HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
THURSDAY, January 13, 1881-10 a. m,The Speaker called the House to order, and Rev. Halleck Floyd, a Representative from Wayne County, opened the session with prayer.
The reading of the Journal of yesterday's proceedings was pursued until, on motion the further reading was dispensed with.
The Speaker announced that he had fixed his signature to the bill [H. R. 1.] providing an appropriation for the current expenses of this Assembly, and ordered the Clerk to inform the Senate thereof.
The Speaker laid before the House a communication from the State House Commissioners inviting the Members of the House to inspect the work on the new State House.
Mr. Edwins asked to be relieved from duty on the Insurance Committee.
A message from the Senate announced the concurrence by that body in the Joint Rules adopted by the House.
On motion by Mr. Cauthorne, the resolution providing for the printing of 200 copies of the Joint Rules was taken from the table and adopted.
Mr. Meredith, from the Committee appointed to investigate charges of cruelty in the Woman's Reformatory, saying that the Committee wished to make a thorough investigtion, asked that said Committee be empowered to send for persons and papers and employ a clerk, which requests were granted.
The following described bill were introduced, read the first time, and passed to the second reading:
By Mr. Cotton [H. R. 351]: To provide for the more uniform working of public highways.
Also [H. R. 36]: To protect sheep husbandry; Trustee to register and number all dogs.
By Mr. Hinton [H. R. 37]: To establish a Female Insane Hospital; [providing that the new part of the Insane Asylum shall be for females, and that the Board of Directors shall consist of three ladies who shall be paid $300 a year.]
By Mr. Furnas [H. R. 38]: To protect sheep husbandry and regulate dogs.
page: 44[View Page 44]By Mr. Berryman [H. R. 39]: To authorize the purchasers of rail and other roads to organize as incorporated Companies.
By Mr. Carter [H. R. 40]: Providing for the submission of the constitutional amendments (as prepared by the State Bar Association.) Also [H. R. 41]: Describing the duties of persons employed to examine records, and to furnish abstracts of title.
By Mr. Walker [H. R. 42]: To amend the homestead law, reducing exemption from execution to $300.
By Mr. Cole [H.R. 43]: Fixing rate of interest on public funds at 6 per cent.
By Mr. Buskirk [H. R. .44]; Exempting from taxes indebtedness to the amount of $10,000.
Also, [H. R. 45]; Declaring who shall not be eligible to the office of Township Trustee, excluding residents of cities and towns.
Also [H. R. 46]: Providing for the consolidation of the Township Congressional fund, for the purpose of loaning the same.
Also, [H. 47]: To amend the law regulating pleading and practice.
By Mr. Wilson, of Morgan County [H. R. 48]: To amend the law concerning inclosures, in reference to partition fences.
By Mr. Hammond [H. R.49] : To amend the law in relation to the loan of Common School funds.
By Mr. Sweitzer [H. R. 50]: To require keepers of hotels and lodging houses to provide means of escape in case of fire.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
On motion by Mr. Cauthorne the House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole (Mr. Kenner in the Chair) to consider the message of the Governor Gray, and the inaugural address of the present governor.
Mr. Cauthorne offered a resolution to refer the different parts of the Governor's message and the inaugural address to appropriate Committees, which was adopted, and the Committee rose.
Mr. Kenner, Chairman, submitted the resolution of Mr. Cauthorne as the report of the Committee of the Whole, which was adopted.
Mr. Mason offered a resolution, which was laid on the table, that a Committee of five be appointed to deposit in the corner-stone of the new State House a record of the services of Indiana soldiers in the late war.
Mr. Buskirk offered a resolution, which was adopted, that upon the call of Counties for the introduction of bills, after the present call is completed, each member be allowed to introduced but one bill for each County represented by him.
By Mr. Sweitzer [H. R. 51]: To authorize Trustees to purchase school books.
Also [H. R. 52]: To amend an act for the assessment of property, and the collection and return of taxes.
Also [H.R. 53]: Amending the law requiring railroads to sound their whistle at crossings.
Also [H. R. 54]: To amend the common school law so as to require the County School Superintendent to charge a fee for examining teachers, and limiting his time for visiting schools to ninety days.
By Mr. Gillum [H R. 55]: Authorizing the issue of bonds to build gravel roads.
Also, [H. R. 56]: To amend the law for the assessment of property. Also, [H. R. 57]: to legalize certain acts of County officers in relation to the collection of taxes.
My Mr. Sulzer [H. R. 58]: To provide for the election of Town Attorneys in towns of 4.000 or more inhabitants.
By Mr. Skinner ]H. R. 50]: Authorizing the sale of certain lands belonging to the State in Porter County.
By Mr. Walz [H. R. 60]: Making Township Trustees Supervisors of the roads with authority to let the repairing of roads to the lowest bidder.
By Mr. Murray [H. R. 61]: Authorizing the organization of Companies for the Construction of telephones. Also [H. R. 62]: To amend the law in relation to Justices of Peace. Also [H. R. 63]: To prohibit the sale of opium, morphine or other poisonous drug and spirituous or malt liquors, except on certain conditions.
By Mr. Wolfe [H. R. 64]: Amending Common School law; prescribing rules for the County Examiner in issuing teachers' licenses.
By Mr. Akin [H. R.65]: Legalizing the corporation of Merom College.
By Mr. Westfall [H. R. 66]: To legalize the acts of the Board of the town of Chauncy.
By Mr. Ham (H. R. 67]: Amending the homestead law.
By Mr. Huston [H. R. 68]: To amend the law relating to interest and usury.
By Mr. Roelker [H. R. 69]: Securing to working men pay for their labor, by lien on property. Also [H. R. 70]: Amending Common School law so as to require County Superintendents to hold State certificates, and providing for their election by the County Commissioners.
By Mr. Fall [H. R. 71]: Providing for a speedy publication of certain laws.
By Mr. Cabbage [H. R.72]: To legalize the acts of the officers of the town of Newburg.
By Mr. Mitchell [H. R. 73]; Regulating certain elections, requiring the payment of poll tax to entitle a voter to a vote. Also [H. R. 74]: Amending the Common School law so as to allow joint institutes of four Townships, and allowing pay to teachers for attending. Also [H. R. 75]: In relation to the issuing of marriage licenses, and prohibiting the issuing of the same to habitual drunkards or persons convicted of felony, etc.
And then the House adjourned.
