NORTH DAKOTA. 



088 



in supporting John D. Bonton, Democrat. On 

 .Ian. ~<i, pursuant to a call signed by 37 mem- 

 bers, the lirM Republican caucus was field, which 

 resulted in the nomination of Senator Casey on 

 the third ballot. On the same day 14 Republi- 

 cans who had not signed the call held their own 

 caucus, but adopted no definite line of action. 

 on the twenty-eighth ballot, Jan. 27, Casey re- 

 ceived 87 votes, lie continued to receive the full 

 vote of the caucus for several days, but as the re- 

 maining Republicans refused to yield to the will 

 of the majority, he released his supporters from 

 their obligations and abandoned the contest. On 

 the condition of his withdrawal, substantially all 

 the Republican members had been induced to 

 come into a new Republican caucus, but the same 

 hopeless differences appeared as before. After 

 holding several sessions, and after 72 ballots had 

 been taken without result, the attempt to make 

 a party nomination was abandoned. Balloting 

 then continued dav after day in the joint session 

 of the Legislature without result until Feb. 20, 

 when, on the sixty-first ballot, 10 Republicans 

 deserted their party and united with the Demo- 

 crats and Independents in electing W. N. Roach, 

 Democrat. The latter received 50 votes on this 

 ballot, Casey 23, John Miller 16, scattering 3. 



The legislative results of the session include 

 several measures affecting railroads. One of these 

 fixes the maximum freight rates for transporta- 

 tion of coal between points within the State. An- 

 other requires intersecting railroads to construct 

 and maintain tracks for transfer of cars and traf- 

 fic from one line to the other. For the purpose 

 of constructing a State elevator at Duluth or Su- 

 perior, $100,000 was appropriated, to be expend- 

 ed under the direction of a board of commission- 

 ers. Only North Dakota wheat shall be handled 

 by this elevator, and the charges for service shall 

 be fixed by the commissioners. 



An act establishing courts of conciliation pro- 

 vides .for the election biennially in each town or 

 city of 4 commissioners of conciliation. It is also 

 provided that at the time of issuing the summons 

 in any civil action begun before a justice of the 

 peace, the justice shall issue a subpoena summon- 

 ing 2 of the commissioners of conciliation elected 

 for the town, village, or city where the action is 

 brought, to appear before him. If both parties 

 appear they snail go before the justice and the 2 

 commissioners summoned, as aforesaid, and state 

 thfcir differences, which statements shall be re- 

 duced to writing by the justice and entered on 

 his docket and shall constitute the pleadings in 

 the case. After hearing and considering all the 

 evidence offered, it shall be the duty of the jus- 

 tice and commissioners to the best of their abili- 

 ties to persuade the parties to agree to an amica- 

 ble settlement. If the parties are not able to 

 agree to an amicable settlement, the case shall be 

 adjourned for trial by the ordinary method. 



The law providing for the disposal of the 

 State school lands was amended ana revised, and 

 the Australian ballot law was perfected in 

 matters of detail. The legal rate of interest 

 was fixed at 7 per cent., and any rate greater 

 than 12 per cent, was declared to be usury. 



Provision was made for the appointment of a 

 commission to revise and codify the State laws. 

 ciiies were authorized to lew an annual poll 

 tax of $1.50. 



For the purpose of constructing a south wing 

 to the State Capitol the sum of $/>0,000 wan ap- 

 propriated, to be obtained by the issue of 44- 

 per-cent. State bonds. The sum of $15,000 was 

 appropriated in aid of tin- State exhibit at the 

 World's Columbian Exposition, and an appro- 

 priation of $65,000 was made for the erection of 

 a dormitory and other buildings at the Agricul- 

 tural College. 



The constitutional amendment prohibiting 

 lotteries, which was passed by the Legislature of 

 1801, was approved at this session and is now 

 ready for submission to the people. Other acts 

 of the session were as follow : 



Providing for the levy of a county tax, of not low 

 than one mill on the dollar, for improving county 

 highways. 



Authorizing the refunding of outstanding city 

 bonds and warrants. 



Requiring every deputy, clerk, or subordinate to 

 any State, county, or municipal officer to be a resi- 

 dent of the State and a citizen of the United States ; 

 or if an alien, to have declared his intention to be- 

 come naturalized. 



To provide for better enforcement of the laws 

 punishing cruelty to animals. 



Fixing June 30 as the end of the fiscal year. 



Regulating the manner of transferring corporate in- 

 terests in real estate. 



Establishing an experiment station for irrigation. 



Providing for the location of the State School of 

 Forestry. 



Constituting the superintendent of irrigation and 

 forestry the fish and game commissioner, and pro- 

 viding for stocking and maintaining fish hatcheries, 

 and for the protection of fish in North Dakota 

 streams. 



To prevent the spread of contagious diseases among 

 domestic animals. 



Ke vising the law regulating the descent of estates. 



To provide for the collection of vital statistics. 



Establishing a weather and crop service for the 

 collection and dissemination of crop statistics and 

 meteorological data. 



Railroads. On June 30, 1893, the total rail- 

 road mileage operated in the State was 2,223 

 miles, a gain of 99 miles during the year pre- 

 ceding. The number of railroad employees 

 within the State was 3,586. The capacity of the 

 various grain elevators and warehouses opera! ed 

 along the lines of these railroads on June 30, 

 1898, was as follows : On the Northern Pacific 

 and branches, 5,948,000 bushels ; on lines of the 

 Great Northern, 12,081,000 bushels; on lines of 

 the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie. 

 877,000 busnels; on line of the Chicago, Minne- 

 apolis and St. Paul, 579,000 bushels; and on 

 line of the Chicago and Northwestern, 110.000 

 bushels ; making a total elevator and warehouse 

 capacity within the State of 89,511,000 bushels, 

 an increase of 976,000 bushels in 1892-'98. 



Limitations of the Governor's Authority. 

 Near the close of the legislative session of this 

 year Gov. Shortridge sent to the Senate the 

 names of certain persons nominated by him as 

 trustees of the Penitentiary and as trustees of 

 the Agricultural College at Fargo. These nomi- 

 nations the Senate refused to confirm, where- 

 upon, after the close of the session, the Governor 

 nominated anew the same persons and issued 

 commissions to them. To these new appointees 

 the acting trustees of these institutions refu-ed 

 to surrender their offices, claiming that their 

 successors could only be qualified by the con- 



