Bloomington Courier, Volume 9, Number 11, Bloomington, Monroe County, 13 January 1883 — Page 3

INDIANAPOLIS LETTER,

Swine of the TrRelpal TopteAof Interest at the State Capitol Legislative Chat. J?rom Oitr apeoinl Contributor. . Indianapolis, Jan. 8. " The .many State meetings here give the city more of -a metropolitan- -appearance than is its- wont- First-- came the school teachers to the number of some hundreds, whose int elligent bearing elicited special comment. ' Their -meetings were interesting and profitable. Among these front your p lace1 were noticed bnt no, you hare probably made note of this, and I will not arrogate local duties so early. Second and " -third the State Agricultural Board, and the Mayors; and fourth, the Legislature. ilo not understand, however, that we donoiclaim to be a metropolitan city, for we do. sThc latest intelligent estimate of tbe population making it 92,000; and the rent we pay for an SxlO room also indicates thaf the burg is running oir a -metropolitan Basis THE AGKlCmLXUBAt, BOARD has taken decisive steps in improving its rules and modes of management, notwithstanding the reports for the .past year make a most excellent showing. The decision to commence the State fair Sept. 24 is the first move in the way of improvement; the redisricting of the State another. The address of Hon. John B. Lonng -is spoken of in the highest terms; The President, Mr. L. B. Custer,inhis address made valuable suggestions, which were afterward adopted by the Board. ' Tho n!w Agricultural Board has organized as follows: " -President Bobert Mitchell, of Gibson county. "...

Vice-President Saauiel Hargrove,Pike county.

Treasurer J. A. W ildman, Marion county. ... Secretary Alexander Heron, Marion county.

525,553. The entire church membership is 444,456, of which 53,639 members were added during the year, and the average attendance at public worship was 428fS12. There are 24,003 Sunday schools, which had a-. total average attendance of 257,773. Ministers salaries for the year amounted to $1,246,713; other church expenses, 325,965, and the collections for missionary and other benevolent imrposes amounted to $187,227. Yonrs, etc., L. M. Pbei,.

LEGISLATIVE NOTES.

per-

The Governor read his message in

son. . .. .v, :' 'Che average age of the representatives appears to.be about thirty years. Senator Bell, of Allen, is said to have an eye single to the Governorship. Senator Spann,when occasion demands, seems to be the Republican leader. Colonel Tom Shea is declared out of the race for Southern prison director. Govi Porter was received with applause rhen he took a seat beside the Speaker Thursday. All theTnembers of the Hoiise took the Bible oath except Milton Harrison, of Hamilton, who affirmed The Senate pages are Bertie Hallis, of

r Green, and James W. Woodrum and

Harry Metzger of Putnam. The senate stands 23 democrats to 22 Republicans: the House 58 Demoorala, 1 ( frreenbacker and 41 Bepublicans. Senator Foulke, oj Wayne, will be recognized as one of the best talkers and most efficient members of the Senate, Senator Macartney Monday introduced a bill tocepeal the present dog law, substituting in its stead the former enactment. ........... ...... Mr. Whitsett of Marion, sent in a bill,

j similar to the Ohio law making it -a felt ony for one person to point a fire-arm at j cnother.

Lbenator rlutenmson s bill for a sewer

THE MESSAGE

Of Governor Porter to Our State Legislature. Aflairs of State Intelligently Discussed. The Constitutional Amendments,

Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives : The circumstances under which you assemble could not well be more satisfactory. The condition of the State has never been more prosperous. During the year just ended the products of our fields have been unusually abundant. Our manufacturing and mining industries have yielded good returns. Withm the past year five hundred and sixty miles of railway have been built within the State a larger number than in any previous year. Of the ninety-two counties in the State, there are only four through which i;oads do not pass, and three of these, happily, border on the Ohio river. More than two hundred and twenty-five thousand acres of land have,during the year been brought for the first time into cultivation. The practice of undcrdraining soils charged with an excess of moisture has never been so energetically prosecuted. Along with it has come increased productiveness, and a lessening of all malarial diseases. Our common schools, under the careful superintendence of a diligent and capable officer have inoreaced in usefulness and in public favor. -THK STATE DEBT. The Governor gives a lengthy statement regarding the States debt and nuances. The bonded debt aggregates 631,825,12, and to the school hind the State owes $3,-

904733.22, and to Purdue University the I

8ttmof$M0,000. Tina fiiiVEnuE. During the last two fiscal years the State government has had to be conducted on less revenue than for several yonrs preceding. Although, however, no newappraisement of the real estate will be made for purposes of taxation until 1SS6,

the great increase of personal property

lr Marion countv. ! ftt'the northern prison provides for an an has begun to be apparent on the tax lists,

Executive eoininittee--W, B. Seward, propriation of$83,Q00't6 bnild it The

Lockhart,' Dekalb; John -'Graham,

lMiaware. - - THE itAYOKS, these functionaries of legend as of ponderous corporosity, by the way, a nice set of fellows, were here, ostensibly in the interest, of municipallegislationThey held a meeting and in a very short time had perfected plans for the "alteration and improvement of present municipal codes and rules of government" to be carried out by the Legislature enacting suitable laws. Then they went to the theatre, to a dub meeting, were giddily whirled round the Belt r. r., ana finally banqueted at the Dennison,all of which is expected to be reported in thejoeal paper and the corporations generously advertised. But who blames the Mayors? Not I, Pm sure; The biennial meeting of the State law siveris upon us. "With it comes the uso-

