TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1904. Prayer by Rev. G. H. Spooner, of Broad-Street Methodist Church. On motion of Mr. OWENS, the reading of the Journal was dispensed with. A communication from the Senate, by their Clerk, was read as follows: In Senate, February 22, 1904. The Senate has passed Senate bill entitled an act to amend and re-enact section 3049, as amended by an act approved May 20, 1903, as amended by an act approved December 12, 1903, as amended by an act approved January 12, 1904, No. 53. In which they request the concurrence of the House of Delegates. No. 53, Senate bill was referred to the Committee for Courts of Justice. No. 8, Senate bill to amend and re-enact an act entitled an act to provide a new charter for the city of Bristol. Having been considered by the committee in session, was reported from the Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns. The following House bills, having been considered by the committee in session, were reported from the Committee for Courts of Justice: No. 140, House bill to amend and re-enact an act entitled an act to amend and re-enact section 3184 of the Code of Virginia, to provide for general index to deed books and other records, approved February 29, 1902, and to provide for the verification of same. No. 141, House bill to authorize the Governor to grant a conditional pardon to persons confined in jail, upon recommendation of the keeper of such jail. No. 142, House bill to amend and re-enact section 2291 of the Code, as amended by chapter 1139 of the Acts of Assembly of 18991900. No. 143, House bill to restrict the use of barbed wire in fencing. Having been considered by the committee in session, was reported from the Committee on Agriculture and Mining. The following House bills, having been considered by the committee in session, were reported from the Committee on Roads and Internal Navigation: No. 144, House bill to amend and re-enact section 3725 of the Code of Virginia, as amended and re-enacted by an act approved March 3, 1894, and as further amended and re-enacted by an act approved March 5, 1896, to provide punishment for maliciously or unlawfully shooting at or throwing stones or other missiles at or against any train or car of any railroad or other transportation company, or at or against any vessel or river craft, and to provide for section 3725a. No. 145, House bill to amend and re-enact section 3725 of the Code of Virginia, as amended and re-enacted by an act approved March 3, 1894, and as further amended and re-enacted by an act approved March 5, 1896, to provide punishment for maliciously or unlawfully removing or impairing any part of a canal or railroad, or any bridge or fixture thereof, or for maliciously or unlawfully obstructing, tampering with or injuring any machinery, engine, car or work thereof, or for maliciously or unlawfully opening, closing,. displacing, tampering with or injuring any switch, switch point or switch lever or signal of any railroad company. The following House bills, having been considered by the committee in session, were reported from the Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns: No. 146, House bill to incorporate and provide a charter for the town of Damascus, Virginia. No. 147, House bill to amend and re-enact section 1, chapter 112, of an act approved March 28, 1903, in relation to changing the boundaries of wards in cities, and for increasing or diminishing the number thereof. No. 148, House bill to repeal an act approved February 16, 1901, entitled an act to amend and re-enact section 92 of an act entitled an act to incorporate the city of Newport News, in the county of Warwick, and to provide a charter therefor, approved January 16, 1896. No. 149, House bill to provide for the payment by each county treasurer of balances of money shown to be due his county, or any district thereof, upon the annual settlement of his accounts with the board of supervisors into some bank or banks designated by said board as a county depository, and for the disbursement of said money, with a recommendation that it do not pass. No. 150, House bill to prohibit the throwing of poisonous substances into the North Fork of Holston river, in the counties of Smyth, Scott and Washington, which injures or destroys any live stock, fish or fowls, with a recommendation that it do not pass. Mr. GRIFFITH offered the following joint resolution: Whereas, Joseph H. Shepard, one of the clerks of the Auditor of Public Accounts of Virginia, was, on the 19th day of June, 1901, convicted, in the Hustings Court of the city of Richmond, for embezzling numerous small sums of public money, aggregating a large amount, belonging to the Commonwealth of Virginia; therefore, Resolved by the House of Delegates (the Senate concurring), That the Auditor of Public Accounts be, and he is hereby, requested and directed to furnish to this General Assembly a statement showing the amount of money embezzled by the said Joseph H. Shepard, and whether or not any of the said money has been paid by said Shepard or his sureties on his official bond, and what legal proceedings, if any, have been instituted against the said sureties for the recovery of the said money so embezzled; and if no such legal proceedings have been instituted, why not. Which was agreed to. Mr. DUKE offered the following resolution: Whereas, Hon. William J. Bryan is now on a visit to the city of Richmond; therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Delegates (the Senate concurring), That three members of the House, to be appointed by the SPEAKER, and three members of the Senate, to be appointed by the PRESIDENT, be, and they are hereby, appointed a joint committee to wait upon Mr. Bryan, and invite him to appear