Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 March 1883 — WASHINGTON NOTES. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON NOTES.

Floods as well as fires have their ludicrous incidents. At Jeffersonville a lady was found by a rescuing party sitting on a chair which was placed on a table in the center of. the house. In her arms was a large Shanghai rooster, which she clung to and would not part with. Both were ved. Jem Mace, the prize fighter, came to Washington a day or two ago- It is said that the first thing he inquired for was the spot where President Garfield was shot He was conducted to the ladies’ waiting room and shown the small brass star which marks the place where the late President received his death wound. Reverently removing his hat, Mace looked at the star for a moment, and then, turning to his wife said: Darling, put yer fut on it, just for luck.” ________ It is told of “General” Booth, commander of the English Salvation Army, that he has, in connection with his wife, so enlisted a daughter of the Rev. Charlesworth that she refuses to go home, and declines to listen to his pleadings and commands. It is said, also, that “General” Booth declines to interfere in the unhappy father’s behalf. If the father would soundly thrash the “General” it might be highly beneficial all round, and set a pious example. The Indianapolis Journal aptly refers to an inexcusable journalistic evil: “It is a trifle discouraging to young men striving for greatness to read as much about Elliott, the dead pugilist, as about Stephens, the Southern statesman. The progress of Elliott’s body to New York and its reception there have been attended to with scrupulous fidelity, and all the incidents noted and telegraphed over the land. The question for young men to solve is: Shall Ibe a pugilist and a bully, ora statesman and a gentleman.” The colony of os riches lately planted in California has taken kindly to the glorious climate. One female bird has demonstrated this fact and distinguished herself by laying an egg, two of them in fact, and promising more. This commendable act od her part has so encouraged the ostrich farmers that a corporation with a capital stock of <30,000 has been formed or the purpose of raising the birds. A tract of 640 acres has also been secured near Anaheim, in Los. Angelos county, which will be under the superintendence of Dr. C. J. Sketchley, formerly of Cape Town and an experienced ostrich farmer

The aesthetic instincts and artistic tastes of that portion of the American people who have been so greatly edified by traveling troupes of trained dogs and intelligent donkeys are to receive a further stroke of culture next season. An able manager passed through Chicago a few days ago direct from the far West with a party of Indians which he had obtained from one of the reservations, including bucks, squaws and papooses, together with a car-load of ponies and several genuine cowboys. This powerful combination will form one of the popular attractions next season.

A little story concerning Mr. Kenna, the recently elected Senator from West Virginia, shows that his mind is not wholly absorbed in the dry duties of statesmanship and that the honors heaped upon him hove not turned his head. Mr. Kenna was commenting, in conversation with some friends the other day, on his good fortunes in poHtical life. He detailed the various steps by which had been promoted since the close of the> war, going to the State Legislature, to the House and then to the Senate. “It has been a great satisfaction to me, of Course,’’ he said, “and I, of course, am very grateful to my friends for it, but I tell you frankly, gentlemen, that uone of there have given me as 'much genuine pleasure as the fact that my hound pup took the premium at the dog show the other night KUIIM—■ The Phoenix Park, the scene of the assassination of Lord Frederick Cavendish and Mr, Burke, for which so many pn Abners are now on trial, contains two thousand acres, and is entered, like Hyde parkin London, by a stately gateway. It is Surrounded by a solid coped wall, 'and is the playground of the Irish metropolis, civil and military, and contains bits of and grassy glen in which fifolituae,'pute and simple, may be realized. It contains statues of Lqrd Carlisle, Lord Gouge, and a hideous granite -obelisk,frequently referred,to in the evidence, two hundred feet in height, recording the exploits of WelUngton. The spot where the assassination took place jAaHonV hAlfa mile from the entrance, p qjrer’ooked by the vice regal lodgfe,, the semi-official home of the Lord Lieutenant, which looks exactly Ijike a twin to ou> While House. It has, however, the

advantage of many mountain views of great beauty. A little further on are the official residences of Mr. Trevelyar and Tom Burke’s successor.

