To the Democratic Caucus: The undersigned Steering Committee beg leave to report as follows: We recommend the following changes in the standing committees of the Senate: Roads and Internal Navigation: MR. STRODE in lieu of MR. PILCHER. County, City and Town Organization: MR. KEITH in lieu of MR. STRODE, resigned. General Laws: MR. KEITH in lieu of MR. PILCHER. Privileges and Elections: MR. KEITH in lieu of MR. PILCHER. Agriculture, Mining and Manufacturing: MR. KEITH in lieu of MR. PILCHER. To Examine office of Auditor of Public Accounts: MR. ALLEN, chairman; MR. KEITH in lieu of MR. PILCHER. General Laws: MR. CANNON in lieu of MR. ALLEN, resigned. Insurance and Banking: MR. ALLEN in lieu of MR. CANNON, resigned. G. WALTER MAPP, J. E. WEST, A. WILLIS ROBERTSON, S. W. HOLT, N. B. EARLY, JR. A communication from the Governor, by his secretary, was received and read as follows: COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, RICHMOND, February 16, 1918. To the Senate of Virginia: I recommend, at the request of the Commissioner of Insurance, that the bill be amended by striking out the words "in his discretion" in lines four and five from bottom of page 1 and inserting in lieu thereof "upon approval by the Governor." WESTMORELAND DAVIS, Governor. The hour of 12:40 o'clock having arrived H. B. No. 163. A bill to, revise, arrange, and consolidate into a code the general statutes of the Commonwealth; was taken up. to. MR. WALKER offered an amendment, which was agreed to. The committee amendment to section 3974 was taken up. MR. WALKER moved that the chair be vacated at 2:10 o'clock P. M. and resumed at 3:30. MR. ROYALL moved as a substitute therefor that when the chair is vacated today that further consideration of the bill be postponed until next Wednesday at 12:40 P. M. o'clock, which was rejected by the following vote-ayes, 16; noes, 21. Senators who voted are: YEAS--Messrs. Addison, Andrews, Bowers, Buchanan, Cannon, Davis, Gayle, Goodloe, Goolrick, Holt, Jordan, Mitchell, Royall, Strode, Webb, West-16. NAYS-Messrs. Allen, Barham, Corbitt, Downing, Drewry, Early, Garrett, Gravatt, Gunn, Hening, Jeffreys, Keith, Lacy, Mapp, Mathews, Rison, Robertson, Thornton, Trinkle, Walker, Wendenburg—21. MR. CANNON moved to adjourn, which was rejected. The motion of MR. WALKER to vacate the chair until 3:30 P. M. was agreed to by the following vote-ayes, 20; noes, 16. Senators who voted are: YEAS-Messrs. Allen, Corbitt, Downing, Drewry, Garrett, Gayle, Gravatt, Gunn, Hening,' Jeffreys, Keith, Lacy, Mapp, Mathews, Rison, Robertson, Thornton, Trinkle, Walker, Wendenburg—20. NAYS-Messrs. Addison, Andrews, Barham, Bowers, Buchanan, Cannon, Davis, Early, Goodloe, Goolrick, Holt, Jordan, Mitchell, Royall, Strode, Webb-16. The hour of 2:10 having arrived, the chair was vacated until 3:30 P. M. B. F. BUCHANAN, O. V. HANGER, Clerk of the Senate. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1918-AFTERNOON SESSION. Lieutenant-Governor B. F. BUCHANAN presiding. II. B. No. 163. A bill to revise, arrange, and consolidate into a code the general statutes of the Commonwealth; was taken up, and consideration of the amendment offered by MR. ALLEN resumed. MR. BUCHANAN offered a substitute for the whole. On motion of MR. WALKER, the further consideration was deferred until Wednesday, February 20th, at 12:30 o'clock. MR. STRODE moved that when the Senate adjourn, it adjourn to meet Monday at 10:30 o'clock to take up local and uncontested bills on the calendar, which was agreed to. On motion of MR. GARRETT, the Senate adjourned. O. V. HANGER, Clerk of the Senate. B. F. BUCHANAN, President of the Senate. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1918. Lieutenant-Governor B. F. BUCHANAN presiding. A communication from the House of Delegates, by their Clerk, was received and read as follows: In House of Delegates, February 16, 1918. The House of Delegates had passed Senate bills entitled an act to authorize and empower the board of supervisors of Alleghany county to levy a special district road tax for Boiling Springs and Clifton districts, No. 105; and an act to authorize the board of supervisors of Albemarle county to borrow money and to issue bonds for the purpose of securing national and State aid in the building of roads, No. 107. They have passed with an amendment Senate bill entitled an act to amend and re-enact section 3 of an act entitled an act to provide for a road law for Spotsylvania county, approved February 21, 1898, as amended by an act approved March 14, 1908, as amended by an act approved March 13, 1914, No. 147. They have passed House bills entitled an act to authorize the city of Norfolk to close the Cove-street canal from the eastern side of Arlington Place to the junction of said Cove-street canal with Mahone's canal, and to close Mahone's canal from its said junction with Cive-street canal to the eastern side of Lake avenue, in the city of Norfolk, No. 195; an act authorizing the board of directors of any public service corporation operating a gas, electric or water plant within the limits of any city or town, or within territory contiguous thereto, to sell or lease to said city or town the entire plant of said corporation, or any part thereof, including its franchises. and easements, provided said action of the board of directors be authorized or ratified by an affirmative vote of a majority in interest of the stock issued and outstanding, unless a larger interest is provided by the charter or by-laws of said corporation, No. 196; an art for the appointment of trustees for the town of York, No. 197; an act to amend and re-enact section 2105 of the Code of Virginia in relation to fish ladders, as amended by an act approved March 5, 1900, No. 199; an act to amend and re-enact an act approved March 14, 1908, and entitled an act giving to cities and towns upon leasing or purchasing gas, electric and water companies operating in territory contiguous to its corporate limits the right to continue to operate, maintain and extend same, No. 200; an act to amend and reenact section 1 of an act entitled an act for the protection of sheep in the counties of Clarke, Frederick and Charlotte, approved March 6. 