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II ~VQL. LI. WINNSBORO, S. G, WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 17, 1897. NO. 28. p "the antitrust bill I PASSES THE SENATE AND AWAITS & THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE. !|| veral Oiher Important Measures Pass gfxhelr Second Reading and are in a Fair BWay to Become ?Some Bills that by the TTny Side. Ktolu^ip.ia, S. C., Feb. 13 ?The senate on Saturday discussed two bills at; length on their second reading. The first, the house bill requiring the sicking fund commission to lend funds to the several countv* treasurers of the State for the use of their coun lies in preference to lending the same to other applicants for such funds; the second, a bill extending the powers of the railroad commission to the telegraph and express companies. The former passed without very decided opposition, while the latter came m for its full share of discussion pro and COB. Mr. Buist objected to the sinkiGg 'fund>being loaned to counties. He was opposed, said he, to leading money on any other security than State bonds. Mr. Henderson said the security givfa would be just as good as State bonds. He could not see the justice r.f lending this money to the banks at 4j per cent, to relend to the counties m S per cent. It was not money paid by the people aru why not let it to the counties at the 4-i per cent., thus saviog Si per cent, to the taxpayers. Mr. Buist raised otiier oDjections 10 ihe security and Mr. Moses asked him if be knevr o? any bank in the State ibat would not lend money with the <*cunty taxes pledged as security. Mr. Buist knew of no such bank. Mr. Buist moved to strike out the "?n8cting words. This was voted down and the bill passed it second reading. A bill to regulate express and telegraph companies, and to extend the powers of the railroad commissioners so as tc give them power and authority to regulate charges by express companies for transportation; to regulate charges of telegraph companies for 'he transportation of messages by telegraph, or charges by persons engaged m the several businesses named herein ; to apply the powers given to said commissioners by law over railroad companies to all companies or persons owning, controlling or operating a line or lines of express or*telegraph: ana ms-se uie peusuLy yicjvuuvu ..against railroads 'or violating commissioners* rules apply to the companies and persons herein named -whose line or lines is cra^e wholly or in part in this State was killed, after several senators spoke on it. Messrs. Ragsdale, Love and Mayfield -were for the measure. They argued that the Constitutien required the passage of such an act as this; that numerous cases of unfair treatment by these companies had occurred and for the protection of the people the bill should , pass. Messrs. Buist, Dean, Walker, Henderson ard Hsy led the opposition forces. T-.ey attacked the bill on the grounds that there was no general complaint against these companies; that in the case of express the compare nies were kept from charging exorbif tant rates by their powerful competitor, the United States mails; that if losses did occur they were always paid by the companies; and finally. Messrs. Buist and Dean opposed the measure upon the bread ground that legislation was becoming too paternal. IThe vote resulted in the bill being killed by IS to 10. A house bill to prevent the employi ment of other than convict labor on anv State farm was debated on very i much the same lines as in the house. Messrs. Meses, Kay and Connor speke & of the demoralizing effect on free labor - r 1~ 4S\ nofa ILH HctViJU^ ciic wuiMVhv the farmers. The State paid more for labor than the farmers could afford and of course secured it. Messrs. Archer, Norris and Gaine> objected to the bill. There were certain times during harvest, said they, ihat it was almost a necessity to have the cotton picked. Unless free labor was employed this could not be done and a-heavy loss would be inflicted by having the cotton exposed to the ravages of a storm. Mr. Norris also wanted to amend by striking cut the proviso against hiring out convicts except when there was no work on the State farms to be done. By a vote of 20 to 9 the amendment was rejected I ana the oiii passec. On Mondey the House anti-trust bill with the committee amendments came up after the disposition of several special orders. The only amendment of importance of these was the change of title. Mr. Henderson moved to amend by adding a proviso f hat "nothing in this Act shall atf^jt ihe Dispensary law/' The bill was '.hen passed. The bill declares unlawful and void all arrangements, agreements, trusts or combinations made with a view to lessen, or which tends io lessen, free competition in the importation or sale of articles imported iutolhe State, or in the manufacture or sale of articles of domestic growth or of domestic raw materials; to dei lare unlawful and void all arrange:nents, contracts, agreements, trusts or combinations between persons or corporations designed, or which tend to advance, reduce cr control ihe urice of such product or article to pro ducer or consumer of any such product or article; to provide for forfeit: ure of the charter and franchise of any \ corporation, organized under the laws of this "State, violating any cf the provisions of this Act; to prohibit every corporation violating any of the provisions of this Act from doing business in this State; to require the Attorney General of this btate to institute legal preceedisgs against asy such corporations violating the provisions of this Act and tD enforce the penalties prescribed; to prescribe penalties for any violation of this Act; to authorize any person or corporation damaged by any such trust agreement uj sue for the recovery of such damage and for other purposes. Th'.re was some discussion over the " 'aim fr.r Solicitor's extra charges in Uie jSroxton Bridge case. Mr. Scarborough thought the charge should be against Colleton County. Ivlr. Ken. , -tierscn explained that they T.vere t-harges incurred at the instance of the Governor and the State was the proper one to pay them. There was a sharp debate by various members and I the aye and nay vote was called for on Mr. Scarborough's motion to indefinitely postponethe resolution. The