The new internal revenue bill absolutely abolishes the following taxes: On capital'and deposits of banks and bankers, and of national banks, except such as are now due and payable; »md on and after the first day of July, 1883,the stamp tax on bank checks, drafts, orders and vouchers, and tax on matches, perfumery, medical preparations, and other articles imposed by schedule A following section 3,437 of the Revised Statutes. The tobacco tax is reduced from sixteen to eight cents per pound, and producers are permitted to sell at retail one hundred pounds annually, the reduction to go into effect May 1, instead of July L The last permission will be one of great benefit to the small tobacco farmers,, while not all they desire. There is a contemplated reduction- of <11,000,000 in the sugar schedule. Now 99 per cent, of our sugar imports pay 2.45 cents per pound Nearly this proportion will now pay be tween 1,90 cents and 2 cents per pound The new law proposes that up to 13 Dutch standard all sugar shall pay 1.40 cents a pound, 4.100 for every additional degree on the polariscope over 75 degrees. The total estimated reduction by the combination bill is, as has heretofore been stated,between <70,000,000 and <BO,000,000; but of this, as of the effect of the new tariff schedules upon industry and business, there can be nothing approach- • ing certainty until the experiment has beeu tried for some time.

Among the countless incidents of the late flood in the Ohio one deserves to be chronicled. A resident of Indiana, above Evansville some distance,lived in a house immediately on the bank of the river. The overflow caught him unprepared, and rose so rapidly that he was unable to get out with his family. First he placed them od tables, and finally when the water drove him from these perches he broke a hole through the ceiling and put his wife and children in the garret. The tide still rising, he became alarmed lest his house should be swept away; so he knocked off a few boards at each end of the garret, and from the holes attempted to signal passing steamers to come to the rescue. Still another day passed, and night found the water nearly up, to the eaves. With no light to relieve the penitent gloom, and with a mad river rushing by on every side, his situation was well calculated to inspire terror and dismay. The wretched tenants* were too frightened to sleep, and sat through the long hours wondering when the end would come. At length, with a fearful crash, a huge tree struck the house, and all thought that death by drowning was inevitable. The eldest son, speaking of this supreme moment, said:. “When that struck the house,! heard dad do something he never done afore in his life: he got down on his knees and prayed like the very devil!” The prayer or something else saved them, and when morning came a passing steamboat sent a boat and rescued them. One thing is morally certain: in event of another flood, that family will not be caught by it.

It is now stated that in July, 1883, Judge J. B. Bissell of Leadville, won <2,000 from Senator Dorsey, while bn a train going to Denver, for which the Senator gave him a check, evidently the check referred to by Rerdell as being given to J. B. 8., claiming that the initials belong to Congressman J. B. Belford. Mr. Bissell is now in New York. Dorsey denies this poker story. Secretary Chandler instructed the Naval Advisory Board to proceed at once and prepare plans for five United States war vessels, provided »or by Congress, consisting of three steel cruisers and two torpedo boats, also to arrange for the completion and repair of four unfinished monitors. The latter will be worked upon first, and it is thought the first contract will be given out in two months. The new tariff law will add enormously to the work of the Secretary of the Treasury. The revised classification of articles and re-arrangement of duties will make it necessary for the Secretary to go through the law with the greatest care, I and subject every paragraph to the most , painstaking and thorough analysis. He j will;be called upon to d’-fine the law and give’ rulings on a great many points involving vast public and private interests. Businessmen everywhere will want the law interpreted their way, and po , pains ipill he Spared to make black appear i White, and ybite blaqk. On one point ' alone which will be sprung the Secretary I will pave to make a <3,000,000 ruling, and others of equal importance may develop. 'IA tobacco dealer gives it as his opinion that the rebate clansb will cost the cov* emment <3,000,000 or <4,Wo,ooft op tobacco and cigars atone. The rebate is on whole packages, and dishonest dealers con systematically swindle the government out of large sums.

1 The Congressmen still linger, many of them, finishing up the work which the pressure of business during the closing ‘ hours of Congress did not allow them to ; perform. Many of them, on pleasure' bent, are preparing for little excursions to various pointe to rest them after their labors. The resorts in the South are proving very attractive to them, and our neighbors |in that direction are to be blessed with the presence of some of these gentlemen for a few weeks to come. A considerable party leave at once on the United States rteamer Tallapoosa for the West Indies. The steamer is to engage in dredging, taking deep sea soundings and work of this kind, and is to be accompanied py a number of members. Mexico is proving quite attractive, too, and a number of gentlemen will take up their line of march in that direction. Of course the majority go to their homes. Of these, some have gone already, and others go in a few days, after closing up their work in the departments.