1874. as heretofore amended, No. 201; an act to authorize the board of supervisors of Rockbridge county to provide for the protection of sheep and other live stock and fowls by a license tax on dogs, the enforcement thereof, and the reimbursement of the owners of such animals or fowls killed or injured by dogs, out of the proceeds of such tax, No. 202; an act to repeal an act entitled an act to prohibit the killing of deer in the county of Cumberland for the term of three years, approved March 4, 1916, No. 205; an act to locate and mark a part of the State line between the States of Virginia and Kentucky, No. 211; an act to validate certain instruments, and conferring upon mayors of towns the right to validate instruments in town of Mendota, No. 222; an act to authorize the school board of the town of Covington in the county of Alleghany to borrow a sum of money not exceeding $30,000.00, to meet notes for money borrowed by trustees for the purpose of erecting the graded school building in said town, and to complete the said building, No. 226; an act to amend and re-enact section 8 of an act entitled an act appropriating the proceeds of the Glebe lands, and other property belonging to the parishes of Abingdon, Ware and Petsworth, in the county of Gloucester, and for other purposes, approved January 25, 1814, No. 227; an act to authorize cities in this Commonwealth, of fifty thousands inhabitants or more, according to the last census of the United States, to increase the salary of the civil justice of said city to an amount not to exceed four thousand dollars per annum, during the term of office of said civil justice, No. 231; an act to repeal the special and local acts relating to the catching of fish in the waters of Russell county, No. 232; an act to declare Miry creek, in Halifax county, from Midley's old mill dam to its mouth, a highway, and providing for clearing the same of obstructions and to authorize the board of supervisors of Halifax county to appoint an overseer to inspect the same, No. 234; an act to make the north fork of the Holston river in Saltsville district of Washington county a lawful fence, No. 235; an act to authorize and empower the council of the town of Chilhowie, in the county of Smyth, to borrow money and issue bonds for equipment of the fire department, and for the construction and improvement of water and sewerage systems of the said town, No. 236; an act for the protection of gray squirrels in the county of Loudoun, No. 238; an act to provide for the protection of game in the counties of Amelia and Nottoway, No. 240; an act to validate a conveyance by the trustees of the town of Louisa to W. O. Smith, of a lot in said town, No. 248; an act to provide for the publication and distribution of the Code of Virginia, No. 252; an act to authorize, empower and direct the board of supervisors of the county of Norfolk, to borrow, by the issuance of bonds, a sum not to exceed one million dollars for the purpose of purchasing and improving certain bridges and roads in said county, known as Campos tella draw-bridge and road, Southern branch draw-bridge and approaches, for the purpose of building a draw-bridge over the Chesapeake and Albemarle canal and for the purpose of building and improving public roads and bridges in Washington, Butt's road, Pleasant grove, Deep creek, Western branch and Tanner's creek magisterial districts in said county; to sell said bonds; to provide for their payment, and to authorize the commission of roads and bridges of said county to dispense the funds so obtained, No. 254; an act to provide for working and keeping in repair public roads and bridges of Page county, and for opening new roads, and changing locations of existing roads, approved February 2, 1898, No. 257; an act to amend and re-enact an act approved February 20, 1896, entitled an act to provide for working and keeping in repair the public roads of Buchanan and Dickenson counties, as amended by act approved February 9, 1916, so as to provide how the board of supervisors of Buchanan county may establish, change and re-locate roads in that county and contract for the construction of same, on terms and conditions, No. 258; an act to amend and re-enact an act of the General Assembly, approved March 12, 1912, entitled an act to amend and re-enact an act of the General Assembly, approved March 4, 1894, entitled an act to provide for the working and keeping in order the public roads of the counties of Greene and Madison, as amended by an act approved May 14, 1903, so far as the same applies to Madison county, so as to provide for the opening, constructing, maintaining and working of the roads, and keeping in order the causeways and bridges of Madison and Greene counties, and creating the office of superintendent of roads, and prescribing his duties and compensation; and repeal any act in conflict therewith, as amended by an act of the General Assembly, approved March 24, 1914, entitled an act to add independent section 11-a to an act approved March 12, 1912, entitled an act to amend and re-enact an act of the General Assembly, approved March 4, 1894, entitled an act to provide for the working and keeping in order the public roads of the counties of Greene and Madison, as amended by an act approved May 14, 1903, so far as the same applies to Madison county, so as to provide for the opening, construction, maintaining and working the roads, and keeping in order the causeways and bridges of Madison and Greene counties, and creating the office of superintendent of roads, and prescribing his duties and compensations, and to repeal any act in conflict therewith, No. 259; an act to amend and re-enact section 12 and to repeal section 13 of an act approved March 17, 1914, entitled an act providing for an election upon the question of a dispensary in the town of Gretna, in the county of Pittsylvania, No. 261; an act to appropriate certain sums of money from the Virginia State treasury in aid of duly organized Confederate memorial associations |