Rebate proceeded with spirit until Mr. B^gsdaie announced that it was well Bfct it "was the nrinciple of the bill Httwas being debated, for the Senate |g||already consumed enough time in J 1 discussion to disc&arge the obligation. He called for the vote. It was 1 to 19 against the motion. A message was received from the Governor recommending that the apprapriation asked for by the State Fair Association be granted. The communication of Mr. L. D. Childs showed that the society had paid back the loan of Jast year and that the balance of cash in the treasury was not sufficient to enable the society to carry cut its plans this year. The message was referred to the Finance Committee. There was some debate on the resolution to appoint a committee to examine into the Sinking Fund Comi mission. It was argued by some that I the aii'air had been argued enough, I others thought that the mere fact of its having come to the public through the newspapers was argument for the investigation by the General Assembly. The Senate passed the resolution amending it to make the commitfee i consist of hve instead of three members. On Tuesday on motion of Mr. Archer a house bill to require all county officers of the counties of the State to keep open their offices during each week day was indefinitely postponed Twenty-nine counties had asked to be exempted from the provisions of the bill before it was killed. Mr. Buist called for the special or der of a joint resolution authorizing the State treasurer to issue to Samuel Lord, as receiver of the president and directors of tie State bank, or his duly appointed successor, consolidation bonds or stock equal in amount to 50 per centum of "the par value of certain 6 per cent. State bonds and interest tnereon (which bonds were taken and lost or destroyed by Federal soldiers curing the late civil war, and to which the said receiver by decrees of the court, has been adjudged entitled), and to permit the refunding of the same under the acts for the redemption of the State debt. Mr Archer moved to indefinitely postpone the joint resolution. He spoke nearly an hour along the line of argument that there was no proof that these bonds had been stolen. Mr. Gaines spoke against the resolution. ''Strenuous efforts," said he, "are made to impress this general assembly with 4he idea that the courts have investigated the whole matter; that the validity and justness of their claim has been established beyond all fiuestion: that our dutv is simply to j lake action to remedy a little legal defect. Now to my mind nothing that has transpired in connection with this matter imposes even any equitable or! moral obligation unon this body. The courts have simply authorized these parties to come here and ask the general assembly to go outside of the law and make good their loss." Mr. j Gaines spoke along this line, and in conclusion said that this loss was nothing more than one of the casualties of the war. It would be as just for those who had lost their slaves and other property in the war to come and ask pay for such losses as for these claimants to ask for reimbursement for lost bonds. Mr. Buist, in the course of his speech for the resolution, said he -1 - J Wisneu 11 ULUCI^lwu iiv was not interested either directly or indirectly in the matter. As the senator from Charleston he had introduced the resolution, and after a study I of the question he thought it should pass. Mr. Dean and Mr. Sigsdale spoke against the passage of the resolution. Mr. Henderson made a clear exposition of the matter in favor of the passage. The aye and nay vote was taken, resulting in the indefinite postponement of the resolution by a vote of 22 to 7. All the senators voted in favor of indefinite postponement save Meesrs. Buist, Henderson, Moses, Mower, Ragin, Sloan and Talbird. In the Senate on Wednesday when | Mr. Brown's bill to require all parents j or guardians to compel their children j or wards to attend school for eight | weeks in each year was reached on the | the calendar. Mr. Ragsdale moved | to strike out the enacting words, sayj ing that it was going too far for the State government attempt to supercede the government of the family. After some discussion Mr. Ragsdale's motion was adopted by the following vote: Aye?Alexander, Archer, Connor, Dean, Denois, Douglass, DuBose, Gaines, Griffith, Love, McDaniei, Miller, Movrer, O'Dell, Ragsdale, Turner, Wallace, Williams?IS. Nay?Brown, Buist, Maulain, Mayfield, McCalla, Moses, Norris, Pettiotatit f-?son"r> Qanrierc Sr?9rVsryrr?n?h_ i Sloan, Talbird?13. Mr. Moses' bill to provide that all suits arising between citizens of this State and foreign corporations shall be tried in State courts and not translerred to the United States courts, elicted .seme discussion when it came up for a second reading. Mr. Mower moved to strike out the enacting words. He did so, he said, not because he was opposed to the bill, but because he thought it would b9 in contravention of the United States Constitution and laws and hence nugatory. It would lead to costly litigation, and besides would become a H !=>ar1 (prt<>T Mr. Moses in reply, said if there was a doubt of the bill being unconstitutional, then the benefit of the doubt should be given to the State. If this State was good enough for forI foreign corporations to do business in | then our courts were good enough to j have their causes tried in. He cited instances of the cost of trial in United States courts, and as a means of protection aga:nst these great costs he | hoped the bill would pass. 1 Mr. Mower s motion to strike out the enacting words was defeated and i thebiil ordered to a third reading. Mr. Gaines' bill to amend the dispensary law as it relates to distilleries passed a second reading. Under the present law distilleries can be established anywhere in the State by a permit granted by the State board of control. Mr. Gaines' amendment provides that such permits shall not be J ^riiULCLi ^/C^LLi^u. uy a. J lion signed by two-tniras of the free | holders" of the locality in which it is i proposed to establish the distillery. Mr. Mower's bill relating to town; ship assessors passeda second reading. | il. provides: "That from and after I the passage of this act the governor j shali appoint, upon the reccmmenda! tion of the senator and tha members of j the