Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 May 1883 — THE NATIONAL CAPITAL [ARTICLE]

THE NATIONAL CAPITAL

Goings On In and About Washington. Work on the Great Monument Resumed—The Colored National Convention—Appointments The Commissioner of the General Land Office has received complaints from the Postoffice 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 important mail route. The case is being investigated, and it is thought at the Interior Department that measures about to be taken will xesult 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 8, 1878, which permits the sale at the minimum price of >2.50 per acre of lands valued principally for their timber and unfit for cultivation, does not apply to timber-lands which 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, and says that it has no secret purpose; that its only object is to advance the interests of the colored race, and that there is no more reason why there should not be a colored convention than that the conventions of Irishmen, women, temperance people, workingmen and religious societies should be abandoned. The colored men of the District are much excited over the removal by the 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 rnaible from the Lee quarries in Massachusetts arrived the other day and will at once be put into condition to be laid. The total pressure now borne by the bed of the foundations is 74,871 tons, which is about 92-100 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 theOurrenoy hasauthorized the following banks to begin business: The National German-American Bank, St Paul, Minn.; capital, >2,000, OcO. Big Rapids National Bank, Big Rapids’ Mich; capital, >700,000. Aurora National Bank, Aurora, Ill.; capital, >IOO,OOO. Secretary Folger has rented the estate in the suburbs of Washington formerly occupied by Commodore Pattenon, of the Coast Survey, and if his health permits will endeavor to remain near to Washington most of the summer. His physicians do not think he will be successful 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 Bevenue for the Fourth district of lowa The President has accepted another fifty miles of the Northern Pacific railroad in Montana This section, recently completed, extends from the 550th to the 800th mile of road west of the Missouri river. The President deshnated John J. Knox, Comptroller of the Currency, to a:t as Commissioner of Internal Revenue for ten days from May 10. • The Hon. Geo ge Stoneman, of California, has tendered his resignation as a member of the Board of Indian Commissioners.