CALEB CONOVER
RAILROADER
f^^oVr'™I"A'STORY o/- LOVE,POLITICS,INTRIGUE;
OP A RICH &• POWERFUL BOSS
AND AN INTREPID YOUNG
\ ' REFORMER
MM I BY ALBERT PAYSON TERhUNE
vV ■ COPVRIGHT 19 07 BV ALBERT PAVSON TtRHUN^]
"Well!" she gasped, and now the
throaty contralto was merged into a
guttural snarl, ridiculously akin to an
angry cat's. "Well! Of all the cheap
tight-wads I ever struck! Think you
can backtrack ine, do you? Well, you
lose! I'm married to him all right,
and I'm not giving him up in a hurry.
You try to butt in, and you'll tind
yourself in a hundred thousand alien
ation suit! Oh, I know my rights,
and no up-country Rube's going to skin
me out of 'em. You old bunch of
grouchlness! And to think they let
you boss things in this jay town of
yours! Why, in New York you'd
never get nearer Broadway than
Tenth Avenue, and you couldn't even
boss a red light precinct. My Gawd!
I'll have to keep it dark about my
coming to a hole like this or my
frlends'U think I've been playing a
ten-twenty-thirt' circuit. No civilized
person ever comes here, and now I
know why. They're afraid they'll be
mistook for a friend of yours, most
likely. You red-headed old geezer,
you don't even know a lady when you
see one. Keep ; our lantern-jawed,
pie-faced mutt of a son. I'm going
back to where there's at least one
perfect gentleman who knows how to
behave when a lady honors him by—"
"Enid!" cried Gerald, who had sat
In dumb, nerveless confusion during
the recent exchange -of courtesies,
"you don't mean—? You mustn't go
back to him! You mustn't! Has he
met you again since I left? Tell me!
I said I'd kill him if he ever spoke to
you again, and, by God, I will! He
shan't —"
A timid, falsetto screech, like fchat
of a very young leverett that is inad
vertently trodden beneath a farmer's
foot in long grass, broke in on the
boy's ravings. Mrs. Caleb Conover
collapsed on the floor in a dead faint.
Anice ran to the unconscious wo
man's aid. Even Gerald, checked
midway in his mad appeal, stopped
and stared down in stupid wonder at
his mother's little huddled figure.
Caleb seized the moment to cross
the room quickly toward the furious
chorus girl. He caught her by the
shoulder, and in his pale eyes blazed
a flare that few men and no woman
had ever seen there. The color, be
hind the Jirtlstlc paint on the visitor's
face, went white at the look. She,
who was accustomed to brave the
rages of drunken rounders, shrank
speechless, cowering before those
light eyes. One arm she raised awk
wardly as if to avert a blow. Yet
Caleb's touch on her shoulder was
gentle; and, when he spoke, his voice
was strangely dead and unemotional.
So low was it that his meaning rather
than his exact words reached the
actress.
"This is my city," said he. "What
I say goes. There is a train to New
York In thirty minutes. If you are in
Granite one minute after It leaves, my
police shall arrest you. My witnesses
shall make the charge something that
even you will hardly care to stand for.
My judge shall send you to prison for
a year. And every paper in New York
Bhall print the whole story as I chose
to tell It. Now go!"
The fear of death and worse than
death was In her eyes. She slunk out,
shrunken In aspect to the form of an
old and bent woman. Not even most
beloved trick of stage folk!—did she
turn at the portieres for a parting
look. The patter of her scared, run
ning feet sounded irregularly on the
marble outer hall. Then the front
door slammed, and she was gone.
The final scene between Conover
and his son's wife had endured less
than twenty seconds. It was over,
and she had departed before Gerald
realized what had happened. Then,
with a cry, he was on his feet and
hurrying to the door. But his father
stood in front of It.
"If you're not cured now," said Con
over, "you never will be. Go bach
and ring for your mother's maid."
The boy's mouth was open for a
wrathful retort. But embers of the
blaze that had transformed Caleb's
r A
*
face as he had dismissed the chorus
girl still flickered there. And under
their scorching heat Gerald Conover
slunk back, beaten but still muttering
defiant incoherences under his breath.
CHAPTER XI.
Clive Standish Seeks An Inter
view.
RS. CONOVER, under Anice's
gentle ministration, was
SB*! coming to her senses. She
J il* 1 ? opened her eyes with a
gasp of fear, then sat up and looked
apprehensively around.