house of representatives from the respective counties, three discreet electors in each ircorporated city and town in this State having a population ] of not less than 500 nor more than 10,; 000 who shall be known as the board of assessors of such cit. *- ..ad towns, whose term of office shall be coterminal with that of the governor by whom such assessors have been appointed and until their successors have been appointed and qualified. The duties heretofore devolved upon the township board of commissioners as assessors shall be devolved upon the board of assessors herein provided for within the limits of their respective cities and towns. The chairman of such board of assessors shall be a member of the county board of commissioners while performing the duties heretofore devolved upon the county board of j equalization. An invitation to the senate from the j city council of Charleston to attend j the reception to be given Secretary of! 11 "^"T* TT-?~ ^ 1 0?U ^ r?4" I me i\avy xierusn uu ilio iow j.u.oo. , ; and to visit the war vessels, -was received just before the hour of adjournment. J On motion of Mr. Moses the presl- j dent of the senate was instructed to ac- j cept the invitation and appoint a com - J mittee on arrangements. Mr. Connor wished to amend by ! providing that the per diem of the senators and attaches should not be j paid that da v. "I have no objection, but I consider! it mere buncombe," said Mr. Moses, i After this hasty reply he arose j and said he did object to the, amendment. It looked little and I picavunish. and as if the people of the State had no confidence in their representatives and were always haggling over small amounts. "And," put in Mr. May field as Mr. Moses took his seat, 4 'I j ust want to say that there it no la w against a s?d ator turning over his per diem to the State treasurer if he has any scruoles about accepting it." Mr. May field went on to say that the legislature was a hard working, good tempered bcdy and he was sure the people of the State would not grudge them this day off. Mr. Archer said when he went in a party on such a trip he wished to go along with a dignified body of men, who were unsurrounded by rabble ana bummers. He objected to bummers and others because they could j save a little money flocking along with the legislature. The president appointed Messrs. Moses, Henderson and Pettigrew a committee of arrangement after assuring Mr. Archer that outsiders would not be permitted to encroach upon the privileges of the senate on this trip. There was nothing before the senate for discussion after the invitation had been accepted, so Mr. Archer- seized the golden moment to enter a complaint against the beggars who infest the State hcuse grounds and the sidewalks as the senators leave after adjournment He saidjhe was tired of being attacked on all sides by beggars with their tales of woe. He was willing to help them, but preferred to do ^^ ""ITT fi f TTo Oil -rnrcclccl tViot. if du as 11^ oa ? n^w?? -?the city was unable to care for them that a collection be taken up by the senate to ship them out of the way. While he was in the midst of his speech Mr. Ragsdale rose to a point oi order, his point being that there was nothing for discussion before the senate. Mr. Archer deftly turned the laugh on Mr. Kagsdale by replying: "Well, j i rise to a point of personal privilege." When Mr. Archer had finished stating his point of personal privilege, Mr. Sloan, as the representative from Columbia, replied to him, saying it was sadly true that Columbia was infested with beggars just now, but he understood they came from the surrounding country. Some of them were mill operatives and he was reliably ini]r>r% 4- rvn ovtrr nimo frAm fVlAmillc JLUi JJLiCU. 1-U0,0 JJdLClU JT javm in Spartanburg. He and the city would be onlv too glad to have Senator Archer care for his own poor and send them home. He would aid in the senator's proposed contribution. Ia the Senate on Thursday -when the house bill to require the sinking fund commission to lend funds to the several county treasurers of the State, Mr. Mayfield offered an amendment to strike out all after the enacting words of the bill and insert in lieu thereof eight sections,practically making it a new bill. It provides that the commission shall, whenever it is unable to purchase State bonds at par, lend the money in its hands at a rate of interest not less than 6 per cent. Such loan shall be made upon the securities of the several counties, or upon the note of any county treasurer and subervisor who shall make application for a loan not in excesss of one-third of the tax levy of their county; said note to be paid out of the taxes collected for the fiscal year in which the money is loaned, rrrith fnn fViaf fhp. f.nmmis sioncan renew the note for one year. Applications for these loans shall be received until March 1st, with the provision that for this year the timei shall extend to May 1st. The amendment provides a penalty for county I treasurers violating the provisions of | the act. J The matter disposed of at the night j session of the senate was Cherokee county. It was up for a second read-1 ing. Mr. Douglass of Union read an I affidavit from Col. James G. Gibbes stating that the area of Union county was about GOO square miles as in Mill's: j atlas, rne area cut on to xorm part 01 Cherokee county is 122 square miles leaving but 47S square miles. The Constitution requires that 500 square miles shall remain in the old counties. A similar affidavit was read from Col. John L Young of Union, his figures differing slightly from the above. He estimated that after the area was cut off 496 miles wou'd remain in Union county. On this ground Mr. Douglass submitted the j matter to the senate for disposal. Mr. Mower on behalf of the committee submitted from Colonel Young saying that the above estimate quoted by Mr. Douglass he had not taken into consideration the area of incorporated towns and one-half of Facoiet river. This area taken in left in Union a few square miles over the constitutional 500 square miles. Affidavits from other surveyors were read, snowing that Union would nave xzcr 15 square miles over the constitutional requirements. Mr.