l-hostB of lobbyists, legislators and re

spectable citizens. At-the first dav?s see

sion an organization was effected, but nothing more. The officers elected were: Jxx the House: Speaker W. B. Bynum, Marion county. Clerk- Dr. S. W. Edwins, Madison county. Assistant Clerk W.'W. PeoU, Blarion county. Doorkeeper Henry It Fry. Grant county. In the Senate: For Secretary A. J. Kelley, Vigo county. Assistant Secretary H. C. HulTstetter, Lawrence county. Doorkeeper T. P. Kirk. Marshall county. The Republicans gave their complimentary vote as follows: In the House: Speaker A. T. Wright, Grant county. Clerk W. H. Hay, Marion county. Assistant Clerk W. H. Nichols, Boone county. Doorkeeper J.- D. Roberts, Jefferson county. In the Senate: Secretary R. B. Sears, Vermillion county. Assistant Secretary Ci F, Hobbies, -Marion eounty. Doorkeeper-H. L. Jordan, Franklin county. As to the good or evil to be done it is yet too soon to even prophesy Several important matters will be before the

body,and it is hoped for the general good. duced by Senator Yoyles and passed un

it nnght be in order to say here that dar a smpn iioaes.o? rule?, there is no intention on the part of either" A reporter asked a number of Senators frose to submit, the prohibitory amend- and Representatives as to the probable snent to a vote of thejpeople. A submiss- i action of the Legislature regarding the ion may be provided -forto a general elec- appropriation asked far by the State

House contractors, to ramburse them for

3iwer has been a long felt want.

Senator Brown is nothing if not prompt. His bill relieving the governor of the' necessity of nominating trustees for the benevolent institutions,, was the first one offered. It is understood that Senator iWillard will try to secure the appointment of a committee, with himself as chairman, to investigate the affairs of the new Statehouse. Dr. Gerrish, the head of the temperance organization in the State is here, with other prominent temperance people devising ways and means to secure the submission of the amendments. The question of building a new insane asylum will be one t)f the important qestions to come up before the Legislature. . Evans ville would like to have it, and a lively lobby is probable when the matter comes up. Senator , Van Torhis Monday introduced a bill making it unlawful for a railroad company to erect or maintain any bridge or viaduct over a track unless it 6hould be at least eight feet higher than the tops of the cars which are obliged to pass under it, and in the event of an accident caused by a violation of the provisions of the act tne company will be

j responsible for damages for loss of life or

? limb.

Two years ago the Legislature enacted a law appropriating $16,900 to the members of the Indiana Legion. This money was paid into the State treasury by the general government for the benefit of those militaJy companies whose services were demanded by the exigencies of the war. It remained in the State treasury for several years and was only distributed by the act of the last session. In that act, however, by an unintentional mis-

I take, the Seventh regiment of the Indiana Legion was omitted, and Monday this omission was provided for, so far as the Senate is concerned, by a bill intro-

tlOU m IS5J. but even trtta is nnff.il

There is a recklessness of thought on

tne

V

losses alleged to have been incurred.

question, a don't-care-ativess. that i There is a very decided opposition to the

leads me to this conclusion. AndSiotonly appropriation. Whether it will amount is it the intention of som? of the" leaders ( to enough to defeat the measure remains that the amendment shoald be killed.but i1 io be seen. Representative Huston said

to Inquire into the legality of the nieas- j colleagues about the matter, and he ure, as it passed and was spread upon the ! thought that the best course to pursue records of the last Legislature indicate would be to let Messrs. Howard k Denig that there are votes enough to kill it throw up their contract if they could not i'he Temperance Committee is composed complete it for the original amount, and of a majority opposed to such laws, but give it to somebody else. On the other

hand,one or two senators expressed them-

3

tea

a

the course it will pursue with tine matter is mere surmise. Senator Yancey will shortly intreduce a bill to regulate the practice of medicine, similar to that proposed by him tiwo years ago, and he thought he would be able to secure its passage. Regarding the State Board of Health, he thought that a bill would probably be passe making some important changes in its constitution and management; Its workings hadinot been altogether satifactory, and much opposition had been developed to it, but- proba- - hly not enough to insure its abolition- -THE JEBSE CATTli BRMfOBBS have organized a State association, and will ask the.State Board of Agriculture to give some special consideration to this interest at future faira : George B. Jackson is President and T. A. Lloyd Secretary. OTHER TOPICS. ' In conformity with'the requirements of the act of 187D relating to the government pf benevolent institutions, Gov. Porter has appointed the following gentlemen as trustees, subject to the coi.firmation of the Senate: Gen. John Coburn, of Indianapolis, forpreeident of the Benevolent Institution Boards; Dr. Geo. W. Burke, of New Castle, for trustee of the Hospital for thefesane; Judge James H. Jordan, of aaartmsville, for trustee of the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, and J. H. Rerick, of Lagrange, for trustee of the Blind Asylum. All of these gentlemen are Republicans. If confirmed by the Senate, the?

will serve for fouxyea-H as the successors

-or Hon. John. Fish) ack and the three Democratic trustees; whose terms have expired. - . state Bureau cf scatistioe has just completed the compilation of the statistics regarding the condition of the churches of the State. By the reports received it is shown that the Methodists are ahead of all other denonuhations, hsLving 1,660 churohes, 124,941 members, and chnrch property valued at f 2,700,463. Tlie next largest denominations are the Catholics, Christians, .Presbyterians and Lutherans, in the order named. I'here are in alt 4,921 ohurch organizations in the State; and 4,452 ejlifices. The valuation of chisrch propeby i3,plauea at SXtor

selves as favoring the appropriaticn un-

der certain restrictions, claiming that it

would not add to the dignity of a great State to have its capitol built by private capital. There is no probability of the

matter bemg made a pohtical issue; has been intimated.

as

JOY. 1 saw ber go with flying feet, I canght the glitter of her hai r: And tlven a aadueas weird and switet Fell on the Autumn air. I hurried breathless after her, Around the corner in the dew I oaught a breath of apice and myrrh, - And fonud. a gpring of rue. ,

