MARYLAND. 



515 



James M. Robinson, James McSherry, Lewis 

 T. II. Irving, William S. Bryan, Frederick Stone, 

 George Yellott, and Oliver Miller. 



Finances. The following statement exhibits 

 the condition of the treasury during the year : 



Total receipts for year ending Sept. 30, 1887.. . $1,860,106 50 

 Balance Sept. 30, IbsT 632,023 20 



Total $2,542.129 TO 



Disbursements for the fiscal year 2,010,060 24 



Balance Sept. 80, 18S7 $532,069 46 



The reduction of the receipts, as compared 

 with the previous year, is due to the apparent 

 increase of that year by the operation of the 

 refunding act of 1886 and the reduction of the 

 State levy in 1888. 



The receipts on account of the free-school 

 fund during the fiscal year were $69,860.63. 

 This sum added to the balance standing to the 

 credit of the fund Sept. 30, 1837, $8,836.81, 

 makes an aggregate to the credit of the fund 

 during the fiscal year 1888, of $78,697.44. The 

 disbursements from the fund during the same 

 time were $67,080.29, leaving a balance to the 

 credit of the fund, Sept. 30, 1888, of $11,617.15. 



The receipts of the several sinking-funds for 

 the fiscal year were as follow : 



To the general fund $S.239 14 



To treasury relief loan fund 12,793 85 



To the fund for redemption of defense redemp- 

 tion loan 421,773 88 



Making an aggregate of 442,806 87 



In this aggregate is included the sum of $366,- 

 000 received from the Baltimore and Ohio 

 Railroad Company for the bonds of the com- 

 pany held by the State to the credit of the 

 sinking-fund for redemption of the defense 

 redemption loan. There was invested on ac- 

 count of these sinking-funds during the past 

 fiscal year the sum of $310,127.13, and there 

 remains to the credit of the several sinking- 

 funds in cash the sum of $132,679.74. The 

 bonds of the State bearing 3'65 interest were 

 quoted as high as 110 on the market in the 

 month of December, 1888. 



The total indebtedness of the State at the 

 close of the fiscal year 1888 was $10,370,535.- 

 56, being less than the amount at the end of 

 the fiscal year 1887, by the sum of $590,000, 

 that amount of debt having been canceled dur- 

 ing 1888. The State holds productive assets 

 and cash to the credit of the sinking-funds to 

 the amount of $4,715,181.34. There are also 

 unproductive assets to the amount of upward 

 of $28,000,000, investments authorized by the 

 Legislature from time to time by way of experi- 

 ment in works of internal improvement, and 

 the interest thereon for many years, some of 

 the items of which perhaps still have a possi- 

 bility, but the majority of such investments are 

 simply wrecks strewed along the pathway of 

 the State's progress and prosperity. 



The receipts from the oyster fund amounted 

 to $53,236.69, and the expenditures were $67,- 

 913.13, which included the purchase of two 

 new sailing-vessels for $6,000. The amount 



standing to the credit of the oyster fund at the 

 close of the fiscal year 1888 was $115,627.49. 

 The receipts of the State school-tax during the 

 fiscal year was $526,993.98, and the disburse- 

 ments $520,200.37. The receipts during the 

 fiscal year 1888 from State tobacco inspections 

 were $82,414.70, and the disbursements $74,- 

 365.35, showing net receipts to the amount of 

 $8,049.35, which, added to the balance to the 

 credit of tobacco inspections at the close of 

 the fiscal year 1887, made a total of $13,- 

 721.91. 



Legislative Session. The Legislature met on 

 January 4, and adjourned on August 3. The 

 Senate consisted of 21 Democrats and 4 Repub- 

 licans, and the Lower House contained 68 

 Democrats and 23 Republicans. One of the 

 most important measures passed was the ab- 

 olition of compulsory inspection of tobacco. 

 This restriction, it was contended, had long kept 

 down the price of tobacco, especially in southern 

 Maryland. The following are among the im- 

 portant bills that were passed during the ses- 

 sion: 



To authorize the Baltimore and Powhatan Railroad 

 Company to use storage electricity as a motive power. 



To protect diamond-back terrapin, and regulate the 

 catching of the same. 



To protect wild turkeys in Frederick County. 



To protect fish in Blackwater river, Dorchester 

 County. 



Eclating to jurisdiction liens of execution by jus- 

 tices of the peace. 



To incorporate the town of Barnesville, Montgom- 

 ery County. 



To sanction bequests of various persons to societies. 



To incorporate the village of La Plata, Charles 

 County. 



For the reorganization of the Board or Managers of 

 the Agricultural College. 



To incorporate the Industrial Educational Society 

 of Baltimore. 



To regulate fishing in Patuxent river with trap and 

 purse seines. 



Amending the charter of the Emettsburg Railroad 

 Company. 



To amend the oyster law in Somerset County. 



Amending the law relating to husband and wife. 



To incorporate the town of Stcvensville, Queen 

 Anne's County. 



To change the name of Broad creek, Queen Anne's 

 County, to Broad Harbor. 



To authorize the Dowr.sville and Hagerstown Turn- 

 pike Company to construct a turnpike. 



For the protection offish in Howard County. 



For the protection of game and water- fowl in Charles 

 County. 



To define the oyster-grounds in the Choptank river 

 in which scraping shall be allowed. 



To prevent fisfimg with nets and seines in the wa- 

 ters or Cecil and Harford Counties. 



For the catching of water-fowl. 



Prohibiting the use of any other instrument than 

 rakes or tongs by tongmen in Talbot, Queen Anne's, 

 Anne Arundel, and Dorchester Counties. 



To incorporate the town of Hampden, Carroll 

 County. 



Granting a new charter to the town of Port Tobacco. 



To amend acts relating to larceny. 



To amend general laws relating to proof of open ac- 

 counts. 



To incorporate Loudon County and FrederickCoun- 

 ty Bridge Company. 



For building a bridge across the Potomac at Point 

 of Rocks. 