* Hay of the committee dissented | from the majority report and said he j was not satisfied that Uniori^ would [ have 500 square miles left. Farther, he did not ibink the Constitution had been complied with in selecting a name for the new county. Mr. Henderson of the c< mmittce j showed that the constitutional objection of Mr. Hay to the selection of the name was unfounded. As to the area, Mr. Henderson read affidavits from two civil engineers who had calculated the area of Union county from Mill's atlas, the same as Colonel Globes, 2nd both said that the area to bs cut off from Union was 114 square miles, leaving in the old county 507 square miles. In conclusion, Mr. Henderson submitted that the people had established their county by 5; fair, I honorable election, complying with the Constitution in every detail. Mr. Archer cpoosed the formation of the county. He did not think the required area was leftin Union.Messrs. Ragsdale and Mower spoke in fa vor 01 toe Dili. ?ne aye ana nay voie j was tbea taken on the motion of Mr. Archer to strike out the enacting words. The motion was defeated by a vote of 25 to 5, Messrs. Archer, Brown, Connor, Hay and Sanders being the only ones to vote against establishing the county. In the Senate Friday the Dorchester County bill was the special order immediately after the morning hour and hence was reached early in tne day. Three members of the committee had submitted a favorable report and three an unfavorable report on the bill. Mr. Mower moved an indefinite postponement of the favorable report and opened the debate. After a long debate a voie was finally taken on Mr. Mower's motion to indefinitely postpone the favorable report. This was defeated by a vole of 2i> to 7. The only ones voting against the county A VAVjqm n^nn*. were iueaa-ia. ai^uci, w >r ?j, lass, Haj, MeCalla, Mower aocl Sani ders. Mr. Buisfc olferei an amendment to the bili providing; that a two thirds ! vote ba given for the county seat. Mr. Henderson amended the amendment I by saying a majority instead of twoj thirds. This was done so that the question can be tested ia the courts. Mr. May field's bill for the house j bill providing for lending the sinking fund to the counties was taken up for consideration, and passed its third | reading and was sent to the House. A Sensation in Union. Union, S. C., Feb. 10.?One of the most astounding sensations that has ever been sprang upon the people of Union was awaiting the citizens Tuesday morning. The particulars, as | near as I have been able to gather I+li am ^Am no >>ti fnnwrnpd STA: S Monday night Dr, W. M Meador, one of the most; highly respected citizens of our town, closed up his drug store, which is in the handsome new bank building, by far the finest building on Main Street and in which is also the iMercbants and Planters Bank aad | several county offices. Dr. Meador was seen to return a short while after leaving the store and enter the door without striking a light. He came out after some time and left. The [door was then opened by the drug [clerk and in company with the police be went in and made a search, finding a lighted candle in the cellar, j with straw and debries saturated with j kerosene oil; also a trail or rosin leading into the room where the oil bari rels were kepi. A barrel of r^sin was [ near by, also saturated with oil, and i an oil tank was a few feet away. A j few minutes more and the greatest j conilagration ever witnessed m union ! would have resulted. A policeman j was left on guard. Dr. Meador came [back to the store at 5:30 Tuesday ! morning. Finding the policeman on duty, he asked him what he was doing there. The policeman said he had been put there to watch, as some one had tried to break in. Tne drag store is run by the Union Drug Company, composed of Dr. Manning J. Smith and Dr. Meador. The drug store is only about half iasured. I understand, about $3,000 being the amount carried. It is very hard to believe such charges against a man of Dr. Meador''s high standing. Dr. Meador in a card in the New Era to day most emphatically denies that he had anyj thing to do with the kerosene or can| die and denies that he came back to j the store that night, but says he came ! back at 5:30 the next morning to get some medicine for a headache and 1 " * - 1 3 j rouzia me policeman on guaru auu questioned him as above and did not know what'was the trouble until he saw Dr. Smith next morning. It is a serious charge and the doctor's friends would be glad if developments would show clearly that he is innocent. The matter has been the talk of the town to day. No arrests have been made and developments are anxiously awaited by all.?Columbia Register. A Train Kobbar Killed. Kisgsian, Ariz., Feb. 9.?About S:?0 last evening two robbers attempted to hold up the west-bound passen ger train on the Santa Jb'e Lime, sixty miles east of this place. After stopping the train they made the fireman jyet off the engine and uncouple the express and mail cars. Messenger : Sollers thinking that something was j wrong, tola his assistant to get olf the jcar on one side with a shotgun, while I he sot off on the other with a revolver. One of the robbers was standing near the engine, and the messenger fired at him at short range. The robber fell dead. The other robber then compelled the fireman to get on the engine again and ran the engine and two express and mail cars up the road, where it was stopped and the robbers made an unsuccessful attempt to get into the express car. The mail car was then entered, and several registered packages takea. The robber then disappeared in the darkness. The dead robber was taken to Peach Snrinc-s. but he has not beenidentfied. i Officers has ^one from Kingman | wiih Indian trailers- It was snowing latthefime, but it is now clear, and | his tracks will be easily followed. The mail clerk says there were several robbers. The amount of money taken is unknown. More Paclficos Slain. KEY WEST, Fla., Feb. 0? A letter i-eceived from San Curistobal prolines m Pinar del Rio, from a prominent Cuban there states that a detachment of San Martin's Spanish guerillas raided a small camp of pacifisos near there Friday, killing sixteen men. Eight women who were in the camp, were forced to go with the trcops. A family named Dominez, living near there who were warned to move to San Christobal last week, and who were not moving quick enough to please San Martin's officers, were