Jim Brown of Lawrenceburg. Cincinnati Enquirer. Probably no Indiana lawyer was ever more eccentric and more waggish t han was old Jim Brown of Lawrenceburg. His birth was a joke, and at the deathhed phe ruling passion caused smiles when there would otherwise have been tears. Some one' of thclergy of the ci ty who had offended him was sent for. As the man of God entered the sick room, Brown said: "I'm dying and I want you to pray for me' ... The minister complied, knelt by the bedside, and when in the midst of the most fervent invocation, Brown suddenly reached for his trousers, which were lying hard by, thrust his hand in a pocket, extracted his wallet, drew forth a $10 billj and held it up before the face of the kneeling man. The niinister, hearing the rustling, naturally opened his eyes, and, seeing the proffered wealth, solemnly shook his head, and said: 4f We never accept any remuneration f ox offering spiritual coiisplotioiL'' "Don't you?" gasped the dying man, "don't you? Well, Til be d-d if Pd make such a plea as you've made for les than $10." A party advertises for a servant who must sleep on the premises. The New Orleans Picayune suggests that an expolice or a private watchman might fill

( the

and by 1884 "will probably have swollen

the total value of taxaoles to as high nn

i cent nerio:i of the State's his1on?r''sN

An addition to the revenues of the State

appraisement of the State Board of Equalization, during the years 1881 and 1883, of the right of way and other property of railroad companies. The enlarged earnings of these companies were deemed to justify an average increase to the extent of ten per cent, in the valuation of property returned by them for taxation. In addition to this increase there has been an increased assessment, through the vigilance of ths Auditor of State, by securing an assessment of buildings and improvements, such as machine shops and other expensive structures, .sttuate on

what the courts have interpreted to be the '

right of way ot these companies, which j since 1872, had, for the most part, escaped taxation. Tho revenue, however, from the taxation of such buildings and improvements, would be still further augmented, without an infliction of injustice, by a reqnireinent that they shall bo appraised by focal officers in the townslups in which they are situate. The State Board of Equalization can never ascertain their value with satisfactory accuraey. Under a loose interpretation gi ven to the statute concerning Voluntary Associations, the state's revenues from insurance companies are being diminished, and an injury is oeiug inflicted upon many communities by irresponsible and fraudulent insurance companies, from other 'States and at haine, which are engaged in the transaction of businesf? under the shelter of that eruretnient. These companies have so far affected the business of sound and responsible companies, doing a fair and legitimate business, and honestly paying their taxes, as seriously to diminish their earnings and to make some of them contemplate tx withdrawal of their agencies from the Stata There is need for a prompt adoption of such measures as will put a atop, to fraudulent and speculative . fobemes which, sheltering themselves under the law of the State, inflict great injury upon our citizens and bring reproach upon the State itself. BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION?; The benevolent and penal institutions are given much consideration. The average daily number of inmates, in the Hospital for the Insane, during the last fiscal year, was 1070. The average cost per capita for maintaiuaitee, exclusive of clothing, is stated to have been $181,07. The number of pupils at the institution for the education of the deaf and dumb, at the end of the last fiscid year, was 344. The cost per capita is stated to have been 8156.32 The number of pupils enrolled at the

-Institution for the education of the

blind, during the fiscal year, Mas 156. The cost per capita is statecl to have been $216,67. . . At the Soldier's Orphan's Home and Asylum for Feeble-minded Children, H7

orphans are reported; and 87 feebleminded children; cost $125 per capita. The capacity of the buildings ea?cted by the State for the care of the insane, spacious and imposing as they are, is sufficient for little more than half of the State's insane. Attention ispartioularly invited to the report of the House of Refuge for juvenile offenders. The average number of inmates during the year was 350. The expense of providing the equipments and instructors requisite for teachim; the boys in this institution the most useful manual occupation has been fouud too xrreat.

I in the opinion of the lastLecislatures, to

warrant cnem in mating tne necessary ap- j

propnanons, A ooy, as tne case no w is, though icstructed in the simpler branches of edu'(tion,leaves'theinstitution,in most cases, little better fitted to earn a livelihood, so far as manual skill is concerned, than when he entered it. He is too apt, on that. account, to fall back into a life of crime. A system of industrial education has recently found much favor,wlnch, not professnig -to teiich manuaUtrades, gives boy a" daxterity. in handicraft which may be equally useful in many different trades. It instructs them in. the use of what, it has been said, are the Mhi!t dozen universal tools," viz;. the hammer,3aw, planet chisel, file and square. The State's prisons at Jefferson ville and fit. Michigan City aTe more nearly self-supporting than they have been for several years. , The average number of prisoners at the former prison during the past year was 564: The average number of prisoners at the'prifcon of Michigan City ras 621. DUCATION. The number of persons in the State of school age, viz., between the ages of six and twenty -one years, is 709,424. The number admitted to the schools was, in 1882, 498,792. The average daily attendance of pupils last year was 305,533. ThG number of school teachers is 13,259. The number of school houses in the State is 9,556, of which forty-eight are log, eightythree are stone, 2,481 are brick, and 6,944 are fcanie. The amount of public school fund is

&13S40881. The addition made to it an- i nually, taking as a basin an average of the !

past five years, exceeds $51,000. Tins sum does not include the large sum about 8260,000 a year received from particular licenses and other sources, and applied each year to tuition. The amount of tuition money derived from interest on the school funds in '82 was 050,173.41. The whole amount received from State and local tuition taxes was $2,059,616.44. The proportion of the entire expense of tuition paid from taxes, State and local, was 75 per cent. It will thus be seen that, ample ns our school fund is, three-fourths of the expenses of tuition are derived from public taxes. , Ths fact that these taxes aro paid without complaint is the highest evidence of tne esteem in which the public school system ie.hejd.

