8 7 s NORTH CAROLINA 



by the close of 1913. Similar appropriations are permitted for a state highway from Char- 

 lotte to Wilmington, but little work had been done on this in 1912. ' 



The Federal river and harbour act of 1910 provided for slack water navigation on the Upper 

 Cape Fear river, above Wilmington, with a depth of 8 ft. and work on this project was begun 

 in 191 1. The same act and a law of 1911 made appropriations for a depth of more than 20 ft. 

 in parts of the lower river. The canal from Pamlico Sound to Beaufort Inlet, 10 ft. deep, 

 being the third unit of the inside route from Norfolk, Va., to Beaufort, was completed in 

 January 1911. The river and harbour act of July 25, 1912 appropriated 8500,000 to purchase 

 the Chesapeake & Albemarle Canal, and $100,000 for improvement and maintenance. 



Legislation. The regular session of the legislature was held in Raleigh beginning 

 January 4, 1911. On February nth it ratified the Federal income tax amendment. 

 The governor's salary was increased from $4,000 to $5,000 a year. 



Children under 18 are not to be "required" to work in manufacturing industries more 

 than 60 hours a week; the law apparently permits a greater number of hours if the employee 

 consents. There are the same exemptions as there \yere in the 66 hour law. The hours of 

 railway employees are Hmited to 16 hours in succession to be followed by 10 hours off. If 

 an employee works for 16 hours (not consecutive) in any 24 hour period, he must have at 

 least 8 hours off. Train despatchers are not to work more than 9 out of 24 hours in night 

 and day offices nor more than 13 in day offices but in emergency they may work 4 hours more 

 three days in a week. ; '.' 



Married women may contract as if they were unmarried, and if their husbands are insane 

 are permitted to sell property for their support. 



The health laws of the state were amended and a state board of health was created. The 

 act provides for a superintendent of health who in some cases is a quarantine officer and 

 medical inspector of schools, with special instructions to investigate hook-worm disease. 



Procurers are to be punished by six months or one year in jail and by a fine of $300 to 

 S 1,000. The sale of substitutes for beer is forbidden. The law does not apply to sales to 

 pharmacies or to sales of domestic wines and wines in sealed packages or of sacramental wine 

 or of flavouring essences or carbonated drinks with ^ of I % of alcohol. Clubs and associa- 

 tions are forbidden to handle or sell intoxicating liquors. 



Injuring or obstructing a railway is made a felony instead of a misdemeanour, as it was 

 formerly. The powers of the corporation commission, which discharges the functions of 

 railway commissioners, were increased; it may abolish grade crossings or require interlocking 

 automatic signals at crossings or bridges, and may control ticket selling in railway stations. 



The county of Avery was established (county-seat, Elk Park) from parts of Mitchell, 

 Watauga and Caldwell counties; it was named in honour of Gen. \Vaightstill Avery (1745- 

 1821), one of the signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration. Hoke county (county-seat, 

 Raeford) was established from parts of Cumberland and Robeson counties. All lakes in 

 Bladen, Columbus and Cumberland counties containing 500 acres or more are to remain 

 state property forever for the use of the public. The city of Wilmington was re-chartered 

 with a commission government, which was adopted (March 15, 1911). The legislature drew 

 up a commission form of government for Winston and changed the charter of Raleigh by 

 providing for three commissioners, appointed from primary nominations, and for no party 

 names to appear on municipal ballots; but Raleigh voted down the change by 886 to 437 

 (out of 2,500 voters) and the commission form was defeated in Winston also. The commission 

 form with the recall was adopted in February 1911 by popular vote in Greensboro, ratifying 

 the .charter drawn by the legislature. 



Finance. In 1909 the legislature appropriated $300,000 more than the revenues for that 

 year; and in 1911 the treasurer was authorised to issue a two year note for this amount. 

 An issue of 550,000 in 44 year 4% bonds for refunding the state debt was oversubscribed in 

 December 1912, although the plan was attacked by the Corporation of Foreign Bondholders 

 of London, which holds repudiated bonds of the state. The legislature authorised the gover- 

 nor to appoint commissioners to settle claims of indebtedness with the United States, after 

 the appointment of commissioners by the Federal government. An act was passed making 

 shareholders in any state bank which has become bankrupt, defendants in original action 

 against that bank. The corporation commission was made a board of state tax commis- 

 sioners with a general supervision of the tax system and with the powers of a board of equali- 

 sation; it is required to investigate other state systems of taxation. Real property is to be 

 assessed at its true value. The tax levy for 1911 and 1912 imposes a poll tax on all males 

 between 21 and 50 of $1.29 a year and an ad valorem tax of 4.5 mills, 2.1 mills for state pur- 

 poses, 4 mills for pensions and 2 mills (formerly 1.8 mills) for schools. Without the authority 

 of the legislature municipal corporations may not lay a tax of more than 10 mills. Business 

 corporations are subject to tax on their capital stock, payable to the state treasurer. The 

 general tax law of 1911, as for several years, provides for an inheritance tax, graded to 

 degrees of relationship and amount of bequest (15% on sums above $50,000, if the legatee 



' See " Highways of North Carolina" by Joseph Hyde Pratt, State Geologist, in American 

 Motorist, April 1912. 