arrested Thursday and brutally killed. Two of the party were women, SheriOfr Jlen Good SJiot.s. 1 HnrsTox. Tpx . Feb. 11.?A dis-l patch from Menardsville tells of a desperate encounter near that place between outlaws and a sheriff's posse. J. C. Johnson, alias R. J. Smith, and Jim Crane were killed by the posse. Another man named Uncle-wood was shot through the thigh and backbone and will die. The fourth outlaw, though wounded, managed to mount a horse rnd escaped. i THE ANTI-FREE PASS BILL. REPEALED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES A Heavy Week's "Vvoxk?aSany Bills Passed and a Number Killed?How tlie Members Voted on the Free Pass Bill. Columbia, S. C., Feb. 13.?On Saturday last the following bills were passed and sent to ihe Senate: Mr. Crum's bill to save small estates from being consumed by the costs of administration. Mr. Win go's bill to require the commutation tax to be expended in the townships in which the taxpayer resides. Mr. Rainsford's bill relative to compensation for township commissioners while serving as members of the county boards of commissioners. Mr. Ilderton's bill to provide for the removal of any county officer for incapacity, misconduct or neglect of duty, pursuant to article III, section 27 of the Constitution, was ordered to a third reading without debate. When Mr. Robinson's bill to repeal the anti-free pass act was called up, Mr. Robinson said he was ready for trial. He said it was a reflection on the members to have it intimated that they could be bought by a free pass. Mr. Patton said it would look a little bad for ihe house to do this, it was not exactly the thing. He would have to call the roll. Josh Ashley believed that every member should have a free pass on j the railroads. His people had confldence in him. He was not afraid of the ayes and noes. He created great merriment by his earnest speech. Mr. Bacol suggested that the best j way to preserve the appearance of the j thing was to amend by striking out all after the enacting words and insert instead a provision that should be! stated in the charter of all railroads ! that they must transport all members to and from the capital free of charge. Mr. Winkler insisted on the roll cal 1 on the motion to strike out the enacting words. The house refused to strike out the enacting words by a vote of 40 to 52. The following members voted against repealing the bill: Hon. F. B. Gary, speaker; Asbill, Austell, Bacot, Bethune, Caughman, CushmaD, Gage, Gasque, Goodwin, E. P.; Graham, J. S ; Graham, Thomas, A.; Hollis, Johnson, Kinard, Henry J., Lancaster, Layton, Lester, Meares, Miles, Mishoe, Moore, McDaniel, McLaurin, McWhite, Patlon, Prince, Rainsford, Russell, Simkins, Saaith, Jr., Smith, W, S.; Sullivan, Tiaamerman, Verner, Whiscnant, Wilson, Winkler, Yeldell? 40. The following members voted in favor of repealing the bill: All, Anderson, Armstrong, Ashley, Bailey, Bedon, Blythe, Breeland, Caraway, Carson, Childs, Colcock, Crum, Davis, C. M.: Davis, W. C.; DeLoaehe, Edwards, Epps,Fairey. Fox, Gadsden, Glenn,Harvey, Haselden, Henderson, Hiott, Humphrey, Ilclerton, Kibler, Kinard, J. D.; Limehouse, Livingston, Mauldin, Mehrtens, Miller, Joel H.; McCullough. Nettles, Owen, Phillips, Plyer, Pollock, Pyatt, Robinson, Sinkier, Smith, E. D.; Stevenson, Thomas, W. H.; Townsend, Wolline\ Westmoreland, Wingo, Miller, J. E , Williams, Wycne?52.1 This vote repealed the anti free pass | act and if the Senate concurs in the | action of the House the members -will be free to accept free passes from the railroads. Mr. Kinard's bill to require all common carriers to pay ail damages for loss, damage and breakage of any articles shipped over their lines, was taken up. The committee amendments were then adopted. Mr. Kinard, though no one was opposing: the bill, spoke explaining its purposes. He told of a case he had with the Southern road. Then the bill went to i - n ? .3 j; ics xnira reacting. On Monday the bicycle transportation bill was the first upon which any discussion was had. After considerable discussion the bill was passed. The bill provides that bicycles shall be deemed baggage for the purpose o? transportation by common carriers and shall be carried under the same rules and subject to the same liabilities as govern trunks and other separate baggage ol passengers. The Senate bill authorizing the Railroad Commissioners to require all railroads to erect at junctional points union depots and to impose a penalty for their failure to do so when required caused little discussion, and was passed. Mr. Wolling's bill to require all railroads to stop all passenger trains at all stations wftere an agency is maintained came up and was passed. Mr. Sullivan's bill to require railroads of a length of fifty mile or more to run one passenger train each way each day was passed to a third reading after a few minor amendments, which do not affect the general provisions of the bill. Mr. Sullivan's bill to permit the consignee to hold the last connecting line responsible for loss or damage of goods was defended by him. He did not believe consignees should be put to the expense of proving where the j 1 ?~ T t 4- U /-* 1 o of lino 1C I damage oc^urrcu. ai tu& iiu> .1^ > not responsible, it will get damage I out of connecting lines which it h2d to pav consignees. He believed it a matter of justice to merchants, who, as a class, are modest and don't take : much hand in politics or ask t'ae General Assembly for much. The bill j was passed. i The bill to amend the county gcv| ernment Act was introduced primarily to affect Kershaw county only; but members from all counties wanted to get in and the Judiciary Committee reported bacx a bill. When it came up for discussion half of the members had other amendments to otfer. As ! introduced by the committee the bill 1 reads: spftmn l. That seciion 49 of an Act i entitled, "An Act to provide a system of county government for the several counties of the State1', approved January 4, 1S94, being section US7 of the Revised Statutes of 1S9:>, be amended by striking out the words "$720.G0V and insert in lieu thereof "$S00.GU" so that said section when so amended shall be as follows: Section 49. That th* salary of the ; Supervisor in the respective counties shall be as follows: In the county of Abbeville, $900; in the