The report of tho State Superintendent of Public Ins traction is replete with interesting facts and suggestions. The State Norma"! School is shown, by the rop irt of tho hmntees and superintendent, to be in a highly ii mrishing condition. The average number of students during the last year was 802. The need for a moderate appropriation for the purchase of apparatus for instruction in the sciences is urgent. The importaut suggestions contained in tho reports of the trustees of the State , University, and oi (he trustees and president of Purdue University, will properly engage your most considerate attention. STATE HOARD Oi AOliJCULTURB. The State BoaM of Agriculture has shown commendable zeal during the past year in the discharge of its official duties. It is required by In w to hold a meeting m the month of January of every ear, together with the delegates from the several county societies, for H13 purpose of deliberation and consultation respecting the "wants, prosncctj and condition of agriculture thro igliout the State." At this meeting reports from the county societies, required io bo made' annually, with regard to the condition of agriculture in the several counties, aro delivered pursuant to law, to the president of the State Board. It was doubtless the expectation of the trainers of this statute that these county reports won " d furnish the chief basis for the deliberations and consultations of the board relating to the condition and prospects of agriculture in the State. If filed n proper time before tho January meeting they ; doubtless would, but not being deliverer: until after the meeting has begun, th?ly can not bo examined during the meeting with any care' and therefore form no basts for consultation or deliberation. Tho consequence is that they are, as a general rule, hastily prepared, contain little varied or specific in formation, and fail to present with fullness or vividness the condition of agriculture in the counties. If the reports were required to bo delivered to the Secretary of the Slate Board by the first of Decembe r of each year, and it were made his dtrcy to present to the board at its January meeting a copious abstract of their contents, and to arrange and index them so that the several subjects could le readily referred to, they would soon form a basis for tlie deliberation and discussions of the Board, and :heir quality would be greatly improved. It would be good policy for the stato to offer a rea-

-muaisnriMjamiyi nnnuauv for tne best

county report?fed scite emula-1

UUH, UUU. ill l.'UU WUU1U. lUMVVRtW

norts of much value to our farmers.

. Some of the professors of Purdue Universitythe State's, agricultural collegedevote the greater part of every year to studies and experiments in agriculture. If these particular professors were made members of the Htate Board, they would impart much freshness and interest to its discussions, and give to it increased energy and spirit. X recommend that two members of the faculty of Purdue University be made ex officio members of the Board, UtHSS AND MiXEBS, The number oi! coal mines in the State is 150. The number of miners employed in them is 5,100. Tho production exceeds 2,000,000 tons a y ?ar. The law iu relation to coal mines, tho' carefully framed, is believed to need some amendment in order to give proper security to the lives o miners. The State inspector is a practical miner of 1 -ng experience, and thoroughly acquainted with the needs of the mines. Hempen ropes for hoisting, are, : n hi3 opinion, unsafe iu cases cf fire. Besides, no ordinary inspec turn can detect yith certainty secret defects which often render them unreliable. Steel-wire ropes s hould be required to be substituted iii tb.pir place, livery mine, in the Inspector's opinion, should have at least two outlet?. Where a fr.rmce is employed for purposes of ventilation, and one of tho outlets is used for the escape of smoke and steam, theontUt so used is useless as a meuis of retreat in case of sudden danger. A mine in this condition

has practically but one- outlet. An additional one should, in such case, be required. . jt is made the duty of the mine inspector to examine all scales used in any coal, mine, for the p trposeof weighing coa taken out of the mine. Miners are usually paid by the ton :for their work. Justice to them and the preservation of harmony between them on 3 their employers require that correct scales shall be used. The State, however, rot having provided the inspector with sealed weights, l ie has no accurate means of determining satisfactorily whether scales are correct. The State should provide him with a set of sealed weights. COMMIS3IOSEK OP FISHES IBS. The General Assembly,at its special ses sion in 1881, enacted a law providing; for

an appointment by the Governor of a Commissioner of Fisheries. Commissioners had previously been appointed, under provisions of law, m thirty-one States of. the Union, and two of the Territories. I appointed to the office a gentleman who had given much study to the habits of fishes and to the? r propagation, and had been specially successful in the cultivation of the carp. I invite your attention to the suggestions contained in his report, The law of 1881 f eems to hstve been intended rather to sot on foot an intelligent investigation into the best means of restoring our man fishing streams, and oi' preventing a renewal of the reprehensible practices by whim they have been impoverished, than to provide an efficient; plan for supplying these streams, or to prevent a wanton or thoughtless depopulation of them. The business cf fishing, if our fishes were undisturbed in the spawning season, would soon become u profitable industry, and would give employment to mjiiny citizens. A most wholesome and? nutritious food would soon be made abundant. The temperature of our streams and lakes, and their purity, adapt them to a great variety of fishes. The biack bass, which multiply so rapidly when their spawning grounds are undisturbed that artificial proportion is never necessary, is native to our streams. The carp can be successfully and inexpensively cultivated. It has been described by Prof. Baird, the United States Fish Commissioner, as being emphatically a farmer's fish, on account rf requiring little laore care than his swine or poultry. If Indiana has lagged somewhat behind a majority of her sister States in providing for restocking her nearly numberless streams and tho beautiful lakes which abound near her northern border, shall she not make up for time neglected by tho passage of wife protective laws, and by a resolute spir t on the part of her inhabitants to secure theii enforcement? feesand salaries. : For many years complaints have been made in the more populous counties that the fees and salaries of officers were too large for the services performed. It hrs also been asserted that the means to which there are often strong temptatioi s to resort, for obtaining nominations to oflices so lucrative, and for securing success at the polls, have a corrrnpting. effect upon elections. Before tho ado tion of the constitutional amendments of 1SSI, the Legislature svas deprived of the power of curing thi? supposed evil. In that year an amendment, was passed which has removed the difliculty. This amendment was submitted to the electors of the State and prevailed by a majority of more than 90,0Q0 votes. A session of the Legislature has intervened since this amendment was adopted, but no act has been passed regulating the compensation oi officers in the manner contemplated. Every officer should be adequately paid for his services, but it is due to the people that no greater sum shall be taken from them, in the way of fees and salaries, than is necessary t o pay to tho office a fair compensation. Officers frequently, however, relinquish regular occupation to obtain these places, under an expectation that the rate of fees prevailing whei they were elected will be substantially iraintained. It might bo just, therefore, to postpone the operation of the regulating act fora reasonable time after its passage. A bill properly rcgniHtingf fees and salaries will require much

