Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1887 — WASHINGTON. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON.

A contract for furnishing steel-gun forgings and armor plates to the amount of $4,512,938, was awarded by Secretary Whitney to the Bethlehem Iron Company, of Pennsylvania. The quarterly report of the Chief of the Bureau «f Statistics shows that the consumption of distilled spirits, domestic and imported, in this country has increased from 43,000,003 gallons in 1840 to 72,03',003 in 1886; of wines from 4,803,003 gallons to 22,000,000; malt liquors from 23,000,000 gallons to 642,030,0 X). An elaborate statement prepared by Mr. F. N. Barrett by request of the chief of the bureau shows that the present average expenditure in this country per annum for malt and spirituous liquors and beer at retail is $700,000,000. The drinking population is estimated to be (in 18R) 14,925,417, making the average expenditure per capita $45.90. The wholesale cost of this liquor for which the retailer receives $700,000,000 is not more than $300,000,000. During the period from 1882 to 1886, inclusive, the consumption of coffee rose from 8.2 pounds per capita to 911 pounds, while the consumption of spirits and wine was decreased, and that of beer increased. Senator Allison predicts the accumulation of $93,000,003 additional surplus by Dec. l t unless there be a special session of Congress. Chief Justice David K. Cartter, of the Supreme Court of the District of Colum bia, died in Washington last week, at the age of 74 years. He had been Chief Justice since 1863. v A Western firm of lawyers, of whom the Interstate Commerce Commissioners have never before heard, have asked permission to make use of the Commissioners’ names as “references.” A Pennsylvania man asks to be informed if that State can tax him for representing a New England manufacturing company “by sample only.” Ho complains that the State is “trying to work a so-called mercantile tax on any one who has ne office for headquarters to receive letters and samples and write letters.” A Californian complains that he can’t send refrigerators to Los Angeles under the present condition of things and asks relief. These are samples of hundreds of letters upon irrelevant matters received by the commission every day. A. R. Lawton, of Georgia, has been appointed Minister to Austria, and N. W. McConnell, of Tennessee, Chief Justice of Montana. General O. B. Wilcox has been placed on the retired list. The Commissioner of Agriculture has issued a new set of rules governing the operations of the departmont in the suppression and extirpation of pleuro-pneumoma and other infectious diseases.