"She Is gone, dear," whispered
Anice, divining her meaning, "and
Gerald didn't mean what he said. He
was excited, that was all. He's all
right again now. Shall I help you up
stairs?"
But Mrs. Conover insisted on being
assisted to the nearby sofa.
"All right again, old lady?" asked
Caleb, walking across to the sofa.
"Like me to send for the doctor?"
"No. Yes, I'm quite well again
now," stammered his wife. "Thank
you for asking."
"Until further notice," Conover an
nounced dryly, looking from one to
the other, "these 'pleasant home
hours' are suspended. Ily request.
They're too exciting for a quiet man
like me. I hope you'll all try to
smother any disappointment you feel.
And now," turning to the butler, who
had come in answer to his ring, "I'll
see If I can't get the taste of this
farewell performance of the pleasant
hour series out of my mouth before I
start my evening's work. Gaines, or
der Dunderberg brought around in ten
minutes."
"Where are you going?" asked Mrs.
Conover, who had imperfectly caught
the order.
"To get into my riding clothes," an
swered her husband from the door
way.
"But you spoke of Dunderberg.
You're surely not going to ride Dun
derberg when I'm so shaken up. I
shall worry so —"
"Why? You ain't riding him."
"But why not ride Sultan? He's so
gentle and quiet and —"
"Letty! do I look as if 1 was on a
still hunt for something gentle and
quiet? I want something that'll give
me a fight. Something that'll tire me
out and take my mind off black, flop
up pompadours and stocking-leg
gloves! Jerry, you come along with
me. 1 want a talk with you."
"Oh, if only that dreadful horse
would die!" sighed Mrs. Conover. "I
never have an instant's peace while
you're riding him."
"Rot!" growled Calel_, Grinning re
assurance at the pathetic little figure
on the sofa. "There never yet was a
horse I couldn't manage or that could
harm me. Come along. Jerry."
He stamped upstairs to his dressing
room followed by the reluctant, still
muttering Gerald.
This was by no means the first
time Mrs. Conover had plucked up
courage to entreat her lord not to ride
his favorite horse, Dunderberg, the
most vicious, tricky brute in all that
horse-breeding State. And never yet
had the Railroader deigned to heed
her request. In fact, such opposition
rather pleased him than otherwise,
inasmuch as It enhanced, to all listen
ers, his own equestrian prowess.
Caleb Conover was a notoriously
bad rider. Horsemanship must be
learned before the age of twenty or
never at all. And Conover was well
past forty before he threw leg over
saddle. But he loved the exercise,
and took special Joy In buying and
mastering the most unmanageable
horses he could find. How so wretched
a horseman could avert bad falls or
even death was a mystery to all who
knew him.
Both women, with the wondrous
art which their sex alone can master,
had dropped into conventional atti
tudes with their backs to the light by
the time the intruder's first word was
spoken. As Clive Standish passed
through the portieres into the library,
he saw only that its two occupants
were seated, one reading, the other
crocheting, in polite boredom, each
evidently quite willing that their pro
longed session of .dreary small talk
should be Interrupted.
"Good evening, Aunt Letty," said
Clive, as he stooped over the excited
woman an l kissed her. "I called to
see Mr. Conover on a matter of some
Importance. The footman was not
sure whether he could —or would —see
me or not. So, while I was waiting
for him to find out, I thought I heard
your voice in here and ventured in.
Good evening, Miss Lanier. You'll
pardon my left hand?"
The right he held behind him, yet
in one of the mirrors Anice could see
the knuckles were swathed in plaster.
The hand he offered, too, was bruised,
cut and discolored.
"I —I had a slight accident," he said
hastily, noting her glance. "Nothing
of importance. I —"
"Mr. Conover has told us of it," an
swered Anice. "It was splendid of
you, Clive! You risked your life to—"
"To get out of a fight that my own
folly had_ brought on. That wassail.
(To Bo Continued.)
-' : '
THE YOUNG MAN FROM
WYOMING
AT EAQLES MERE.
A SULLIVAN COUNTY NOVELETTE.
BY THOMAS J. INGHAM.
"Father's most trusted friend and advisor was Judge
John Jenkins, who sent him with a letter to Captain John
Franklin. A company was soon formed under command of
Franklin, who went down the river on one side and up on the
other, dispossessing as many Pennamites as they could find.