thoughtful consideration, and should engage your attention at a very early period of the session. STATE BOARD OF HBATjTH. This Board was established by an act of tho last General Assembly, Twenty-six Slates had previously established like Boards. The work of tho Board has been prosecuted with zeal. Its report, and the report of the executive ofiicer, given full statement of the work done since it entered upon the discharge of its duties. ATTORN GY-GKNERAlS "REPORT. Tho large collections made by the At--orney General of moneys reoerved by various officers, which were payable to the State, but had been withheld, and tho result of important suits in which the State has been interested, as well as the condition of pending suits, are shown by his report. Tho litigation involving the title to the valuable tract of land near Indianapolis, purchased many years since as a House of Bef uge, but not used as such, consisting of an hundred acres, has been decided in flivor. of the State, and the Stato has quiet possession of the land. T IE STATE nOTJS 12. The progress of the work upon the now State house since the General Assembly last met has, on the whole, been satisfactory. While in 1881 the work did not progress quite as actively as had been anticipated, it has luring the year just closed been prosecuted as diligently as the most; sanguine could well have hoped. Under the careful and vigilant supervision of tho commissioners! it is believed that it has "keen thoroughly well exeeuf ed, and will bear tho steroest tests. It is a subject ef great regret that the execution of the remainder of the work is liable to bo retarded by a dissatisfaction on the part of the contractors, arising from losses said by thorn to have been necessarily incurred while ihfy have been engaged in a diligent and faithful performance of their contract. Tliecost of material and the prices of labor have risen, as they claim altogether above what they expected, or what might reasonably have been expected, when they entered upon their undertaking. If they should decline to proceed further under existing circumstances a grave duty will be devolved upon you n deterurinirjg what course will be irisost to secure ah early and satisfactory execution of the unfinished part of. the workProvision svas made in the contract that changes directed by tho commissioners, with the consent of the contractors during the progress of the work, should not operate to discharge the liability of - the sureties upon the contractor's bond, and in every instance where changes have been made with the consent of the con

tractors and in conformity to an opinion

of tho Attorney ScJfcai the change

SEPARATION. '

11 i .,l,w Jnr.

B bmma Lazarus And so- wo twain must part! Oh. linger yi)t Lot me still fowl my elauco npon Forget not, love, tho days of our delight, And I our nights of Wit ahW over prize lu dreams thy shadowy image 1 shall sec Oh, oron in my dream b kind to mo! Though 1 wre dead, I none the lose would huar Thy etep, thy garment rustling on the snd, And it thou -waft mo Kroetings from tho grave, I shall drink deep the breath of that cold ltnd, Take thon my days; command this lit e of minio, If it can lengthen out tho space of thine. No voice I hear from lips death-yale and chill, Yet dtep within my heart it echoes stil l My frame remains, my soul to theo yearns forth, A shadow I must tarry still on earth. Back to the body dwelling here in pain. Return, my soul, make hagto and come again.

JANE FIELD'S WORK

Jane Field was not a strong-mended woman, nor even a cultivated one. One look, at her broad, kiisuly countenance, full of contentment, ana her patient gray eyes, was enough to convince you that she was satisfied with her little world and had no aspirations after change. She had obeyed willingly all her life, tirut her parents, and afterwards even the children, her half-brothers and sisters, had exercised from their very babyhood a loving, unconscious tyrranny over hr which Jane found truly pleasant. She would have found 110 interest; in "spheres" or "missions' if they had been subjects she understood, yet she did -a man's work without opposition and received a man's pay without demur on the part of her employers. It came about in this way: Her mother was a pleasant-faced little woman without a particle of courage or force of will. She married an improvident and unsuccessful man, who died young, leaving her a widow, with one little girl of five years Jane herself and without any visible means of support for either. In her straightened situation she came to H to live by her own labor, although she was ill fitted in any respect to fight the battle of life, nor' was she strong enough in soul to do her work

ing out. Tom waa an honst hard working young farmer whose little farm joined mine. I stopped him and after a little talk about long raina aud lat e seasons, I said as we walked on: "Why, Tom; I did not know you knew the Litohfields. Jane is a good girl, iun'tshoV" Tom's sudden bh:sh anu confused answer threw a. light over his late visit. I shook hands with him and congratulated him heartily. Of course I had much to say of Jane's merits. "Aye, sir," he answered with a broad smile of satisfaction, "there's such a pleasant, kindly way about her, and then the children do take to her noV "How will you manage about them, Tom?" I asked. ' 1 Mrs Hayes," (the employer's wife) "will give Mollie a rood place any time she is ready to g Tommy and Ned will come to us, and tho other boys, you know, aro at work for themselves, and doing well. They'i e honest lads, sir," "But Litchfield himself?" Isaid. The father? Why, nothing but death will ever part Jane from him, and good reasons too; he was a kind friend to her when she was helpless." "She has fully repaid it since, Tom," "True, sir, but the more you do for one, the move you love him, and a good daughter makes a good wife, as they say, sir. Oh, he's heartily welcome." And so Jane left the mines.