In reply to inquiries Monday the Com missioner of Internal Revenue said the effect of the law reducing internal revenue taxation would be as follows: The tax upon capital and deposits of banks and bankers, and national banking assorepealed from this date, except such taxes as are now due and payable. The reduction of tax upon checks, drafts, etc., and upon matches, perfumery, medical preparations, and other articles, imposed by schedule A, following section 3,347. Revised Statutes, takes effect July 1,1883. After May 1, 1883, the tax on manufactured tobacco and snuff will be 8 cents per pound; on cigars, <3 per thousand, and on cigarettes 50 cents per thoua nd. There will be a rebate on tobacco, snuff, cigars and cigarettes of the difference in the tax recently imposed and the taxes as now provided for where claims amount to <lO. These claims must be presented within sixty days from May 1. Regulations upon this matter will be immediately issued, and blanks will be furnished upon which claims can be made. The law provides for a large reduction in the special taxes upon dealers, commencing May 1,1883. The commissioner also stated that immediate arrangements would be made for changing the form of the special-tax stamps and stamps for payment of taxes upon tobacco, snuff, cigars, etc.,so as to supply collectors with these stamps in time to meet the requirements of trade prior to May 1, 1883. Mr. Hiscock, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, furnished for publication a statement relative to the appropriation bills passed this session, and which have become laws. The aggregate amount of all the bills is <229,327,511, up as follows: Pensionss 86,575,000 Military Academy.•! 818,657 Fortifications. 670,000 Consular and diplomatic 1,296,755 Navy'.: 15,894,434 Army 24.681,356 Postoffice 44,489,520 Legislative f 2',464,296 Indian....*. 5,362,655 Sundry Civil 23,906,147 District of Columbia 1,699,867 Deficiency 2,813,187 Agricultural 405,640 Miscellaneous bills involving appropriations of money 750,000 The aggregate of appropriations for last year, including $18,738,875 for the rivers and harbors 595,317,983 For the preceding year, including $11,441,300 for the rivers and harbors 219,367,983 An analysis of the figures for the past three years shows that the appropriations for the current expenses of the government, irrespective of the amounts for pensions, aggregate less than either of the two preceding years. The regular pension bills for the fiscal years 1882, 1883 and 1884 aggregate <252,575,000. the bill just passed being <20,275,000 in excess of the bill passed two years ago, and <13,225)000 less than the bill of last year. Of the deficiency bill just passed only about <500,000 is on account of the current fiscal year. The appropriation bills of the present session were based upon estimates aggregating as reported from the House committee on appropriations they aggregated <220,082,752; as passed by the House, 226,420,208; as reported by the Senate committee on appropriations <230,662,541; and as finally passed by both houses, after adjustment by conference committee <229,327,511, an increase of <924,478 over the amount, originally recommended by the House committee on appropriations. The question as to when the tax on capital and deposits of banks, bankers and national banking associations will cease, under the operation of the act of March 3 to reduce internal taxation, has not yet been decided. No decision will be made on the question until a case arses. The statement that an opinion had beep requested from the Attorneygeneral is incorrect. It is the opinion of certain officers of the Treasury Department that under section 13, which • prescribes that the repeal of the existing laws enumerated in this act shall not . effect any right accrued or accruing, it will probably be held that such taxes must be letied tdi-. the period ending March 3, the date of passage of the act Unless this ruling shall preyail, .the na-

tional banks will have paid taxes on capital and deposits to Jan. 1 and other banks and bankers to Dec. 1, giving the latter .u' {...vantage cl :>nc months texes. The easury vupiir»iu(?nt is in receipt of all sorts of inquiries in regard to the proper construction of certain provisions of the new tariff bilk It is stated upon good authority that none of these tariff questions will be passed upon by the department until the new law goes into effect. The following circular has been issued by the Commissioner of Pensions and approved by the Secretary of the Interior: The following regulations are prescribed for the purpose of carrying into effect, as speedily as possible, the provisions of the act of Congress approved March 3, 1883, increasing to <3O per month the pensions of those who lost a leg at or above the knee, or an arm at or above the elbow, and of those who have been so disabled as to be incapacitated for performing any

manual labor, but not so much as to require regular personal aid and attendance, and who are now receiving pensions at the rate of <24 per month, and to <24 per month the pensions of those who have lost one hand or one foot, or been totally or permanently disabled in the same, or otherwise so disabled as to render their incapacity to perform manual labor equivalent to loss of hand or foot, and now receiving <lB per month. Inasmuch as said act has immediate effect upon such admitted cases as have been adjudicated at the rates of <24 and <lB per month, respectively, uo formal application by the beneficiary is necessary to be made, other than to forward to the Commissioner of Pensions the pension certificate, accompanied by a letter stating, in the handwriting of the pensioner, his present postoffice address. As soon a> possible after the receipt of the pension certificate aforesaid, the Cammissioner will issue to him a new certificate for the new rate, and will forward the same to the proper pension agent to inscribe the name of such pensioner on the roll at the increased rate, and to make to the pensioner proper payment. In case of amputation the certificate shall be reissued without any further medical examination. The intervention of agents or attorneys in such admitted cases as are affected by this act being unnecessary, will not be recognized.

