AFTERNOON SESSION.
Mr. McSHEEHY called up from the table his resolution allowing no member to speak more than two minutes on any subject, nor more than once until all members desiring to speak shall have had an opportunity.
The resolution was adopted, with an amendment that this rule shall only apply to the working days of the session.
SENATE AMENDMENTS CONCURRED IN.
The Senate amendments to the bill [H. R. 311] amending Section 26 of a fee and salary act, were read and adopted.
The Senate amendments to the bill [H. R. 271] page: 181[View Page 181] concerning Clerks of the General Assembly were adopted. Also, to the bill [H. R. 124] relating to the sale of personal and real property, were read and adopted.
The Senate amendments to the bills [H. R. 486] concerning Grand and Petit Juries, and [H. R. 225] relating to elections and contests thereof, were concurred in.
Senator Graham's bill [S. 81] defining taxation was read the first time.
Mr. LINDLAY moved to suspend the constitutional rule, and the bill may be read a second time by title, and third time by sections, and put upon its passage. He said the bill is one which provides that where corporations have been extended around farms they shall be subject to the same taxation as other farms. The law is now that they are subject also to the specific tax as assessed by the corporation or city.
The motion failed--yeas, 43; nays, 35--for the want of a constitutional majority.
STATE SEWER.
Mr. McIntosch called up Senator Chapman's bill [S. 326] to build a sewer from the Female Reformatory and the Deaf and Dumb Institutions (appropriating $45,000), which was read the third time.
Mr. FRAZER said: This is to appropriate $45,000 to construct a sewer to the two Reformatories. I think the sewer ought to be built, but $45,000 is too much money for the people to pay to carry away the slop of this city.
Mr. EDWINS said that was the estimate of the engineer.
Mr. STEWART said the city made a grand mistake when they built those institutions at their present location, but since the error is committed, he was in favor of making the best of it. He stated that the old line of sewerage was cut off through the United States Arsenal grounds by an injunction of the Court, and that it was absolutely necessary to appropriate this amount to get sewer connection with the city.
Mr. CAUTHORNE was in favor of the passage of this bill.
Mr. CARTER--The gentleman from Kosciusko (Mr. Frazer) said that if this sewer was built at a cost of $80,000 the city ought to stand $60,000 of the expense. I want to say to the gentleman that $80,000 only builds the sewer to connect with the present city sewer, which cost over $300,000. If the State of Indiana builds a sewer in any other direction it will cost at least $600,000, and according to this reasoning it is just $155,000 in the State Treasury to connect with the city sewer.
The bill passed--yeas, 64; nays, 13.
Mr. M'SHEEHY called up Senator Van Vorhis' bill [S. 246] creating sewer districts for the city of Indianapolis, which was read the third time and passed--yeas, 70; nays, 4.
CALUMET SAND-BAR.
Mr. FANCHER called up Senator Wood's bill [S. 132] to appropriate $6,000 to remove a sand-bar in the Calumet River.
The bill was read the third time.
Mr. CARR, of White, hoped the bill would not pass because of its unjustness, being an expense to the State and beneficial only to the few. He was opposed to appropriating money in this reckless manner.
Mr. FANCHER said: I believe this bill to be a just one. A number of years ago the State of Indiana took it in hand to reclaim a large tract of land--about 7,000 acres--covered by water, so they constructed a ditch into that river, and in doing this they cut through a large sand-bar lying close to the edge of the river, and in a short time sand-bar washed out into the river, forming a complete sand-bar across and obstructing the stream so as to cause an overflow of land more than that drained. This land which is overflowed has become almost worthless, and I hope the bill will pass.
The bill failed to pass--yeas, 46; nays, 35--for the want of a constitutional majority.
DRAINAGE AND WET LANDS.
Senator Bell's bill [S. 75] to enable the owners of wet lands to drain and reclaim the same, and protect such land by a system of levees, etc., was read the third time.
Mr. GILLUM said this bill does not cost the County where the improvement is made on single cent. It makes the County Commissioners and Engineer Supervisors, the same as gravel roads.
The bill passed--yeas, 74; nays, 0.