COXSTTTUTIOJsAn AMfiNDSSNTS. . . "

The first nection of the sixteenth article of the State constition is hi tho following language: "Any amendment or amendments to this constitution may lie proposed in either branc h of tho General Assembly; and if cue same shall be agreed to by a majority of the members elected to each of tho two Houses, such proposed amendments sha h with the yeas and nays

thereon, be entered on their journals and

In tnTjuJrbf bef difficulties and discouragements she happened one day to meet Berke Litchfiefd, an old lover of hers years ago, and now a strong, tnrdy miner, looking fully able to support a d; zen or so by his own hands. She was

B'codl-.ounds During -Slave Days. Lyin hbnri? (Yu.) LetKT. Tlrt win iYmr.f fn kbv tlinf. lilnorl

hounds were not used for this purpose in ! terward when ohres8v.hastily at midnight

I to run to a fare. :wv ; -

A LITTLE SPIOE ; The latest oi the salvation Amnpfto: I f you can 't get in at the golden :ate. Got over tho garden wall. The mouthpiece of the telephone mnj be perfectly respectable, but there area great many things said against it Tom Thumb is a Knight Templar.- He is the shortest knight in the world even shorter than the night of the 2lat of June "I aim to tell the truth." "Yea," interrupted an acquaintance, "and you are probably the worst shot in America." The worst about kissing a Pittsburg girl is, that you carry the marks of coal dust about your nose and features until you reach the nearest pump. If a two-wheeled wagon is a bicycle and a three-wheeied'wagon is a tricycle, what would you call a five-wheeled one? Tom A V-hicle, of course. The man who brags all summer, about being a good skater has switched off from

that topic and is now telling the boys what a "hoss" he is to bind wheat J "f .v Our youug men are coming to the front, cries a political journal. It doesn't look that way at the theatre. Juist as many bald heads in th? front row as ever. ;. The St Louis brewers are going to start a paper in the interest of their business. The idea is, we presume, to make it such dry reading that you must rort to beer to quench the thirst' ' ; , ...T Herbert Spencer ia a philosopher-' and Bimarck is a statesman, but eitheriOne is just as likely as an ordinary man to put on his trowsera first and his drawers af-

ref erred to the general AsFCmblv, to.be chosen at the next general election; and if, in the general assembly so next chosen such proposed amendment or amendments shall be agreed to by a majority of all the members elected to each House, then it shall be the duty of the General Assembly to submit such amendment or amendments to the electors of the State; and if a majority of said electors shall ratify the same, such amendment or amendments fihall become a part of this constitution." At the special session of the General Assembly i n 1881, several joint resolutions were introduced, which were passed by a vote of a m tjority of the members elected to each of the two Bouses, proposing certain amendments to the constitution. The titles of the several resolutions, and their numbers were entered on the journals of the two houses, together with the yeas and nf.ys on the passage. An enrolled copy of each resolution containing the amendment set out at full length, was signed by the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Represents--fives;, transmitted to the Governor and filed by him, in conformity to law in the office of the Secretary of State. In the eanvar-s for the election of senators and representatives to the present general assembly, the point, it is believed, was not

raised thai proper steps had not been taken in the last general assembly to en

able the present one to consider the amendments. Since the election, however, the point jas b;en raised through the public press that the proposed amendments are not in a condition to be considered by the present general assembly, because, it is said, they were not entered at length on the journals of the two houses of the Inst general assembly Neither of the po ints raised has been settled in this State by any judicial decision An executive construction was given, however, to one of them in a message of Governor Baker, in the case of what is known as the Wabash and Erie canal amendment. . The amendment was not entered at length upon the journal of either of the two houses. The resolution by which t Lie a mendmect was proposed was referred to in the journal of eaeh house by its title merely, and the enrolled copy thereof was signed by the presiding otticer of each house, and was duly filed in the office "of the Secretary of State. Governor Baker maintained that this was a sullicient compliance with the terms of ths constitution. The constitution requires, in case of bills, that upon the passage thereof the vote shall V taken by. yeas and nays and entered upon the journals of the two Houses. In a case where the point was urged that an act was . not in force because no entry of the yens and nays on its passage appeared in the journals, the Supreme Court held that the signatures of the presiding officers were conclusive evidence or" tho passage. The constitution is silent respecting the manner in which a proposed amendment shall be referred from the first to the second General Assembly The main object, no. doubt is to get it before the second Assembly.. If the genuine resolution passed comes before the second Assembly, and is acted upon, the object of a reference would seem to have been attained, ami th purpose of tho trainers of that instrument to have been carried out. There was, I believe, no formal reference of the amendments adopted in 1881 by

the first to the second General Assembly.

too much absorbed in her troubles to remember the ol.i dream. But some lingering fancy from his youth stirred in the man's heart as he saw the pale, tired little womau going every day about her work with her thin faced little girl, and at last he ottered her a home a his wifa Noj with any special show of sentiment. Berke was never giv n to that, but kindly enough. gl'Thou knowest, Jennie," he said in his rough but kindly voice, "I vowed 1 would never ask thsa a seeond time; but a bad vow is best broken, and chou art too weak to be left- to thyself. I don't like seeing it while I am strong enough for us both.'' Mrs. Field looked up with a smile. It would be a pleasant relief, she thought, to be freed from her present anxiety and toilsome labor, then she glanced at Jane and sighed. The man understood her glance. He called the child to him and smoothed her light, tangled hair. "She shall be my own daughter now, will you not, little one? Jennie, I will take as good care of her as if she were mine in truth." So they were married, and as Jane grew up she had the cares of a nUrse to five brothers and sisters, all of whom learned quickly enough to run to her patient arms as their never-failing refuge :in all kinds of childish trouble or perplexity, and listen to her cheerful voice ;as the source of moat of their little pleasures. But the duty she loved best of all was to render any service to her stepfather. Every day at noon she carried his, basket of dinner to him in the mines; he liked to hear her talk to him while he ate. Sometimes she tried to manage his tools and she became stronger and more expert in their use every day. About the time of the birth of the sixth child, Jimmy, she noticed that her stepfather began to look very lirtd when he came home, and said verv little. Also when he had finished his dinner and returned to his work he was unable to find his tools at once, and groped after them like a man feeling his way in the dark. One day he wearily put his hands over his eyes, as he got up from dinner, and Jane said gently : "Father, thon'rt downright tired. Let me work awhile." "Nay, lass; but I do loss and less every day, and get less wages." "Then rest now, father, aud let me work. Thou'st worked for me many a day." It was the same next day, and the next, and the one hour's work lengthened into two and three, until the mother began to fret over Jane's long delays at the mine. Berke Litchfield roused up at that, and, for the first time, spoke roughly to his wifo: "Nay, do thou let them alone; I'll not have it" One evening, as Jane was finishing the whole afternoon's work,she was surprised

