Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VII.djvu/732

 720 GEORGIA RAILROADS. Mile- age. Cost of road and equipments. Capital stock. Alabama and Chattanooga. . ' 26 Atlanta and Richmond Air Line 105 Atlanta and West Point. 86$ $1 200 129 $1 232 200 Atlantic and Gulf Augusta and Savannah 822* 53 8,105,368 1 032 200 3,693,200 733 700 Brunswick and Albany. . . 172 10 878 000 4,898000 Central 192 5 000 000 5 000 000 Cherokee 28 ( ' 12,'SOO E. Tenn., Virginia, and Georgia Georgia 15 233 4^156 bob j per mile. 4,200 666 Macon and Augusta 74 2 401 000 1 631 000 Macon and Brunswick 197 7 250 000 2 000 000 Macon and Western 102* 2 500 000 2 500 000 Milledgeville and Eatonton .... North and South 39 80 '503^880 590538 ( 5.000,666 { (1386 319 Rome 20 235 235 paid in.) 250844 Savannah and Charleston 8 Savannah, Griffin, and N. Ala. Selma, Rome, and Dalton 86 63 499,128 449,588 Southwestern 8064- 4,587 313 4,211,600 Upson County 16 200 000 Western and Atlantic 120 4 500 000 Total. . 2290

The canals of this state have been constructed for local convenience : that around the falls of the Savannah, at Augusta, is 9 m. long; an- other (16 m.) connects the Savannah and Ogee- chee rivers, and another (12 m.) connects Brunswick and the Altamaha, making a total length of 37 m. All the chief towns are con- nected by telegraph. The number of national banks in 1873 was 12, having an aggregate capital of $2,725,000 ; of state banks (including 3 savings banks and 2 trust companies), 16, with $4,082,000 capital. There were 7 in- surance companies in 1872, of which 2 were life companies, having a capital of $1,785,418. The government is administered under the constitution of 1868, which ordains that there shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servi- tude except as a punishment for crime, that the social status of the citizen shall never be the subject of legislation, that there shall be no imprisonment for debt, and declares that every citizen owes paramount allegiance to the con- stitution and government of the United States, and that the state shall ever remain a member of the American Union. All elections are by ballot, and the right of suffrage is conferred upon every male person 21 years old and up- ward who is a citizen of the United States, or has legally declared his intention to become such (except idiots, insane persons, and those who have been convicted of heinous crimes), who shall have resided in the state six months before the election, and 30 days in the county in which he offers to vote, "and shall have paid all taxes which may have been required of him, and which he may have had an opportunity of paying, agreeably to law, for the year next pre- ceding the election." No one convicted of fel- ony or larceny, unless pardoned, nor any de- faulter in public funds, is eligible to office ; nor can any resident of the state who sends or ac- cepts a challenge, or engages in or aids or abets a duel, vote or hold office. General elections commence on the Tuesday after the first Mon- day of November, unless otherwise provided by law. The legislative power is vested in a gen- eral assembly, consisting of a senate and house of representatives. For senatorial purposes the state is divided into 44 districts, each return- ing one senator. The senators are elected for four years, one half retiring biennially, and must be citizens of the United States, 25 years of age, and have resided two years in the state and one year in the district from which they are elected. The house of representatives consists of 175 members apportioned among the counties, who are elected for two years, and must be citizens of the United States, 21 years of age, and have resided one year in the state and six months in the county from which they are elected. The legislature meets an- nually on the second Wednesday in January ; no session can continue more than 40 days, unless prolonged by a vote of two thirds of each house. Appropriations to "sectarian corporations or associations" are prohibited. No town or city can be granted permission to become a stockholder in or to contribute to any railroad or work of public improvement, unless a majority of the voters desire it ; and restrictions are placed upon the power of the state to become a stockholder in or to pledge its credit to any company. The executive power is vested in a governor, elected by a majority vote of the people, who holds office for four years or until his successor is quali- fied. If no candidate receives a majority, the general assembly chooses one of the two who have the highest number of votes. The gov- ernor must be 30 years of age, for 15 years a citizen of the United States, and for six years of the state. He is the commander-in- chief of the army and navy of the state and of the militia, may grant reprieves and pardons ex- cept in cases of impeachment, and has a veto upon acts of the legislature which can only be overcome by a two-thirds vote of each house. In case of the death, resignation, or inability of the governor, the president of the senate, and in case of the latter's inability, the speak- er of the house of representatives, acts as governor until the disability is removed or a successor is elected. There are also a secretary of state, comptroller general, treasurer, and surveyor general, elected by the general as- sembly, an attorney general, and a state school commissioner, appointed by the gover- nor with the consent of the senate, each hold- ing office for four years. The power of im- peachment is vested in the house of represen- tatives. The senate, presided over by one of the judges of the supreme court, constitutes the court for the trial of impeachments, but no person can be convicted without the con- currence of two thirds of the members pres- ent. The supreme court consists of three judges, who hold office for 12 years, one reti-