Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1875 — INDIANA STATE LEGISLATURE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA STATE LEGISLATURE.

Senate, Feb. 13.—Nearly the entire session was occupied in considering bills on second reading... .The bill providing that railroad employes living within the State shall be given the benefit of the Indiana Exemption law* without regard to the' law of other States was indefinitely postponed... . Adjourned. House. —Bills were passed—legalizing the acts of the Trustees of Spencer, Owen County; reducing the price of Supreme Court Reports to SJ per volume, and prohibiting the publication of decisions merely artinnatbry of the previous published decisions; exempting —real--estate and. per.-onal property oi agricultural societies from taxation, but not such as are organized on the joint-stock principle; providing for perfecting titles to lands from tin* Wabash A Erie land grant; limiting the power of• County Commissioners to expend money for public improvements to one-fourth of 1 per cent, of appraised value of property without Authority, of a vote of the people: appropriating £2l,ltvi to pav the debt of tlie State Normal School; and providing that suits on notes shall begin in tlie county where the maker, drawer, or accepter resides...-The joint resolution asking Congress to pass the bill equalizing bounties was unanimously adopted... .The Committee on Railroads reported against the bill requiring railroads to fence roads ... Adjourned. Senate, Feb. IC.—The entire day was occupied in the consideration of the BaxterJcflries contested election ease without reaching a conclusion.... Adjourned. House. —Hills were passed—to keep "Open- and maintain streets- at the public penso; to incorporate cemetery organizations; appropriating SS,OOO for a geological survey of the State.... The Gill providing for keeping roads in repair by taxation was in-, definitely postponed... .The report of the majority of the .Select Committee on Legislative Apportionment was submitted.. Pending discussion over the bill continuing the office of County Superintendents of Schools, the House adjourned.—

Senate, Feb. 17.—Immediately after assembling the Senate joined the House in joint convention for tlie election Of certain State officers, which occupied tlie remainder of the forenoon session.. .. In the afternoon the discussion of. the Jeffries-Baxter contested election was resumed. A vote was finally taken, resulting in Baxter retaining his seat .byACIuiSL..-.-Adjuurncd., . *■.' House. —After the transaction of unimportant business both houses went into 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; 11. 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. Otluir officers were elected, as follows: Trustee of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, I)r. 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, l.ycurgus Dalton, of Lawrence....ln the aft Jrnoon 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 »er diem of 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 '-13 to 18.... Adjourned. House. —The bill amending the law creating the office of Superintendent of Schools was taken uu by sections in Committee of the "Whole and defeated... .Concurrent resolutions were introduced—tliankiug 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 binVompelling railroads to fence their right'-of-wav, 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 'vears, 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 hearing sundry per,synal explanations, and iu considering the bill for a uniform system of roads making Township Trustees er-ojfficio Supervisors .of Roads, which shall be kept in repair by the lowest bidder: 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 taiu State officers; providing forthe organization of Granges under the Voluntary Association act; limiting the expenditure of money by County Commissioners to one-half of 1 ]>er cent, of the appraised value of property in the county, except when authorized by vole 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 apy additional bond; fixing the pay of Judges aud Clerks of Election Boards at'sl.so 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 uuder, concurrent jurisdiction in cases of fI,OOO, and jurisdiction in confession u> the amount of SI,OOO was ordered engrossed ....Billswere passed—legalizing the incorporation of the town of Chester, Porter County: providing homes for orphans in countyasylums, and making the per diem of members $6.00, with $5.00 mileage for every twentyfive miles traveled.... Adjourned.8a v ate, Feb. 30.—Bills were 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 iff girls under twenty-one years of age; for organization of military companies of not less

than attteln members in each Congressional district; for the abandonment of the State Prison at Jeffersonville and for the appointment of a commission 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 tlie consent of parents Adjourned. House.—Several reports from standing committees were presented.... A bill was introduced for the farther protection of miners i‘.... The House adjourned early on account of the funeral of Mrs. Senator McDonald.