In the canvass last autumn it is said "by his coming near, in his dossed, uncer-

that some of the senators and representa

tives who were chosen at the November election publicly pledged themselves that, if they were chosen, they would vote at the presort session to mibmit the amendments at f, special election. Without saying anything respecting the merits of the several amendments, I can frankly express a belief that pledges upon which electors were induced to vote for gentlemen holding seats in either of the two houses of this Assembly, will not be disregarded except for overwhelming reasons. Other topics discussed by tho Governor are report of tho departments of statistics and geology; public printing; the State miiitia; revised statutes; the Kankakee marshes, etc , making a voluminous document. In concluding, he ren usf- m the Legislature to resort 'vigorously to tho considcrtion of its business.

What the Twins Were Named. Texas Sifli ts. "So you have got twins at yonr house V" said Mrs. Beeznmbe to little Tommy Samuelson. "Yes mum, two of 'em." "What ire you going to call them?" "Thunder and Lightning." "Why, tvhoso are strange names to call children." "Well, that's what pa cahed them as soon as he heard they were in tho house." The ioe-pi toher seems likely to disappear, the latest method devoting a dainty glass carafe and their tumbler filled with ice to each person -

tain way, and asking wistfully: "Lass, art thou tired?" "I could do as much again," she replied, laughing. "Eh, but thou'rt a powerful lass for thy age," and he said no more until she came to take nim home,then he spoke iu a very broken down way that went to Jane's heart: "It's all up now, my lass. Thou' 11 have to take me home for good. I'll never see thy face again, nor little Jimmy's." Then suddenly stretching his powerful limbs he cried out in a voVe hoarse with pain and unlike his own: "My God! I am blind and my children n "Poor fauher," said .lane, gently touching his arm, "but I'll do tho work all tho same." "Eh! But thou'rt only a girl. They'll not let thee." Til do a week's work first, and show them I can. They'll be glad enough to have thy place filled now, father." For if so happened that a strike was imminent at the Lowerfield mine and Berke Litchfield was one of the few steady men who could always be relied on by his employers. And so it happened that at a man's wages Jane did a man's work in tho mines and did it well, But Jane did lose her place at last after four years of faithful work. One day passing by her father's pleasant place, I was surprised to meet Tom Bolton com-.

the South?"

"Certainly I do,' replied the ex slave owner; "but I will not go as far ns that. I have never been farther south than North Carolina. What was done in the large cotton and sugar producing States I am not prepared to say with authority, although I incline to the belief that bloodhounds were never used anywhere in tho South for tracking negroes. I do assert positively ot my own knowledge that neither in Viv iniaor North Carolina were bloodhounds used for this purpose. I know nearly all the principal slave-owners in those two States, and know that they did not resort to such practices. I &ft0sw an old man and I have never seen a bloodnTuAnXvgSf'

ia until I saw the four parading the sired s with Abbey's company. Tlfe South has been cruelly misrepresented in this matter. ' ' v Following noon the trail of the bloodhound question, the cor re ipondent interviewed an Alabama planter who said: "I never saw a bloodhound in my life. In my State, as in other of the neighboring States, there wert, hete end there, what were known as 'negro hounds, bufc they were -rarely kept. They weie sometimes hired out to planters. I am mot sore that in some instances they were not owned by free negroo?, who hired them out when needed for following fugitive slaves. Planters their ?elvei rarely owned a pack. A man in a county might have a pack W'hich he kept to hire out, and when a slave attempted to escape his owner would send to tlie man who had the hounds, and he would immediately come with the hounds. No one was ever hurt by them. They were trained not to bite, for the very object of their employment would have been defeated had th-5y destroyed the property they were called into requisition to save. The employment of negro hounds' was rare, however. During the war they were employed in a novel way, and far more efficaciously than in oatching runaway .slaves. I have been surprised that the interesting fact has escaped the war clirouiclers. During the operations around Mobile, when it became necessary to protect the Confederate line of telegraph, the officers were at their wits end to know how to prevent the en emy from cutting the wires. As fast as this line was up and in working order it would be clipped by parties of Northern soldiers ambushed for the purpose. It took regiments to guard the wires. Some one, fortunately, thought of the 'negro hounds,' ana they were called into requisition. There was no more cutting of the wires after that, as the enemy's me ugaged in the business were unerringly