\\ hen they reached the valley they found they were not strong
enough to meet the enemy in the open field, and took posses
sion of a fort. Capt. Franklin and my father hastened north
for more recruits. They had hardly got out of the valley when
four hundred militia from Northampton County, under com
mand of Col. Armstrong, surrounded the fort. The Colonel
informed the settlers in the fort that he had come to disarm
both sides, and if they would surrender he would let them go,
and also disarm Patterson's soldiers. To this they agreed,
and, marching out of the fort, grounded their arms. They
were immediately surrounded, taken prisoners, hound with
cords, and marched off to Easton jail, l'atterson's men were
not disarmed at all. Col. Armstrong, full of the glory of his
achievement, marched his four hundred men hack to Easton,
having, as he supposed, finished the war. lie was soon roused,
however, from his happy delusion by a stream of Pennamite
tenants and claimants from the valley, who reported that Capt.
Franklin had raised a much larger force and burned their
houses and shot their cattle, and killed those who resisted, so
they had been compelled to get out of the valley to save their
lives. The military ardor of Col. Armstrong was now roused
1o the highest pitch, and he called for his four hundred men,
but was rendered almost furious when he found that about
three out of four refused to obey his call, saying 'it was a
quarrel of a set of land jobbers, and they would not assist to
extirpate the Connecticut claimants.' With only a hundred
men lie marched to Wyoming. Capt. Franklin awaited his
coming in the fort at Kingston. Col. Armstrong made a bold
assault, which was gallantly repulsed. My father was among
those who were seriously wounded.
"Col. Armstrong returned to Easton; and about this time
news came that the Pennsylvania Legislature had passed an
act 'to restore possession' to the Connecticut settlers. The
Executive Council recalled Armstrong and Patterson, and re
leased the prisoners in Easton jail without trial. This was
good news for the settlers, and they returned to their families,
but to us it brought little comfort; father's wound did not
heal.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
"Our house had not been burned and it was now vacant.
We hastened to bring our things from our mountain retreat
and put our house in good order. We brought father home
tenderly and laid him on his own bed. He said feebly, '1 feel
better; I am now content!' and sank into an uneasy slumber.
As I sat watching him while he slept, 1 noticed his high pale
forehead, his hollow eyes, and the long, thin hand lying weakly
upon the coverlet; and 1 thought of the strong man who
hewed our farm out of the wilderness; of.the tender father
who carried me in his arms through the 'shades of death;' of
the soldier who handled the Continental musket in many bat
tles; of the true man who battled against injustice for his
home and fireside, and my quivering heart asked, 'Why? Oh,
why is he singled out for death?' There came no answer save
the half-suppressed sobs of my sister sitting with her face
bowed down with grief.
"How firm and strong my mother stood by him to the
last! What tireless attention, what soothing hands, what
cheerful words! It was not until the pale form we loved was
at rest that mother broke down. Alas, broke down, for it
seemed all of her desire for life died with him. Our house was
left desolate.
"The hostilities of the spring and summer had prevented
us from raising crops, and we should have suffered for the
necessaries of life if it had not been for mother's cousin, Mr.
Dalton, who lived about fifty miles up the river in the town
ship of Springfield. His farm, consisting of broad tlats, in a
bend of the river, outside of the path of war, had not suffered
and he had raised bountiful crops. Mr. Dalton, hearing of our
trouble, sent his son Obed down with a large canoe load of
provisions. Obe was a fine muscular young man—a jolly fel
low. accustomed to work, and invigorated by plenty of fresh
air. lie came to us with his unexpected cargo like a fresh
breeze in a parching desert. He said he had come to work
with me a few weeks and help repair the Pennamite damages.
He brightened us up, and we went to work with renewed
hope.
"Mattie had not been in the valley since spring. As soon
as the troubles commenced Mrs. Swartz went down the river
to her friends in Paxton. Swartz remained on the farm
awhile, and then joined Patterson's rangers in the hope of
getting hold of some Connecticut settler's farm. When the
tide turned against the Pennamites he deserted and went to
his family.
"Owing to the disturbed state of the country, Mattie and
J had been unable to exchange letters, and I had neither means
nor opportunity togo and see her that fall. It seems she got
news of my father's death, for awhile after that I got a sym
pathizing and consoling letter, in which she expressed her
anxiety to return to the valley, and said they expected to re
turn in the spring. In my reply 1 expressed my eager desire
to see her again, and assured her that they might return in
safety.
