Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1899 — WASHINGTON. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON.

The President has prepared a proclamation setting apart 136,000 acres of land on the south side of Lake Tahoe. CaL. a* a forestry reserve and public park. The Postoffive Department has received notice that the parcel post convention between the United States and China has been ratified and arrangements hare been made for it to go into effect immediately. One of the largest contracts for dressed beef ever placed by the United Stales Government has just been arranged with a Kansas City packing bouse. The contract is for 1.500.000 pounds of best export beef to be shipped to the Philippine Islands for the Government troops. The statement of imports and exports issued by the Treasury Department shows that for the nine months ending in March the exports were $947,919,405: imports. $409,995,033. an excess of exports of $447,924,372. The exports of gold for March were $1,109,845: imports. $3,187.575. an excess of imports of $2.0,«.730. The Secretary of War has issued orders for the reorganization of the military departments in Cuba. The number of departments is reduced from seven to five, the two eliminated being the department of Pinar del Rio. commanded by Brig. Gen. Hasbrouck. and the department of Matauzas. commanded by Brig. Gen. Bates. The Secretary of State at Washington has directed the return to their posts in Spain of the United States consuls who were obliged to leave on account of the war. Two of these officers. Consul H. W. Bowen at Barcelona and Richard M. Bartieman at Malaga, are now in New York. The third. J. Howell Carroll, consul at Cadiz, is now at Gibraltar.