I traced up and caught. The hounds were

then sometimes jocularly called 'Yankee dogs' and 'the war dogs of the Confederacy.' Their drivers regularly patroled the telegraph wires with them." Stopping Engines by Electricity, Mr. Tate, the manager of some large woolen-mills in Bradford, England, has devised a method for stopping steam engines by the electric current in case of a break down of machinery or other accident in factories, or m the event f an impending collision on board pteamship. The apparatus consists mainly of a weighted suspension rod, an ordinary Leclanche battery, an electro-magnet and connecting wires leading to any number of points from which it is desired the engine shall be controlled. The electromagnet is placed in a small box at the top of the stopping apparatus, which is connected with the stop-valve of the engina Should an accident occur to the machinery in any part of the factory where thejeleotric push is fixed, upon the button being pressed and contact made the electro-magnet acts fupon the lever, which releases she weighted suspension rod. This rod descends by gravity, and in its descent it opens a three-way cock, by whjch means steam is admitted from the boiler to a cylinder containing a piston, which latter is raised, and, hi rising, closes the stop-valve and shuts off the steam. In like manner the captain of a steamship can from the bridge stop the engines of his vessel instantly should he see danger imminent, thus avoiding the delay incidental to the giving of a signal to tho engineer and tho risk of that signal being understood in the moment of peril. "God Pity Poor Net" Troy, (N, Y.I Spfcliil. ... Nettie Card, aged Ji1 years, has, since the death of her mother, five years ago, kept house far her father and grandfather in an isolated neighborhood several miles from Troy. Her life has been that of a drudge, and her treatment inhuman. On Sunday morning she was discovered lying ing in the snow, sobbing: "Jesus, pity poor Net." When taken into the house it was found that she had taken strychnia. Her head was frozen. In ten minutes she died in dreadful agony. She had threatened suicide the day previous, and the inhuman relatives volunteered to got her a razor lo out her throat. "The damned critter has taken poison,"was the remark of he:: grandfather as he stood over the corpse. The girl was shortly to become a motaer, and the Coroner will investigate the report that her.fether was the cause of her dishonor.

"Clara" writes: think it is real mean of the paperssto intimate that lovers- increase the expenses of livings on account of the extra consumption of coal and gas every night It is not true. It' ifr e&sy enough to keep warm, and as for dight, who wants it?" s ., "

tn t.Vta t. nolifemen f

xxj j xvi ' TV Are you acquainted, "with him?" asked Milligan's wife, as she and her husband were walking home from the theer the other night. "Oh, no! I don!t know tho man," replied Milhgan; "ItS.was simply my duty as a -citixen tcjseeifhe was awake.". ... ,,vv-

A wealOiyfifeatbr gg, . jftWg

the street, surprises a ten-year-old urchin

with his hand in the stockbroker s poclcet, attempting to perform the handkerchief trick. "You young scoundrel r he exclaims, with severity , "are you not atoned of yourself to steal-at yonr ?" ' . . .v- . "-- '., INTERESTING 3TEMS;f ; An Illinois physician has been compelled by jury to pay $1,000 damages for unskilfully setting a broken honel! 'A tough old gander, in, Lake ;Como Florida, whipped a five-foot alligator in a fair right, last week, in his own element A party advertises for a rservsjit who must sleep on the premises. The New Orleans Picayune suggests that an ex-policeman or a private .yatclamjan, might fill the bill. ,.1'... A prize exhibition of St Bernard dogs was lately held in London. The Wghest prize was won by a master St Bernard, whose master refused. $$0,000 for him .... ." . " -W" '

. not long ago. .. ; v

Thurlow Weed smoked for fifty years. He gave up the use of tobacoc fifteen

years ago, ana nas sceaauy wuhj

fiinra. This mav be nermcions aoctnnes

but it is history. The Georgia Legislature madean appropriation of $1,000 for a portrait' of the last Senator B. H. Hill, to be-placed on th wall of the Chamber of Bepresentaiives. A Georgia artist win" bo selected co paint it ,, ,; , , Capt David Crockett, a gnindson of the famous Davy Crocket, the Kentuokey frontiersman, is a etalwart six-footer, resembling his back woods ancestor; but

he is far more sophisticated, having just been sentenced to two years'i- imprisonment, not for some reckless and unlawful deed of bravery, but for sordidly making and passing connterf Ait money; Editor Medill, of Chicago,who in his younger days was a farmer, says in his opinion no trade requires so long a time ;to learn as that of the farm, and that the man wnoot Wn brought up on av farm, but who has spent; uiyoTsng life in a city, and attempts farming vUl faili His observation is that not one city-. bred man in a hundred who atempts farming, no matter what his judgment, industry or capital, can make it pay. A tame deer belonging to Samuel Long, of Sheridan, Berks County, Pa., was soared by a doer, and jumped the fence and ran away. The frightened animal ran mac' a circuit of ten mi'es, snd in its journey attracted about fi'ty armed hunters and many dogs. After an exciting chase, attended by much exoitement, the deer-safely reached home, and many hunters were disappointed. .. As soon as a young man and young woman are engaged in Norway no matter in what rank of life, betrothal rings are exchanged. These rings are worn ever afterward by the men, as well as by the women. The consequence is that one can always tell a married man, or at least an engaged man, in Norway, in the same way that one can tell a married joxnan in England when she shows her hand. Gold rings are used by the rioh, but silver, either solid or in filagree,by the poor. There is no married man in Norway, no matter how humble be may be, who does not bear this outward mark of hw . submission to the matrimonial bond. But this is not alb As soon as a man is engaged he has . calling-cards printed,, with the name of his fiancee immediately be-

ow his own.

I

Take Sides.

It was during the hotly contested days

rf Whirr nnrl TArilOArai ill Calif oHSffiuTf

a poor Democrat was caught in a XVhig camp he was pretty sure to be thumped; and if the Democrats caught c Whig they tanued his hide. It yas only sufficient for the weaker party to differ with the stronger, to insure the weaker one a trouncing. One day a big, burly man overtook a meek, hang-dog looking fellow and at once said to hha: "Are you a Whig?" . "N-o," slowly and dubiously answered thefellow. . 1

"Then you must be a Democrat, asy the reply, in a loud and threatening toney "No I hain'V'oame the wjoigiansw "Then, by , yon . are' one of those infemal cbolitioniste,'srdd the mtrrogator, rolling up his sleeves and jumj)ing from his horse, ; - "N-o I hain't nutherr " "Then what in the aryou?"

"wny, i nam s notEan jpos&Frr? onw Jzgig

- ir

CUSS. ... . . , .;. : . .. . ( K00W In the battle of life xa :

iaee.

4&KSES&"