"Obe and 'Cretia soon got to be the best of friends, and
he was in no hurry to leave us. When at last he had togo, lie
promised to make us another visit in the winter. This prom
ise was not forgotten, for after the first fierce cold nights of
winter had closed the river with smooth ice, he came down on
a pair of skates. He made the journey in one day. Again,
when the snow had covered the rough roads, he came with a
sleigh and horses, and took 'Cretia up home on a visit and
brought her back in a few weeks.
"About that time affairs were settled between them, and
they were to be married in the summer. We were sorry in
deed to think of losing 'Cretia, for she was now the light of the
home, but we could not oppose it, for Obe was as fine a fellow
as we could hope for, and the family in excellent circum
stances.
"We did not make a formal wedding. 'Cretia wrote to
Muttie and urged her to come, but Mattie sent sincere regrets,
saying that Air. Swartz did not intend to return that season,
and it would not l>e possible for her to attend.
"The day before the wedding Obe made his appearance
in a canoe. It was the easiest mode of conveyance which ex
isted ii]) and down the river. They were married in the
morning, and the little wedding party all escorted them to the
river. The bride was comfortably seated in the middle of the
canoe, and the bridegroom, with his slender socket pole, took
his station in the stern. Then as we all shouted 'good bye'
and 'good luck,' and splashed the water with old shoes. Obe
pushed rapidly away, and was soon around the bend out of
s>g ht - * 1 , J
(To be continued.)
11' ii >lll paw • one.)
deuce in Berry, lPnot actual hostility
to his theories and methods, that im
pelled thousands of independents to
remain away from the polls on regis
tration day, has inspired stalwart Re
publicans to action and prompted
many to take an aggressive part in
the state campaign in favor of the full
Republican ticket.
There is evidence on every hand of
the determination of old line Republi
cans, business men, manufacturers and
others identified with the commercial
and industrial prosperity of this city,
to do every thing in their power to
roll up a big majority for John K.
Tener for governor and all the candi
dates on the Republican ticket. The
fact that the Democratic combine that
is running the Keystone Party has
seen fit to indorse a large number of
Democratic candidates for congress,
who are now running on the Keystone
Party ticket headed by Berry for gov
ernor, has incensed the great body of
the citizenship which believes in the
administration of President Taft, and
which recognizes the fact that the
election of a Democratic congress
means the reopening of the tariff agi
tation and an inevitable disruption of
business throughout the country, the
shutting down of mills and factories
of all kinds, the throwing of hundreds
of thousands of men and women out
of employment, and untold distress
and ruin to many.
With this possible condition in_mind,
the members of the Union I.&isue
have appointed a committee of one
hundred to cooperate with the Repub
lican party leaders in the state and
the nation to combat every effort to
elect Democrats to congress.
In full accord with this action,
the Workingmen's Protective Tariff
League, a powerful organization com
posed of large numbers of employes
of the textile mills of Kensington, has
adopted resolutions strongly commend
ing the Taft administration, declaring
for tho olectiou of Republicans to con
gress, and coming out squarely in
favor of the election of John IC. Tener
for governor of Pennsylvania.
A committee composed of represen
tative men employed in the various
mills has been named to canvass tho
wage earners of Philadelphia to insure
a large vote for all the candidates oil
the Republican ticket
Through Henry F. Walton, chair
man of the Republican state commit
tee, who is in touch with these com
mittees, those elements are acting in
harmony, and givo assurances that
the returns on election night will de
monstrate that effective work has
been dore.
W. Harry Balcer, societary of the
Republican state committee, who has
been surveying the situation in tho
interior of tlie state, reports that tiiero
are signs of Republican activity on
every hand and that splendid results
may be anticipated from the party
Btrongholds in every section.
GENERAL MARKETS
PHILADELPHIA FLOUR steady;
winter clear, $4rL<4.25; city mills, fan
cy, ii.4o.
RYE FLOUR quiet, at $4©'4.10 per
barrel.
WHKAT quiot; No. 2 rod, new, 9l»Ms
@97%c.
CORN quiet; No. 2 yellow, local,
59V&f('60c.
OATS steady; No. 2 white, 39
39V2C.; lower grades, 37c.
POULTRY: Live linn; hens, 15@
17c.; old roosters, VlCu l2Vfec. Dressed
steady; choice fowls, ISVi-c.; old roos
ters, 13c.
BUTTER firm; extra creamery, 32c.
EGGS steady; selected, 32 (112t 1 34 c.;
nearby, 28c.; wostern, 28c.
POTATOES quiet, at 58$/ (!oc. bush.
Live Stock Markets.
PITTSBURG (Union Stock Yards)
CATTLE steady; choice, st!.Bo@>7.lo:
prime, 1G.4()@6.75.