Under date of Irkutsk, Siberia, Dec. 8, 1882, Lieutenant Harber writes the Secretary of the Navy, giving a detailed report of the operations of his party in their search for the missing people of the Jeannette. At midnight, June 23, they left Irkutsk for the Lena Delta, arriving at Bulun July 3. They took in the stores left by Engineer Melville and flitted out four parties with native boats. Lieutenant Harber then detailed the chief incidents of the search of the different parties from day to day,the difficulties experienced from shoal water, and the impossibility of procuring native guides. They were frequently compelled to wade and drag their boats for miles. On the morning of Aug. 21 they reached Matrai, visited the tomb of Lieutenant Commander DeLong and companions, and put four heavy bolts through the standard and arms of the cross { in accordance with the request of Engineer Melville. Thence the search was continued to the northward, and on the 31st they reached the spot where Lieutenant Commander DeLong and party were found. A search was made to see if anything remained hidden under the snow; nothing of consequence, however, was found. Returning, the party reached Bulun on the 16th of September. Here the Jeannette party was placed in charge of Ensign Hunt. The search was continued Lieutenant Harber and Mr. Schultz on sleds. Lieutenant Harber then gives an account of the points visited and the distances traveled, notes their return to Bulun on the 6th of November, and adds: “I regret to state that no trace of Ohipp or his party, or his boat, has been seen by us or any of the natives. It is probable that I communicated with every native of the delta, and with those who were near the coast,” The importance of the bill providing for cheap postal orders is not thoroughly understood. It will be put into effect so soon as thdmecessary notes can be prepared, the system to be copied as nearly as possible from that now in vogue in Engtand. The purpose is to afford the greatest practical safety for making small remittances at the? least possible expense. The postal notes are to be engraved on steel in a style of art equal to the greenback or the national bank notes, and as compared with the printed money order will be very expensive. This care is necessary to protect the purchaser. Owing to the great expense that would be involved in supplying all the postoffices in the United States with these notes, it has been ordered that the system be limited to the money-order offices. The issue of these postal notes at so small a fee is considered at best an experiment. The estimate of the framers of the bill is that the net revenue of the government will not exceed <33,000 on <120,000,000 of business annually, and this makes no allowance for cost of transportation of letters of ad*

vice. For the transmission of sums un--1 der <5 one of these postal orders shall be issued, and a fee of three cents will be charged for the issue thereof. It is made payable to the bearer, and the government is not to be Hable after the order is once paid. A change is also made in the money-order system, whereby the amount is increased to <IOO, and the fees paid to be at the following rates: For orders not exceeding <lO, eight cents; for orders exceeding <lO and not exceeding <ls, ten cents; for orders exceeding <ls and a not exceeding <3O, fifteen cents; for orders exceeding <3O and not exceeding <4O, twenty cents; for orders exceeding <4O and not exceeding <SO, twenty-five cents; for orders exceeding <SO and not exceeding <6O, thirty cents; for orders exceeding <6O and not exceeding <7O, thirty-five cents; for orders exceeding <7O and not exceeding <BO, forty cents; for orders exceeding <BO and not exceeding <IOO, forty-five cents.

The charges against Supervising Architect Hill were made by Mr. Murch, of Maine. They cover over twenty pages of legal cap paper written with a type-writ-er. Before Congress adjourned Mr, Murch read the charges, which he subsequently filed with Secretary Folger, to a number of persons about the Capitol. One charge is that the system of paying for cutting stone adopted by the supervising architect is extravagant. Mr. Murch, it is understood, has made such complaints before,but neveer in the shape of formulated charges. Supervising Architect Hill says it is J. G. Mills who is said to be pressing the charges against him (Mr. Hill), not A. G. Mills, formerly chief clerk of the architect’s office, as heretofore published. The members of the Civil-service Commission met by appointment at Willard’s Hotel Monday morning, and then proceeded to inspect the apartments offered as headquarters. Judge Thoman, one of commissioners, said: “We want three rooms for the commission proper, and a large room in which to conduct examinations,’ After the commissioners have secured quarters they will prepare for the work for which they were appointed. Rules for the government of the commiasion have not yet formally considered the matter of the appointment of examiner-in-chief, but will do so after they have established themselves in headquarters.