county of Aiken, ?300; in the county of Anderson, $S0U; in the county of Edgefield, $450; in the county of Berkeley, ?600; in the county of Charleston, "$1,000; in the county of Chester, SS00; in the county of Chesterfield, $400; in the county of Clarendon, $t>00; in the county of Darlinston. $000; in the county of Fairfield. ?650: in the county of Florence. ?600: in the county of Georgetown. ?750; in ibe county of' Greenville. ?600: in the county of Hampton, ?600; in the countv of Horry, ?500; in the county of Kershaw, ?600; in the county of Lancaster, ?400; in the county of Laurens, $500; j in the county of Lexington, ?600; in i the county of Marion, ?800; in the j county of Marlboro. ?700; in the oun- j ty of Newberry, ?750; in the county of Oconee, ?500; in the county of Or an^ebur* ?SQ0; in the county of Pickens,"?400; in the county of Richland, 1900; in the county of Spartanburg, ?1,000; in the county of Sumter, *SUU; ie tne county o: union, ^duu; i in the county of Williamsburg, ?600; in the county of York, ?500; in the county of Saluda, $350; and the county board of commissioners of the fol| lowing counties may elect clerks of said board, and their salaries shall be as follows. Abbeville county, $150; Anderson county, $150; Aiken county, $200; Barnwell county, $350; Colleton county, $150; Lancaster county, $100; Laurens county, $100; Darlington county, $50; Oconee county, $100; Richland county, $250; Spartanburg county, $200; Berkeley county, $200; Marion county, $200; Newberry county, $200; Sumter county, $200; Williamsburg county, $50; Pickens countv, $50; Union county, $150; York, county, $150: Provided, This Act shall net take effect until after the expiration of the terms now I being served so far as relates toSuoerj visors. Aporoved the 9th day of [ March. A. D. 1S96. Mr. Bendon moved to make the salary of the Supervisor $o00 as to Colleton county. This was adopted. Mr. .Ashley moved to amend as to salary of clerk of the county board of commissioners of Anderson by striking out $150 and making it $100. Mr. Bsthune moved lo except Kershaw from the operations of the bill. Mr. Harvey suggested that debate bs adjourned, but the House refused to do so. Mr. Mishoe moved to mako Horry's Supervisor $300 instead of $500. Mr. Austell moved to make the sal- j ary of clerk of the commissioners of Spartanburg $300 instead of $300. Mr. Colcoet moved to make the salary of the Supervisor of Beaufort $300; Mr. O^ens to make the clerk's salary of Spartanburg $100; Mr. (Jaughman to make the Saluda clerk's saiary $100; Mr. Rainsford, the clerk in Edgefield $100; Mr. W. S. Smith, to make the salary of the clerk of Hampton $75 instead of $50; Mr. Skinner, clerk ii> Barnwell, $200 instead of S300. Mr. Glenn proposed an amendment that the Act should not apply to present supervisors. Mr. "Winkler held that the passage of the amendment would destroy the whole effect of the bill. Mr. Cashman expressed the hops that the amend' ment would be adopted. Mr. Gasque held that it was not right to cut aown the salaries of olncers without notice. Mr. Winkler said the bill was introduced for Kershaw county alone. If other counties doirc want to come in let them be excepted. He moved to lay the amendment on the table, which was agreed to. Mr. Magili moved to recommit the bill in order to prevent all confusion. Mr. Kinard asked whether if the bill passed now would it legally affect the salaries of the present officers? I The Chair would not answer the question, preferring to let the courts decide that, but Mr. MagilTs motion was lost and the bill was passed to a third reading. The Senate bill to include street railways in the provisions of the section of the general statutes affecting judgments for injury, was passed. It provides that such judgment shall have priority over any mortgage. Mr. Johnson's bill to provide the pupils attending the free public school text books at actual cost, was passed after much discussion. On Tuesday the consideration of Mr. Ilderton's bill to provide for a graduated license or privilege tax upon certain classes -was taken up and passed. The bill provides that ail licenses or privilege taxes imposed by any municipal corporation in this State upon any class or classes of persons made subject to such tax by municipal corporations shall be graduated according to the amount of capital invested or according to income or according to the amount of business done; the valuation of such capital invested shall be taken from the auditor's books. The bill to tax the manufacture and sale of cigaretts in this State was then taken up and passed. The bill provides that no package of cigarettes sold or offered for sale shall contain more than five cigarettes, nor shall any package of cigarette paper sold or offered for sale contain more than 100 leaves of length and width now used, and that every such package of cigar- j ettes or cigarette paper shall have! thereon a privileged tax stamp as} hereinafter provided for, which shall j be furnished to dealers in cigarettes or cigarette paper Dy the county treasurers of the counties of this State at a cost of 25 cents each, and the proceeds of the sales of such stamps snail be 1 held by the county treasurers subject: to the warrants of the boards of county commissioners liae the funds for j ordinary county expanses. Un wecnesaay wnen jir. v_/au^u-1 man's Jim Crow car biii, which had been unfavorably reported, was called up 2vlr. Meares moved to strike out i the enacting words. This brought on j i a long discussion, after which a vote! was taken and the House refused to j I strike out the enacting words by a j vote of SO to 19 as follows: Ayes?Anderson, Bedou, Child's, j Colcocic, Davis, C. M.; Davis, W. C ; I j Gadsden, Gage, Hiott, Holiis,Meares, j I Mehrtens, Mi- ;heii, McKeown, Pol- j lock, Pyatt, Reynolds, Thomas, J. P., i Jr.: Vincent?19. Nays?All, Armstrong, Asbill,Ashley, Austell, Bacot, Bailey, Banks, Bethune, Blythe, Bresland, Carraway, Carson, Cau^hman, Crum, Cushmao, Da-is, G. W.; DeL">ach, Dakes, Eiwards, Kurd, Epos, Fox. Garri;, Gasque, Glenn, Goodwin, H. P.: Graham, J. S.; Graham, T. A.; Harvey, Hazelden, Henderson, Humphrey, 11- j rWt-.