PENNSYLVANIA. 



PERSIA. 



lar law, and when the Legislature simply calls 

 to its aid the vote of the ;<. <>|>le to ascertain 

 their views, it acts strictly witliin its proper 

 sphere. 



The Chief-Justice (Read) and Jndge Slur- 

 wood dissented. The former held that t la- 

 power of making laws was given to the Legis- 

 lature, and by express words confined to th:it 

 body; and the Legislature could no more dele- 

 gate its functions than the judiciary. This 

 law had no force or vitality until voted upon; 

 it was enacted not by the Legislature, but by the 

 voters. This was permitting a portion of the 

 citizens to inflict upon another portion uncalled 

 for punishment and unwonted penalties. For 

 these reasons the act was deemed unconstitu- 

 tional. 



At the election which was held, the ma- 

 jority in favor of granting licenses exceeded 

 22,000. 



Among the acts passed at the session of the 

 Legislature was one repealing the lawi exempt- 

 ing real estate from taxation. By the provi- 

 sions of this act the only property exempted 

 from taxation was as follows : 



All churches, meeting-houses, or other regular 

 places of stated worship, with ten acres of laud an- 

 nexed thereto. 



All universities, college*, academies and school- 

 hmiM's belonging to any county, borough, or school 

 district, or incorporated, erected, endowed, or estab- 

 lished by virtue of any law of this State, with ten 

 acre* of land annexed thereto. 



All court-house* and jails. 



All parsonager owned by any church or religious 

 society, with Bve acre* of land attached thereto. 



All the burial-ground* belonging to any religious 

 congregation. 



All burial-lot* belonging to any person or family. 



All Lauds and premises belonging to any person or 

 family. 



All lands and premise! belonging to cemetery 

 companies where the revenues are used solely to im- 

 prove such lands and premises. 



All lunatic asylums, almshouncs. poor-houses, 

 house* of refuge, and penitentiaries, with lands at- 

 tached to same. 



All asylums, schools and hospital*, with the hind* 

 attached to the same, where the same aro supported 

 by State appropriations. 



All charitable instititions and lands attached 

 thereto, whose chief revenues are from voluntary 

 contributions. 



The repealing clause subjects all classes of 

 prop. < . vcred by these descriptions to 



I taxation. 



not was also passed, in which an appro- 

 priation was made to defray the expense of 

 stocking the river* of the State with fish. 



A supplement to the act to reorganize the 

 militia of the State was also adopted, which 

 provide* that in time of peace the National 

 (.ninl shall comprise an aggregate not ex- 

 ceeding ten thousand officers, non-commis- 

 sioned officers, musicians and privates ami 

 shall consist of two hundred companies, fully 

 armed, uniformed, and equipped, to be dis- 

 tributed among the several military divisions 

 of the State, according to the numl<> r of its 

 taxable population; but the Commander-in- 



chief shall have power, in case of war, insnr- 

 ii, invasion, or imminent ihmpr thereof, 

 to increase the !' ;hou- 



sand, and organizes the same as the < 

 of the service may require. Every company 

 rly and legally organized shall n 

 lly the sum of four hundred dollars from 

 the State Treasury. 



An act was also passed making an appropri- 

 ation to stock the rivers of the State -ith tish. 

 The commissioners succeeded in hatching at 

 Newport, Perry (.'utility, where the water is 

 peculiarly fitted for the purpose, about 2,700,- 

 000 shad, which were turned into the Jiiiiiat.-i 

 River at that point. Twenty-six hundred black 

 bass were also distributed in the Susqueh: 

 Lehigh, and Juniata Rivers during the m 

 of July and August; and through tliekin* 

 of Pro!'. Spencer F. I'.ainl. United States 

 Commissioner, 27,700 California salmon have 

 been planted in the Susquehanna and its tribu- 

 taries. The bass arenot migratory fish, and are 

 very prolific. Two or three hundred were 

 placed in the Susquchanna, near Ilarrisburf.'. in 

 1870, and the rapidity with which they multi- 

 ply is manifest in the great numbers of this 

 beautiful and choice fish that are now found in 

 the river in that vicinity. 



The law of 1873, authorizing the fish com- 

 ini"ion, directed that four lish-ways should 

 be constructed at different dams on the Sus- 

 qnehanna and Juniata Rivers, so as to . li- 

 able shad, on their spring incursions from the 

 sea, to moke the aicent of these streams. The 

 question whether shad will ascend an art", 

 way is still, however, on undecided one, and 

 encountering this doubt the commission, in the 

 exercise of what will be deemed a sound tiis- 

 n, -concluded to erect but one lish-way, 

 and that at the Columbia dam. This w:*\ .- 

 120 feet long by 60 feet wide, is very gradual 

 in the incline, and made as nearly conform al.lc 

 ns possible to natural ways over which shad do 

 undoubtedly pass, and will afford a praet'n :.! 

 test of this experiment. If in the spring of 

 1874 it is found shad do pass up this fish-way 

 the others required by law will bo constructed 

 without delay. 



The result of the combined operation of the 

 Pennsylvania Central and New Jersey Rail- 

 roads for 1873 is thus stated : 



I A BN INGS. 



Ponnfylvsnla Rsllrond $24,886.008 90 



i Kallmads of New Jersey 



Delaware & Rarltan Canal 1.590,100 13 



Total |84,9,848t5 



MM. 



Pinf>ylranls Rillroad 115,440,808 16 



United railroads of New Jer- 

 sey 8,7W,1880B 



Delaware * Karltan Canal.. 88S.8S1 49 



$23,116,814 G7 



Net earning* 11.8T7,034 28 



The charitable and penal institutions of the 



continue in most (successful operation. 

 PKHSIA, a country of Asia. Reigning sov- 

 ereign, Nossr-cd-Din, Shah of Persia, born 



