ARKANSAS. 



23 



farmed by the convicts. A tract of land 

 granite or other building stone therein may be 

 bought and convict^ employed in quarrying on 

 the Stale account. The board shall have full 

 control of till details of management of the Peni- 

 tentiary, and, in addition to the income now ac- 

 rrning from convict labor, shall have at their 

 di-posal the sum of $30.000 to carry out the pro- 

 YJMOIIS of the act. Numerous provisions are 

 made for more humane treatment of convicts. 

 1!\ another act, convicts are made competent 

 witnesses to testify as to the treatment of their 

 fellow-prisoners, the quality of their food, and 

 the sanitary condition of the Penitentiary. 



For the protection of miners a law was passed 

 regulating minutely the construction and use of 

 mine equipments, and providing for a State sys- 

 tem of mine inspection under the control of &. 

 State mine inspector appointed by the Governor. 



Kx port at ion of fish and game from the State 

 was forbidden until after April 12, 1901. 



A peculiar enactment respecting the settle- 

 ment of estates provides that when all the heirs 

 and distributees of a deceased intestate are of 

 full age, it shall be lawful for them to sue for 

 and collect all demands and property of the in- 

 testate, and to manage and control the estate, 

 without any letter of administration being grant- 

 ed, in all cases where the creditors of such estate 

 consent, or where the heirs or distributees have 

 paid all valid debts and no contingent liabilities 

 are outstanding. 



A board of World's Pair directors was created, 

 and t lie sum of $15,000 was appropriated for their 

 use, provided the voluntary association known 

 as the Arkansas World's Pair Association should 

 make a gift to the State of the building which it 

 had erected in Chicago out of funds subscribed 

 by its members. This sum was to be borrowed 

 from the Direct Tax fund in the State treasury, 

 and such part thereof is to be repaid by the State 

 as shall be needed to pay all claims presented 

 against this fund during the time specified for 

 presenting such claims. 



The sum of $20,000 was appropriated for the 

 preparation and publication of a new digest of 

 the public statutes of the State, including the 

 acts of the present year. 



A new law was passed regulating the taxation 

 of sleeping- and dining-car companies, express 

 companies, and telegraph companies. 



An amendment to the State Constitution was 

 proposed giving to the county courts, together 

 with a majority of the justices of the peace of 

 each county, authority to levy a tax not exceed- 

 ing 3 mills on the dollar, the proceeds of which 

 may be used in the respective counties for mak- 

 ing and repairing public roads, building court- 

 houses, jails, bridges, and other internal improve- 

 ments. 



Other acts of the session were as follow : 



Making it unlawful to catch, kill, or injure the bird 

 known as prairie chicken for the term of five years 

 from the passage of the act. 



I'r<ividiii<r that m> mortgage or other instrument 

 shall bo a lien or incuiulirance of any kind on any 

 crop to be planted, unless the <-n.p he planted within 

 twelve months after the execution thereof, but this 

 shall not apply to crops already planted when the in- 

 strument is executed. 



Allowing surety companies to become sureties on 

 official bonds. 



To prevent the killing of fi*h by the use of dyna- 

 mite <>r other explosive material. 



To < -tahlihh one hoard of tru-tecs for the manage- 

 ment of all the charituhle institutions of the .- 



Making the payment of a poll tax a prtre.jui.-iie for 



voting. 



To provide for the dissolution of corporations. 



To prevent the imj<;rtation and sale of unwhole- 

 some articles of food. 



To prevent, preferences among the creditors of in- 

 solvent corporations. 



btftbliftmngthat part of the St. Francis basin with- 

 in the State as a levee district, and incorporating a 

 board of levee directors therefor. 



Amending in certain details the law providing pen- 

 sions for Confederate soldiers. 



Requiring the method of reading and designating 

 the survey of lands in the State by sections, part* of 

 sections, townships, and ranges to be taught in the 

 common schools. 



Compelling railroad companies to run at least one 

 passenger tram each way over their roads in the State 

 on every day. and to make stops at every station where 

 they sell tickets, except at flag stations, where they 

 must stop if signaled. 



To cure defective acknowledgments of deeds. 



To define who are and who are not fellow-servants. 



Providing that when two or more persons are in- 

 dicted in the same indictment either may testify for 

 or against the other defendant or defendants. 



Education. The following public-school 

 statistics for the years ending June 30, 1891, and 

 June 30, 1892, are reported by the State Super- 

 intendent of Public Instruction : 



The public-school revenue is derived, first, 

 from a State tax of 2 mills on the dollar levied 

 on all taxable property, the proceeds of which 

 are paid into the State treasury and apportioned 

 therefrom to the several counties : second, from 

 a poll tax of one dollar, which is collected and dis- 

 bursed by the county authorities; third, from 

 such local taxes on property, not exceeding 5 

 mills on the dollar, as each school district may 

 see fit to levy for its own use. The amounts 

 derived from these taxes in 1891 were as follow : 

 State tax, $321.545.39; poll tax, $154,728.40; 

 local tax $600,102.40. For 1892 the revenue 

 from the State tax was $341,621.38; from the 

 poll tax, $167.419.81 ; from the local tax. $571,- 

 923.02. These amounts were insufficient to main- 

 tain the schools during a length of time neces- 

 sary for efficient work. 



Charities. At the State Lunatic Asylum 

 there were 410 patients on Nov. 30. 1890 ; during 

 the year following 116 new patients were ad- 

 mitted and 101 discharged, leaving 425 on Nov. 

 30. 1891. During the year ending Nov. 30, 1892, 

 105 new patients were admitted and 97 dis- 



