Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 February 1875 — INDIANA STATE LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA STATE LEGISLATURE.

Senate, Feb. 17.—Immediately after assembling the Senate joined the House In joint convention for the election of certain State officers, which occupied, the remainder of the forenoon session....ln the afternoon the discussion of the Jeffries-Baxter contested election was resumed. A vote was finally taken, resulting in Baxter retaining! his seat by 26 to 23.... Adjourned. House. —After the transaction of unimportant business both houses went joint convention for the election of certain* ’officers. A ballot was taken for Directors of the State Prison North, and the following were declared elected: William T. Pratt, of Allen; H. E. Wadsworth, of Laporte, and T. Davenport, of Kosciusko. Col. James Kergwin, of Clark, and William P. Hammond, of Martin, were elected Directors for the Prison South. Other officers were elected, as follow’s: Trustee of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, Dr. Milton James, of Delaware; Trustee of the Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home, George Sandford, of Lake; Trustee of the Insane Asylum, J. T. Richardson, of Carroll; State Librarian Lycurgus Dalton, of Lawrence....ln the afternoon the bill compelling railroads to fence their right of way was referred to the Judiciary Committee with instructions to prepare a new bill providing that owners of the property shall pay half of cost of such fences.... The per diem es County Superintendents of Schools was fixed at >3.... Adjourned.

Senate, Feb. 18.—A large number of reports were received from standing committees, several new bills were introduced, and numerous petitions were presented on various topics.... The Committee on Public Buildings reported in favor of building a new State-House....The majority report on the temperance question was debated at considerable length, amended slightly and ordered engrossed by 23 to 18... .Adjourned. House.—The bill amending the law creating the office of Superintendent of Schools was taken up by sections in Committee of the Whole and defeated... .Concurrent resolutions were introduced—thanking Mrs. Oren for fidelity and efficiency as State Librarian; providing for a joint convention on the 24th for the election of one Trustee for the Blind Asylum; for a standing committee to continue the investigation of the Southern Prison.... The bill compelling railroads to fence their rights-of-way, referred yesterday to the Judiciary Committee, was recalled and sent to the Committee on Rights and Privileges, with instructions to make the time for fencing four years, one-fourth to be done each year.... The Senate resolution for the appointment of a committee to consider the propriety of redistricting the State for judicial purposes was tabled.... Adjourned. Senate, Feb. 19.—The Senate passed its morning session in bearing sundry personal explanations, and in considering the bill for a uniform system of roads making Township Trustees ex-officio Supervisors of Roads, which shall be kept in repair by the lowest Didder; and providing for commutation of labor by money payments, which money shall be used for the purchase of gravel roads under certain conditions... .In the afternoon bills were passed—fixing the salaries of cer tain State officers; providing for the organization of Granges under the Voluntary Association act; limiting the expenditure of money by County Commissioners to one-half of 1 per cent, of the appraised value of property in the county, except when authorized by vote of the people; making it a misdemeanor to import Texas cattle into the State from Oct. 1 to April 1; providing for a keeping of registry of city orders, and stopping interest on all orders after proper notification has been given that there is money on hand to redeem them; authorizing the removal of any officer in the State for drunkenness; providing that foreign administrators may sell property within the State without filing any additional bond; fixing the pay of Judges and Clerks of Election Boards at ILSO per day; and providing for the publication of all claims allowed by County Commissioners. .. .Adjourned. House —The bill giving Justices of the Peace exclusive jurisdiction in all sums of >3OO and under, concurrent jurisdiction in cases of >I,OOO, and jurisdiction in confession to the amount of >I,OOO was ordered engrossed .... Bills were passed—legalizing the incorporation of the town of Chester, Porter County; providing homes for orphans in county asylums, and making the per diem of members >6.00, with >s.oomileage for every twentyfive miles traveled.... Adjourned.

Senate, Feb. 20.—Bills w.ere introduced —ordering Trustees of towns and townships to levy a tax for the payment of the interest and principal of existing bonds; establishing state and District Boards of Equalization; providing for the punishment of seducers of girls under twenty-one years of age; for organization of military companies of not less than sixteen members in each Congressional district; for the abandonment of the State Prison at Jeffersonville and for the appointment of a com.mission of three, to be appointed by the Governor, for building a prison at Seymour.... Bills were passed—empowering manual-la-bor schools to receive and transfer letters of indenture: to allow the adoption of children, inmates of reformatory institutions, without, the consent of parents.... Adjourned. House. —Several reports from standing committees were presented....A bill was introduced for the farther protection of miners .... The House adjourned early on account of the funeral of Mrs. Senator McDonald. Senate, Feb. 22.—The claim of Mr.Walker, contestant for the seat of Senator Ladue, for per diem and mileage was referred to the Committee on Claims.... The bill setting apart the interest of the wife in real estate when ordered to be sold under judicial proceedings was passed—2s to 14.... The bill providing for a State Board of Health was refused engrossment—l 7to 21.... The report of the Judiciary Committee favoring the passage of the bill fixing the salary of the Governor at $6,000 and the per diem of members at $6 was made the special order for the afternoon of the 25th... .Adjourned.

House.—Bills were passed—regulating assignments; that property, instead of being sold on forced sale, may be duly advertised and sold to the highest bidder at private sale; authorizing the Trustees of incorporated towns to issue bonds to the amount of SIO,OOO for the purpose of completing public building®; providing for the appointment of three appraisers and by-road supervisors, who shall appraise material taken for the purpose of building or repairing roads; defining the meaning of the terms “auction” and “ auctioneers,” and fixing maximum amount which auctioneers may be charged for their licenses .... A joint resolution was offered instructing Indiana members of Congress to vote against any appropriation for the Texas Pacific Railway.. ..A bill was introduced for the appointment of three railroad commissioners....A special committee was appointed to investigate charges of cruelty preferred against the Buporintendent of the Asylum for the Blind ... .Adjourned. Senate, Feb. 23—Committees were appointed to investigate the affairs of ern and Southern Prisons.... Bills were passed —for the erection of fish-ladders at all milldams; to reduce the price of Supreme Court reports to $3; to allow Trustees to select textbooks for schools; providing for the commencement of prosecutions for felony by information ; providing that at least one-fourth of the purchase-money of school lands shall be paid in hand, and deferred payments to bear 8 per cent, interest; legalizing as holidays Jan. 1, July 4, Feb. 25 and Thanksgiving Day; the Local Option Temperance bill; providing for fencing lands subject to overflow with swinging gates across roads wherever crossed... .Adjourned. House.—The Committee on Public Buildings reported in favor of building two insane asylums.... The Committee on Rights and Privileges reported a bill requiring railroads to fence their right of way within the next four years, onefourth in each year.... Bills were passed—providing for organizing camp-meeting associations ; amending the civil code so as to require parties to raise their objection to errors in complaiut in lower courts; authorizing surveyors to use witness-stones as landmarks; providing that appeals may not be dismissed if appellant shall file a*ufficient bond; adding the President of Purdue University to the State Board of Education; prohibiting nepotism on the part of State officers; reducing the salary of the Superintendent of the Kingstown Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home; reapportioning the State for legislative purposes; authorizing a temporary loan to carry on the State Government for the next two years.... Adjourned.