Mr. CAUTHORNE introduced a bill [H. R. 531] fixing the meetings of the County Board of Equalization for the present year, which was read the first time. He moved to suspend the constitutional rule that the bill may be read the second time by title, the third time the by sections and put upon its passage. He said this is a bill of great importance, otherwise the tax bill would be a perfect failure.
The motion was agreed to, and the bill was read the second time by title, the third time by sections and passed--yeas, 70; nays, 0.
SENATE BILLS PASSED.
The constitutional rule was suspended--yeas, 67; nays, 2--and Senator Comstock's bill [S. 306] concerning the Richmond and Liberty Railroad was read the second time by title, the third time by sections, and passed--yeas, 67; nays, 0.
The constitutional rule was suspended--yeas, 67; nays, 2--and Mr. Vawter's bill [H. R. 424] to amend Section 3 of an act to incorporate the town of Vernon, Jennings County, Indiana, approved January 22, 1851, was read the second time by title, the third time by sections and passed--yeas, 67; nays, 0.
Mr. Hamilton called up Senator Chapman's bill [S. 373] to authorize the Trustee of the Insane Hospital to permit Street Railroads to enter upon their grounds was read the third time and passed--yeas, 53; nays, 30.
RELIEF OF GRAND JURORS.
Mr. MILLER called up the bill [H. R. 421] to empower the Board of Commissioners of Counties, in which Criminal Courts are established, to make appropriations out of their County Treasury for the relief of Grand Jurors, in certain cases, which was read the third time.
Mr. SINCLAIR said: This bill is for the purpose of covering cases where the Grand Jurors have been misled by the charge of the Judge. We have a case in our County where the Grand Jury was charged by the Judge of the Criminal Court that in case they could not find an indictment against a certain man, against whom charges were made, that they might return to the Court the facts found, and present them to the Court. They did so in one case, and were afterward sued for slander and libel. The damages were between $300 and $400. The County Commissioners and the people are willing that the Grand Jurymen shall be relieved from this damage. This bill is for that purpose--to enable them to do so. There should be relief in such cases, and I hope the bill will pass.
The bill passed--yeas, 69; nays, 0.
LOANING OF SCHOOL FUNDS.
The constitutional rule was suspended--yeas, 67, nays, 2--and Senator Henry's bill [S. 379] concerning the loaning of Common School funds in the Congressional Townships, was read the first and second times by title only, and the third time by sections.
Mr. EDWINS--This is a bill which has reference to borrowing money out of the school funds where the records of any County has been burned, as is the case in my County. We have a very large school fund now on hand unloaned, and we can't loan it from the fact that the Clerk page: 182[View Page 182] does not feel justified in granting the necessary certificate to the applicant. This bill is to enable the Cierk to issue such certificate on the applicant giving a bond to the State that there is no incumbrance on the realty other than that that has been burned. The bill is a deseruing one, and should pass.
The bill passed--yeas 67; nays, 0.
SENATE BILLS PASSED.
Mr. MOODY called up Senator Marvin's bill [S. 370] to legalize the acts and ordinances of Kirkland Corporation in Clinton County.
The constitutional rule was suspended--yeas, 67; nays, 2--and the bill was read the first and second time by title; the third time by sections and passed--yeas, 74; nays, 1.
Mr. MORGAN called up Senator Wood's bill [S. 132] appropriating $6,000 to remove a sand-bar in the Calumet River.
The bill passed--yeas, 62; nays, 13.
Mr. MURRAY called up Senator Bundy's bill [S. 97] providing for the appropriating of real estate for school purposes. The bill was read the third time and passed--yeas, 68; nays, 4.
Mr. WALKER moved to suspend the temporary order that the bill [S. 317] amending Section 16 for the organization of County Boards, be taken up.
The motion was agreed to, and the bill was indefinitely postponed.
Mr. THOMPSON called up Senator Lockridge's bill [S. 183] to provide for the issuing of ordnance stores, camp and garrison equipments to Colleges having a Military Department under an officer of the United States.
The bill was read the third time and passed--yeas, 62; nays, 6.
The House took a recess till 7:30 p. m.