-vrv Johnson. Kenned v. ICibler, ! Kiaard, H. J.: Kiaard, J. D.; Laa- j caster, Laytoa, Lester, Limehouse, j ilagill, Mauldia, Miles, -diiler, J. E. ;i Miller, J. H.; Mishoe, McDaaiei. MoLauria, McWhite, O.vea, Pa: to a, Perritt, Phillips, Pijler,Price,Priace, Rainsford, Robiasoa, Rogers,Russell, Simkias, Smith, J. R.; Smith. \V\ S.: Speer, Sturkie, Sullivaa, Thomas, W. E.; Tiramermaa, Toole, Veraer,"Wolliag\ "Westraorelaad, Wiago, Wiak ler, Williams. Wyche, Yeldell?SO. The bill provides that all railroads or railroad companies engaged ia this State as common carriers of passengers for hire shall furnish separate apartments in first and second class coaches, or separate first and second class coaches for the accommodation of white and colored passengers; provided equal accommodations shall be supplied to all persons, without distinction of race, color or previous condition, iD such coaches. An invitation was read from the Mayor of Charleston inviting the t j...j. * *.> _p /-> us^iaiaturc tv vj&it tuc cuy ui leston oil the ISth instant. The invitation said: l'Th? South Carolina and Georgia railroad have generously ofrered a special train to bring yen down on the ISth instant, leaving Columbia at 7 o'clock a. m., reaching Charleston at 11:10a. m.. and returning" same day, leaving Charleston at 5:3Q p. m., and reaching Columbia at the usual time. Immediately upon the arrival of the train a steamer will be waiting and you will be taken around the harbor and see the war vessels of the United States fleet." Mr. BicDt explained that the invitation was to the General Assembly as guests of the city,and that no expense would attach. Mr. Pollock moved a concurrent resolution that the invitation be accepted and that when the House adjturned on the l?Lh it stand adjourned until the 19th at 12 o'clockOn motion of Mr. Sturkie the hour was changed to 1U o'clock. Mr. Oushman moved an amendment that members should receive no pay on the day they took a recsss. He held that the State should not pay for such holidays. Messrs. Johnson and Sturkie agreed with him. Mr. Gi?que moved to table the amendment, and the ayes and noes were demanded. The House voted down the motion very decidedly when a TTiM -unrfi- vnto tooc Kill" nn t.he ! call many members who had voted to table the amendment changed and Mr. Cushman's amendment was adopted by a vote of t>2 to 33. Mr. Pollock moved that employes and attaches should not receive any pay during tbe day. Mr. Rogers held that it was wrong for the House to force employes who had no voice in the matter to b3 cut off from their pay. He moved to lay the amendment on the table, which was agreed to. Mr. Ilderton pointed out the inconsistency of the action of the House. They drew pay for visitingRockHill. Mr. E. D. Smith held that undgr the circumstances of the trip members should receive thftir pay. The Legislature cDuld on the trip inspect the Citadel and it might be well for members to associate vvith the people of Charleston at which ail guns had been nred in recent years. Mr. Williams and Mr. John P. Thomas held that some members would not and could not go, and they held that they should not be deprived of their pay. Mr. Cushman's amendment was then killed by a viva voce vote, the House having reversed its action. The Ciemson invitation then cime up. Mr. Pollock said no expense would attach to the trip. They would go and return on the same day. It was a legal holiday?the 22d. The invitation was uuanimcusly accented. The Dorchester county bill was taken up. The reading of the bill was nearly completed when Mr. Ilderton moved to recommend the bill to the judiciary committee. This brought on a long discussion, which was not concluded at the hour of adjournment. In the House on Thursday Mr. Price's resolution appointing a committee to investigate the dispensary was passed. The resolution is a sweeping one, giving authority to the committee to report at the next session. Mr. Limehouse s bill to declare the law relating to the mileage of all persons for the pavment of whose travelled mileage provision is made by law was called up with unfavorable report. Mr. Graham moved to strike out the enacting words. Mr. Garris said that his county particularly needed this bill. Many people there went through Charleston and charged 110 miles when it should net be over 15 miles. The bill, after this explanation, T'UA "U.T I 1 Y\r? QC + O f t Vl O yiiWCU, JLU^ kjL i J. luw payment cf the mileage of jurors, wit nesses and other persons required to attend court or to travel to perform any legal duty, said mileage shall be computed ana paid for by the shortest' practical route to be traveled over any regular established highway. Mr. Miles' joint resolution authoriz ing the comptroller general to pay all claims for elections for new counties was taken up again ana Mr. W. G. Davis moved to strike out the resolving words. He did this on the principle that when people want anything they should pay for it. There was considerable discussion over the matter?the question as to whether the State should pay these expenses, having made no previous provision therefor, or whether the counties interested shouici bear the expenses memserves. j The sentiment of the House, judging? from the debate, seemed to be against j establishing the precedent of the State I paying such expenses. The resolving words of the resolution were stricken out. Mr. Jno. P. Thomas? bill to amend the law so as to allow aiieES to own 5,000 acres of land i.? this State was ordered to a third reading. there being no opposition to it. In the House Friday when Mr. John P. Thomas' bill to permit alien ownership of lan 1 to the extent of 5,000 instead of 500 acres was taken up for its Heal reading there was considerable discussion the fight being made on this reading. Finally on; motion of Mr. Sturkie the nouse recoramitred the bill the avowed intention being to kill i,. The senate arr-ved at 1:15 and the election of the members of the board of control was entered into. For successors to Mr. Nicholson to fill the unexpired term, Mr. Goodwin of Laurens nominated Mr. O. M. Miles ! of iSpartuanbur^, a member or tne house; Mr. liderton nominated Mr. Alex McTa2?art of Florence, but withdrew it as he wished to name him for the full term. Mr. Miles was unanimously elected. He was then likewise uoaairnously elected to succeed the lats Mr. Nicholson for the full term beginning in April next. To fill the position until