SHEEP ! iglier; prime wethers $4.10
<?|4.35; culls and common, s2fr3;
lambs, $4.50@C.90; veal calves, $9.50
@lO.
HOGS higher; prime heavies, $9.20
©9.35; mediums. s9.sG#9.fio; heavy
Yorkers, $9.50(a 9.55: light Yorkers,
19.35(5.9.40; pigs, s9(?j 9.30; roughs,
»7.75@8.30.
riROPOSRB AMENDMENTS TO THE
■*- CONSTITUTION SUBMITTED TO
THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMON
WEALTH FOR THEIR APPROVAL. OR
REJECTION. BY THE GENERAL AS
SEMBLY OF THE COMMONWEALTH
OF PENNSYLVANIA, AM) PUBLISH
ED BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY
OF THE COMMONWEALTH, IN PUR
SUANCE OF ARTICLE XVIII OF THE
CONSTITUTION.
Number One.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to section twen
ty-si* of article live of the Constitution
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Resolved (If the Senate concur). That
the following amendment to section twen
ty-six of article five of the Constitution
»112 Pennsylvania be, and the same Is here
by. proposed, In accordance with the
eighteenth article thereof:—
That section 20 of Article V., which
reads as follows: "Section 2ti. All laws re
lating to courts shall be general and of
uniform operation, and the organization,
jurisdiction, and powers of all courts of
the same class or grade, so far as regu
lated by law, and the force and effect of
the process and Judgments of such courts,
shall be uniform; and the General Assem
bly Is hereby prohibited from creating
other courts to exercise the powers veßted
by this Constitution In tho J.udges of the
Courts of Common Pleas and Orphans'
Courts," be amended so that the same
shall read as follows:
Section 2G. All laws relating to courts
shall be general and of uniform opera
tion, and the organization, Jurisdiction,
and powers of all courts of the same class
or grade, so far as regulated by law, and
the force and effect of the process and
ludgments of such courts, shall be uni
form; but, notwithstanding any provi
sions of this Constitution, the General
Assembly shall have full power to estab
lish new courts, from time to time, as the
same may be needed In any city or coun
ty, and to prescribe the powers and Ju
risdiction thereof, nnd to Increase the
number of Judges In any courts now ex
isting or hereafter created, or to reorgan
ize the same, or to vest In other courts
tho Jurisdiction theretofore exercised by
courts not of record, and to abolish the
same wherever It may be deemed neces
sary for the orderly and efficient adminis
tration of justice.
A true copy of Resolution No. 1.
ROBERT McAFEE,
Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Number Two.
RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Consti
tution of the Commonwealth of Penn
sylvania, so as to eliminate the require
ment of payment, of taxes as a qualifi
cation of the right to vote.
Resolved (if the House of Representa
tives concur), Thnt the following amend
ment to the Constitution of the Common
wealth of Pennsylvania be, and the same
Is hereby, proposed, In accordance with
the eighteenth article thereof:
That section one of article eight be
amended, by striking out the fourth
numbered paragraph thereof, so that the
said section shall read as follows:
Section 1. Every male citizen twenty
ano years of age, possessing tho follow
ing qualifications, shall be entitled to
vote at all elections, subject however to
such laws requiring and regulating the
registration of electors as the General
Assembly may enact.
First. lie shall have been a citizen of
the United States at least one month.
Second. Ho shall have resided in the
State one year (or if, having previously
been a qualified elector or native-born
citizen of the State, he shall have re
moved therefrom and returned, then six
months), immediately preceding the elec
tion.
Third. Ho shall have resided in the
election district where he shall offer to
vote at least two months immediately
preceding tho election.
A true copy of Resolution No. 2.
ROHERT McAFEE,
Secretary of tho Commonwealth.
Number Three.
A JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Const!-
tution of the Commonwealth of Penn
sylvania, so as to consolidate the
courts of common pleas of Allegheny
County.
