first vote was as follows: Total number of votes cast, 129; necessary to a choice, 65; of which number Joel J. Finney received 73 votes and John Horn 56 votes.
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR--Joel J. Finney having received a majority of all the votes cast, I declare him elected a Director for the Prison South for the term of four years from the 17th of this month.
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR then announced nominations for one Director of the State Prison South to be in order.
Senator BUNDY ominated Amos C. Beeson, of Randolph County.
Senator BELL nominated John Lee, of Montgomery County.
There being no further nominations, the vote was taken resulting: For A. C. Beeson, 74; for John Lee, 55.
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR made a formal proclamation that Amos C.Beeson was duly elected a Director of the Prison North, to serve for two yearsfrom the 11th of March next.
Senator SHAFFER nominated for another y Director of the State's Prison North, Leopold Levy, of Huntington County.
Senator PORTER nominated for the same position, Frederick Hoover, of Jasper County.
There being no further nominations, the vote resulted: For Leopold Levy, 73; for Frederick Hoover, 56.
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR formally declared Leopold Levy elected one of the Directors of the State Prison North for the term of two years from the 11th of March next. He then called for nominations for another Director of the State Prison North.
Representative FANCHER nominated W. P. Horine, of Lake County.
Senator KRAMER nominated Simon Wile, of Laporte County.
There being no further nominations, the vote being taken, resulted as follows: For W. P. Horine 72; for Simon Wile, 52.
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR formally declared W. P. Horine duly elected as a Director of the State Prison North for the term of two years from the 11th of March next.
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR then said: The purposes of the Joint Convention having nd been accomplished, he declared it adjourned.
When the Senators had retired from the Hall and order had been partially restored--
The SPEAKER read an announcement of Committee meetings and then--
The House adjourned until to-morrow morning at 9 a. m.
Synopsis of H. R. 153:
Section 1 enacts that County Boards shall have to the entire control of the roads and bridges in their Counties, and that the County Surveyor shall perform the duties of a County Engineer.
Sections 2 and 3 enacts that the County Surveyor shall prove his qualifications, give a bond and defines his duties, which are similar in their scope to the duties of City Civil Engineers.
Section 4 provides that the County Surveyor may appoint Deputies and Assistants.
Section 5 requires the County Surveyor to report quarterly to the County Board.
Section 6 requires the County Board to pass at over and review roads in person, if possible, or by a suitable representative. This section is very elaborate, going into the minutia of road building, levying of road taxes, letting contracts for making and repairing roads, etc.
Section 7 requires County Boards to divide roads into three classes; those most traveled to be first-class, and so on.
Section 8, 9 and 10 provide for the promotion of a road, or of roads, to the classes next above.
Section 13 authorizes Boards to make experiments in road-making and road-making machinery, at a limited expense.
Section 16 provides for the appointment of a Surveyor General by the Governor, to serve four years, at a salary of $500 a year, and certain fees.
Sections 17, 18 and 20 prescribe the duties and obligations of this official.
Section 21 fixes the pay of the County Engineer at five dollars for a day of ten hours actual service.
Section 22 enacts a road tax levy of not less than five cents nor more than fifty cents on the $100 valuation, and not less than three nor more than five dollars on each taxable poll.
Section 23 presents a general grade and elevation for roads.
page: 172[View Page 172]Section 24 prescribes the width and quantity of roads, the standard of their repair, and the manner in which they shall be cared for.
Section 25 prescribes the construction of efficient road ditches, and Section 26 is like unto it.
Section 27 enacts that road making and road repairing, as a rule, shall be done in dry weather.
Sections 28 and 29 relate to the building and repair of bridges.
Sections 30 and 31 prescribe the manner of managing boundary line road building and repairing.
Section 32 requires that roads shall be named and appropriately and efficiently guide-boarded.
Section 33 provides that County Boards shall divide roads into sections of one mile as near as practicable, for the convenience of letting the same to contractors for construction, maintenance and repair.
Sections 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 and 40, prescribe the methods and details of letting contracts for road making and repairing.
Sections 41 to 46, inclusive, define the powers, duties and obligations of road contractors.
Section 47 lays down the law of the road to meeting and passing teams.
Sections 48 to 51, inclusive, describe the methods or petitioning and remonstrating against roads, with the proceedings to be had thereon.
Section 55 reserves equity to persons who have been taxed to build free gravel, pike or plank roads.
Section 56 exempts persons or property in incorporated towns and cities from the general County road tax to the amount of such town or city tax for general street purposes.
Section 58 provides for the destruction of Canada thistles and all other poisonous or noxious weeds on the public highways.
Senator Woods, in casting his Vote yesterday for William T. Horine for one of the Directors of the State Prison North, said:
Mr. PRESIDENT--William T. Horine is my neighbor and friend. He was a gallant soldier and fought well in the famous battles for Union. A valued medal was given him by General Sickles for brave conduct in war. As colorbearer for the old fighting Twentieth of Indiana, he was first and last upon the bloody fields Antietam, Spottsylvania, Malvern Hill, the Wildernes and Gettysbury. He fell at Gettysburg it the fierce storm of battle and left his right limb upon the field as a last sacrifice for the Union. His country and the perpetuity of her institutions were in these memorable conflicts, and came out dearer to loyal freemen and more glorious with each victory won; when I look over our country and see its magnificent resources on land and sea, on lake and river ;when I witness the grand march of progress and civilization in our great domain; when I see the magnitude of American industry and manly courage to go higher and better in all things that make a people great, prosperous and independent--all grand results of the mighty struggle for National life--I sometimes think the gallant men are not yet paid and never can be, by a grateful people. The fallen heroes for a great cause, a self-sacrifice for all who live after them in this beautiful land, are kindly remembered by the friends of liberty. We can do nothing for them but rear monuments to show the whole country's devotion to their fidelity, suffering and death, but the maimed and crippled heroes living among us, we can care for them. I care for one now, and vote for Willam T. Horine.