before the General Assembly and meet the members thereof. Which was agreed to. Ordered, That Mr. DUKE carry the resolution to the Senate and request their concurrence. A message was received from the Senate by Mr. BARKSDALE, who informed the House that the Senate had agreed to the resolution with the following amendments: Strike out the words "be, and they are hereby, appointed," and insert in lieu thereof, "who shall constitute." Amend by making it read, "three members of the Senate." The SPEAKER laid the resolution before the House. The amendments proposed by the Senate were agreed to. Ordered, That Mr. DUKE inform the Senate that the House had agreed to the amendments proposed by the Senate. The SPEAKER appointed Messrs. DUKE, WOOD, and ROBSON the committee on the part of the House. The committee subsequently reported, and presented Mr. Bryan, who responded appropriately, and whose address was enthusiastically received. The following were presented and referred under Rule 37: To the Joint Committee on Special, Private and Local Legislation: By Mr. WOOD: A bill to extend the time of A. W. McKim, treas urer of Page county, and his deputies, for the collection of taxes. which the said treasurer has accounted to the State and county authorities for the years 1899, 1900 and 1901. By Mr. WITHERS: A bill to amend and re-enact chapter 330, Acts of the General Assembly, session of 1869-'70, in relation to the care and management of certain poor funds in Nansemond county. By Mr. HOWLE: A bill to amend section 15 of an act entitled an act to repeal the charter of the town of Smithfield, and to grant a new charter to the said town, approved February 17, 1900. To the Committee on Finance: By Mr. REW: A bill to amend and re-enact section 142 of an act of the General Assembly. of Virginia, entitled an act to amend and re-enact sections 75 to 147 inclusive, of an act approved April 16, 1903, entitled an act to raise revenue for the support of the government and public free schools, and to pay the interest on the public debt, and to provide a special tax for pensions, as authorized by section 189 of the Constitution, and to provide social clubs chartered since April 16, 1903, shall obtain license to sell wine, ardent spirits, malt liquors, or any mixture thereof, and to provide the punishment for the violation of sections 141 and 142 of said act. By Mr. WOOD: A bill to amend and re-enact section 2 of the act entitled an act to provide for a method for a better assessment of personal property under the control of fiduciaries and the several courts of the Commonwealth, approved March 4, 1896, approved March 3, 1898. To the Committee on Schools and Colleges: By Mr. REw: A bill to amend and re-enact section 1459 of an act approved December 28, 1903, entitled an act to amend and reenact chapter 66 of the Code of Virginia, relating to public free schools and to the literary fund. To the Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns: By Mr. WITHERS: A bill to repeal section 1052 and to amend and re-enact sections 1049, 1050, 1053, 1054, 1055, 1056, 1057, 1058, 1059, 1060, 1063 and 1064 of the Code of Virginia, and 1065, as amended by an act of the Assembly approved 27th of February, 1896, in relation to fines in cities and towns. To the Committee for Courts of Justice: By Mr. THOMASON: A bill to amend and re-enact section 3385 of the Code of Virginia, relating to bills of exceptions. To the Committee on General Laws: By Mr. BEATIE: A bill to empower societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals through its agents, to institute prosecutions in any county or city of Virginia for offences against the laws of this Commonwealth, or of the cities or town thereof, prohibiting or having for their object the prohibition of cruelty to animals. To the Committee on Roads and Internal Navigation: By Mr. OWENS of Norfolk County: A bill to require street electric and steam railway and railroad companies to heat their passenger cars. By Mr. LION: A bill to provide separate waiting rooms for white and colored persons in the State of Virginia. By Mr. POWELL: A resolution in regard to raising money for building public roads in Virginia. The morning hour having expired, the House proceeded to the business on the calendar. No. 8, Senate bill to amend and re-enact an act entitled an act to provide a new charter for the city of Bristol, was read at length a first time. The following House bills were read at length a first time and ordered to be printed: No. 140, House bill to amend and re-enact an act entitled an act to amend and re-enact section 3184 of the Code of Virginia, to provide for general index to deed books and other records, approved February 29, 1902, and to provide for the verification of same. No. 141, House bill to authorize the Governor to grant a conditional pardon to persons confined in jail, upon recommendation of the keeper of such jail. No. 142, House bill to amend and re-enact section 2291 of the Code, as amended by chapter 1139 of the Acts of Assembly of 18991900. No. 143, House bill to restrict the use of barbed wire in fencing. No. 144, House bill to amend and re-enact section 3725 of the Code of Virginia, as amended and re-enacted by an act approved March 3, 1894, and as further amended and re-enacted by an act approved March 5, 1896, to provide punishment for maliciously or unlawfully shooting at or throwing stones or other missiles at or against any train or car of any railroad or other transportation company, or at or against any vessel or river craft, and to provide for section 3725a. No. 145, House bill to amend and re-enact section 3725 of the Code of Virginia, as amended and re-enacted by an act approved March 3, 1894, and as further amended and re-enacted by an act |