Section 1. Bo it resolved by the Renato
and House of Representatives of tho
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Gen
eral Assembly met. That tho following
amendment to tho Constitution of Penn
■ sylvanla be, and the same Is hereby, pro
i posed, In accordance with the eighteenth
article thereof:—
That section six of article five be
j amended, by striking out the said sec
tion, and inserting in place thereof the
! following:
i Section 0. In the county of Philadel
phia all tho jurisdiction and powers now
: vested in the district courts and courts of
I common pleas, subject to such changes
Ins may be made by this Constitution or
by law. shall be In Philadelphia vested In
five distinct and separate courts of equal
! arid co-ordinate Jurisdiction, composed
iof three Judges each. The said courts In
I Philadelphia shall bo doslgnatf •cl respect
; 'vely ns tho court of common pleas num
ber one, number two, number three,
! number four, and number five, but the
i number of said courts may be by law
Increased, from time to time, and shall bo
' In like manner designated by successive
| numbers. The number «>f Judges In any
| of said courts, or In any county where
i the establishment of an additional court
| may be authorized by law, may be In
creased, from time to time, and when
i ever such Increase shall amount In tho
, whole to three, such three Judges shall
, compose a distinct and separate court as
aforesaid, which shall be numbered as
, aforesaid. In Philadelphia all -tilts shall
be Instituted In the said courts of com
j mon pleas without designating the num
| ber of the said court, and the several
courts shall distribute and apportion the
business amonK them In such manner as
j shall be provided by rules of court, and
! each court, to which any suit shall be
j thus assigned, shall have exclusive Juris
diction thereof, subject to chango of
j venue, ns shall be provided by law.
| Tn the county of Allegheny all the
j Jurisdiction and powers now vested in
j the several numbered courts of common
pleas shall be vested in one court of com
j mon pleas, composed of all the Judges In
I commission in said courts. Such jurls
j diction and powers shall extend to all
| proceedings at law and in equity which
! shall have been instituted in the several
| numbered courts, and shall be subject to
| such changes as may be made by law,
' and subject to change of venue as pro-
I vided by law. The president Judge of
I said court shall be selected as provided
by law. The number of judges in said
court may be by law Increased from
I time to time. This amendment shall take
| effect on the first day of January suc
ceeding its adoption.
A true copy of Resolution No. 3.
ROBERT McAFEE,
Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Number Four.
A JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to section eight,
article nine, of the Constitution of Penn
sylvania.
Section I. Re It resolved by the Senate
and House of Representatives of the Com
monwealth of Pennsylvania in General
Assembly met, That the following Is pro
posed as an amendment to the Constitu
tion of tho Commonwealth of Pennsylva
nia, in accordance with the provisions oC
the eighteenth article thereof:—
Amendment to Article Nine, Section
Eight.
Section 2. Amend section eight, article
nine, of the Constitution of Pennsylvania,
j which reads as follows:
"Section 8. The debt of any county,
I city, borough, township, school district, or
other municipality or Incorporated dis
trict, except as herein provided, shall nev
er exceed seven per centum upon tho as
| sessed value of the taxable property there
j In, nor shall any such municipality or
J district incur any new debt, or increase
Its Indebtedness to an amount exceeding
two per centum upon such assessed val
uation of property, without the assent of
tho idectors thereof at a i» bile election in
such manner as shall be provided by law;
but any city, the debt of which now ex
ceeds seven per centum of such assessed
valuation, may be authorized by law to
Increase the same three per centum, in
the aggregate, at any one time, upon such
valuation," so as to read as follows:
Section 8. The debt of any county, city,
borough, township, school district, or oth
er municipality or incorporated district,
except as herein provided, shall never ex
ceed seven per centum upon the assessed
value of the taxable property therein, nor
shall any such municipality or district in
! cur any new debt, or increase Its Indebt
j edness to an amount exceeding two per
centum upon such assessed valuation of
property, without the assent of tho elec-
I tors thereof at a public election In such
i manner as shall be provided by law; but
any city, the debt of which now exceeds
j seven per centum of such assessed val
uation, may be authorized by law to In
crease tho same three per centum. In tho
aggregate, at any one time, upon such
valuation, except that any debt or debts
hereinafter incurred by the city and coun
ty of Philadelphia for the construction
and development of subways for transit
purposes, or fort lie construction of
wharves and docks, or the reclamation of
land to be used in the construction of a
system of wharves and docks, as publlo
improvements, owned or to be owned by
said city and county of Philadelphia, and
which shall yield to the city and countv
of Philadelphia current net revenue in ex
cess of the interest on said debt or debts
and of the annual Installments necessary
I for the cancellation of said debt or debts,
j may be excluded In ascertaining the pow
er of the city and county of Philadelphia
to becoino otherwise Indebted: Provided,
That a sinking fund for their cancellation
6hall be established find maintained.
A true copy of Joint Resolution No. 4.
ROHERT McAFEE, .
Secretary of the Commonwealth ,