Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 May 1883 — WASHINGTON. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON.

interesting Notes and Gossip from tho National Capital, r | Important Decision by Secretary Fred Douglass’ Convention—The Colored Citizens Excited— • Presidential Appointments, Etc. * The Commissioner of the General Land Office has received complaints from the Postofflce Department that* cattle-breeders in Nebraska have recently inclosed with fence, for grazing purposes, a large tract of public land, and thereby cut off an imp<tf-' banc mail route. The case is being investorgated, and it is thought at the Interior Department that measures about to be . taken will result in breaking up this unlawful practice of fencing up public lands, a practice which has lately grown to be a serious evil. , Secretary Teller has rendered a decision in which he holds that the act of June 3, 1878, which permits the nale at the minimum price of $ '.bu per acre of lauds valued principally for their timber and Unfit for cultivation, dee-i not apply to t mber-lands Whieh may be rendered susceptible of cultivation by ordinary farming processes? “Such lands,” the Secretary says, “are not within the purpose of this act, which is intended to embrace within its provisions timbered tracts only in broken, rugged or mountainous districts, with soil unfit for ordinary agricultural purposes when cleared of timber.” Fred Douglass defends the motives of himself and associates in calling a colored convention in Washington, aqd says that it, has no secret purpose; that its only object Lto advance the interests of .the co.ored lace, and that there is no mores eason why there should not be a colored convention than that the conventions of Irishmen, women, temperance people, workingnmn. and religious societies should be abandon*!. J 11 he colored men of the District aremiwha excited over the removal by th* Marshal of the District of Perry Carson, who for many years has been one of the leading deputies of that office. Work has commenced again upon the Washington monument A cargo of marble from the Lee quarries hr Massachushrts arrived the other dayandw.il at opce be put into condition to be laid. The total pressure now borne by the bed of tire foundations is 74,871 tons, which is about V2-IUO of the total pressure to be finally placed upon it. When completed the shaft will be the loftiest structure in the world. The total settlement of the shaft thus far has been one and one-quarter inches The Comptroller of theOurrency has authorized the follow, ng bulks to begin business: The National German-American Bank, Bb. Paul, Minn.; capital, $2,00 >,(kU Big Rapids National Bank, Big Rapids, Mich.; capital, $700,0c0. Aurora National Bank, Aurora, Ill.; capital, SIOO,OOO. Secretary Folger has rented the estate in the suburbs of Washingto i formerly bcoup ed by Commodore Paster; on, of the Coast Survey, end if h.r-health permits will endeavor to ie r. ain near to Washington: most of the summer. His physicians do not tirnk he will be succe -fful It is very evident that the defendants in the star-route case had no serious intention of resting their case without argument The counsel for all the defendants will ■speak, and it is not certain that the trial will not last several weeks longer. The President has appointed George Gifford, of Maine, United States Consul at Cognac, France; and John W. Burdette, Jr., Collector of Internal Revenue for ihe Fourth district of lowa f « The President has accepted another flttyS miles of the Northern Pacific railroaf iu j Montana. This section, recently completed extends from the 500th to the 000th mfle of road west of the Missouri river. The President designated John J. Kilo*, Comptroller of Ihe Currency, to act as Commissioner of Internal Revenue forHben days from May 10. j • The Hon. Geo;ge Stoneman, of California, has tendered his resignation as a membef of the Board of Indian Commissioners t > 8 ,