526 



NEBRASKA. 



almost within its own length. When a land- 

 ing is made, the injector C and the naphtha- 

 valve D are closed, and the boat may be left 

 to itself with perfect safety. An 18-foot boat 

 will carry from six to ten persons, at a speed of six 

 to eight miles an hour, at an expenditure of 

 fuel costing about six cents an hour. No license is 

 required for an engineer, and any person of in- 

 telligence can learn all the details of manage- 

 ment in one or two lessons. The naphtha- 

 launches are built up to 40 feet in length,, but 

 the most popular and useful sizes are from 18 

 to 25 feet, costing from $600 to $1,200. The 

 naphtha-launches have already made their way 

 to most of the maritime countries of the world, 

 even to India and the Sandwich Islands, and 

 for the present, at least, they seem to be the 

 most perfect vessels of their class in the market. 



NEBRASKA. State Government. The follow- 

 ing were the State officers during the year: 

 Governor, John M. Thayer, Republican ; Lieu- 

 tenant-Governor, H. H. Shedd ; Secretary of 

 State, George L. Laws ; Treasurer, Charles H. 

 Willard ; Auditor, H. A. Babcock ; Attorney- 

 General, William Leese; Superintendent of 

 Public Instruction, George B. Lane ; Chief- Jus- 

 tice of the Supreme Court, Samuel Maxwell ; 

 Associates, Amasa Cobb and M. B. Reese. 



Legislative Session. A contest for the seat in 

 the United States Senate, held by Charles H. 

 Van Wyck, occupied the early days of the ses- 

 sion. The Senator himself was a candidate for 

 re-election, and enjoyed the earnest support of 

 a considerable number of his own party, but a 

 larger portion were bitterly opposed to his as- 

 pirations. Finding himself scarcely able to 

 obtain the caucus nomination, he determined 

 to override party allegiance and to secure a re- 

 election by the aid of Democratic votes as an 

 Independent candidate. In order to accom- 

 plish this, it was necessary for him to prevent 

 a Republican caucus by keeping his Republican 

 friends away from such a meeting. He so far 

 succeeded as to postpone the caucus until two 

 joint ballots had been taken, on the last of 

 which he came within 7 votes of the prize. 

 On this second ballot, taken on January 20, 

 Van Wyck received 60 votes, Algernon S. 

 Paddock 18, Adonirarn J. Weaver 16, and all 

 others 43. More than two thirds of the Demo- 

 crats voted for Van Wyck. In the Republican 

 caucus held after this ballot, ex-Senator Al- 

 gernon S. Paddock was nominated on the fif- 

 teenth ballot by a vote of 59 to 36 for N. V. 

 Harlan. Van Wyck was the leading candi- 

 date for eleven ballots, receiving on the first 

 44 votes, only 4 less than a majority. On the 

 following day Paddock was elected by a vote 

 of 93 to 32 for John A. McShane, Democrat. 



A compulsory school law was passed at this 

 session which requires children between eight 

 and fourteen years to attend a public or private 

 school at least twelve weeks in each year. 

 The penalty is from ten to fifty dollars for each 

 violation of the law. Another act redistricts 

 the State for members of the Legislature. 



Thirty districts are entitled to thirty-three 

 Senators, and sixty- seven districts to one hun- 

 dred Representatives. Provision was made 

 for the establishment of a State Industrial 

 Home for Women and Girls, and for a State 

 Soldiers' and Sailors' Home, $15,000 being 

 appropriated for the former and $30,000 for 

 the latter. Additional buildings at other 

 State institutions were authorized, among them 

 a new building at the State University to be 

 known as the Grant Memorial Hall, and to be 

 devoted to the uses of the military department 

 of the university and for a gymnasium. A 

 tax of three fourths of a mill is levied for 1887 

 and 1888, to be used in completing the State 

 Capitol. Other acts are as follow : 



Creating a State Board of Live-Stock Agents and 

 defining their powers to exterminate disease among 

 domestic animals. 



To authorize counties, precincts, towns, cities, and 

 school districts, to compromise their indebtedness, 

 and to issue new bonds therefor. 



Providing for the incorporation of cities of 60,000 

 inhabitants or over, to be known as cities of the metro- 

 politan class. 



To incorporate cities of less than 60,000 and more 

 than 25,000 inhabitants, to be known as cities of the 

 first class. 



Eevising the powers of cities of over 5,000 and lees 

 than 25,000 inhabitants, known as cities of the second 

 class. 



Providing special regulations for secret societies 

 and associations. 



Creating the counties of Arthur, Grant, McPherson, 

 and Thomas. 



Giving county boards the power to borrow money 

 and issue bonds for the construction of necessary 

 county buildings. . 



Permitting county judges to grant authority to ad- 

 ministrators to mortgage real estate of deceased per- 

 sons in certain cases. 



Amending the election laws for metropolitan cities 

 and cities ot the first class. 



To protect primary elections and conventions of 

 political parties, and to punish oft'enses committed 

 thereat. 



Revising the laws relating to the militia. 



Requiring every person who shall hereafter engage 

 in the practice of dentistry to file with the county 

 clerk a diploma from some reputable dental college. 



Creating a State Board of Pharmacy to regulate and 

 license the business of druggists. 



Providing a new law regarding the duties of the 

 State Inspector of Oils. 



Providing the manner in which railroad companies 

 may acquire rights of way over the educational and 

 other lands of the State. 



Permitting railroads to purchase, lease, or otherwise 

 control other roads which form a continuous line 

 with the purchasing road or will, when completed, 

 form such. 



Fixing the maximum rate of charge by railroads for 

 transportation of passengers and ^baggage at three 

 cents per mile. 



Amending the railroad law ~by inserting provisions 

 to prevent pooling, relative to longer and shorter 

 hauls and otherwise. 



To prohibit non-resident aliens from hereafter 

 acquiring real estate in the State, and providing that 

 when such persons already holding real estate shall 

 die their property shall escheat to the State, shall be 

 appraised, and the appraised value paid to the heirs 

 or other persons entitled to it. 



Amending the revenue laws. 



To compel railroad corporations and others to mako 

 and keep in repair suitable crossings. 