recently held by J. O. A. Moore, the unexpired term of Mr. Allen, Mr. Garris nominated Mr. M. R. Cooper of Colleton; Mr. Stevenson presented the name of Mr. j. 0. Moore. Senator Henderson seconded the nomination. Senator Pettigrew nominated Mr. Ales: McTaggart of Florence. The ballot resulted as follows, after several changes had been made from Moore and McTaggart to Cooper, the original vote being: very close; Moore 67, Cooper 74, McTaggert 2. Mr. Cooper was thereupon declared elected. The election for four trustees of the South Carolina College was then entered into. Mr. Childs nominated Mr. W.A. Clars of Columbia; Mr. Rogers named the Hon. Julian Mitchell "Sr., of Charleston, Mr. Sturkie presented the name of Dr. W. T. C. Bates of Orangeburg; Mr. Austell named the Hon. A. T. Smythe of Charleston, Mr. Cram nominated Mr. B. M. Shu man of Greenville; Mr. John P. Thomas, Jr., nominated Mr. Robart Macfarland or Darlington; Mr. Caughman named the Rev. J. A. Sligh of Xewberrv, but. withdrew the nomination later. For the position of one trustee for the colored State college, Mr. Kibler nominated Prof. W. K. Sligh of Newberry college. Professor Sligh was unanimously elected. The ballot for South Carolina college trustees resulted as follows: W. A. Clark70, Julian Mitchell, Sr., 9i, D<\ W. T. C. Bates 93, A. T. Symthe 67, B. M. Shuman 91, Robert Macfarland 99. Messrs. Mitchell,- Shuman, Macfarland and Bates were declared elected. An effort was made to have an adjournment before the vote but it failed, the members taking the position that the work should be disposed of at once. It was nearly 4 p. m, when the joint assembly was dissolved. There were only a few members left, in the the hall when the senate retired. As soon as the senate got beyond the doors, Mr. T. Y. Williams moved that the house adjourn. Famine in India. Jubbulpoor, Feb- 9.?On his way to this city the special representative of the Associated Press, who is examining into the famine situation in India, visited the poor houses of Bilaspur and Katni. The inmates were found to be in a deplorable condition. The buildings were overcrowded and medical attendance was lacking. A man __x.fi _/r X-I . V= i _ outsiae one or mem was aeaa ana another was dying. A girl of five years of age weighed only ten pounds and several adults were under fifty-six pounds in weight. The skin in all cases was drawn over the face, showing the outline of theskulls, and limbs and joints had tne appearance of those of articulated skeletons. There is an immense migration to the Assamtea gardens, 1,600 persons going: there weekly, deserting their wives and^^g families. Jubbulpoor is the worst a2g| any part of central India. It is e?| mated that the present famine isg|g greatest of thft ftenfarv and ly sarpass that of 1876, b^i area and severity. The famineTjiS^S??! extends to JR.iwalpindi and Bellary, and is 1,300 miles long and 400 miles wide. This is apart from the scattered districts- In all the rice districts there is no cuance of a f x>d supply until September. The government will thus be forced to support nearly all the population for six months and many of them for eighteen months. Whole villages are deserted. The govenment's policy at first was rather to ignore the famine. It is, however, now alive to the situation and strenuous efforts are made to avert horrible disaster. Out of the 750.000 inhabitants of Jubbui poor about 120,000 are now receiving relief. By the month of May this number will be doubled. The correspondent has just heard, that the Karai poor house in the Western part of the district has been burned. Twenty-five persons perished. Cholera is reported to have broken out in the Mandaid District relief works. I'ieet Has a Hard Time. Charleston. S. C., Feb. 8.?The Fern and the Dolphin, of the Blockade fleet, arrived in port early today. At noon the battleship Maine, cruisers Marblehead, Columbia and the Monitor Amphitrite arrived. The flagship New York is expected at any time. The fleet encountered a severe gale Friday night 50 miles off Caps Hatteras. Six men of the Maine were washed overboard, three of whom, Brown, Nelson and Kogal, were drowned. The others were rescued by a crew under the command of Cadet Walter L, Gherardi The fleet hphavt d admirablv. It was announced last night, owing to the non-arrival of the fleet as expected, some of the ships iiad been disabled. This was not true. The life-saying bureau at Washington, which has stations along the South Atlantic, heard nothing whatever of the squadron. It was the duty of the lifesavers to notify the bureau at Washington promptly in the event of any mishap to any of the warships. Captain Evans wired to- . day ihat in his opinion there was no occasion for the alarm, some of the vessels were slow craft, and the squardron was probably moving along in consort. This was before the six members of the 11 set arrived in port. 01 rs. Burnham'a Suicide. Starke, Fla., Feb. 9.?Mrs. Lucy Barn ham was found dead in her room at the Commercial hotel this morning, having committed suicide by taking chloroform, ixrs. Sarnham left several letters for friends in Chicago and elsewhere and a note to the public stating that the burden of life had grown too heavy for her. She was formerly ilrs. Lucy Van Evar, art critic of the Chicago Inter-Ocean, i Eight months ago she was married to Dr- Burnham, the specialist, and they ! came to Florida. YTslkeU Into a Creek. j Sr. Augcstisz, Fia., Feb. 1L?YesS terelay A^rnes Demsre, a deaf mute was left at ihs State blind and deaf institute here by her father who resides atl'unta Gorda, Fia. The child was not contented and during the afternoon escaped from the institution. Search was made without avail until phis morning when the body of the little girl was found floating in a creek near the institute. It is supposed that she was drowned in trying to j VYAUC LUC Died on the Stage. ] New York, Feb. 10.?Armand Cas1i<?imarj, -while singing the role of Tristano, in Flo tow's Opera of "Jlartha," at the Metropolitan Opera House j tonight, dropped dead in front of the fcotiignts and almost in full view of lone of the most brilliant audiences j tnai has filled the theatre this winter. ! So quiet was the matter kept, howjever. that few in the audience knew j that a tragedy had t*ken place before | their very eyes. 1