Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1885 — WASHINGTON. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON.

At a meeting of representatives of the agricultural colleges of the country, held ! in Washingion, a communication on silk- ■ culture from Miss Cleveland, the PresiI dent’s sister, was indorsed. i The protest against'tire award of the contract for stone-work on the Government building at Peoria to the lowest bidders, on the ground that they employ convict labor, has been held to be invalid by the Treasury authorities. Secretary Whitney contemplates an entire reorganization of the nine Government navy-yards in a short time, and an investigatioxu-oL their books and papers, with this end in view is now in progress. ... .Col. John Gibbon, of the Seventh Infantry, has been appointed Brigadier General in the regular army, vice Gen. G. C. Augur, retired. Attorney General Garland has rendered a decision on the three points relative to the Acceptanceof the Dolphin by the Government, submitted to him by Sect retary Whitney. The Attorney General j holds that the vessel cannot be accepted; < that ho contract exists between Mr. John | Roach and the Government; and that the large sum of money paid to him for the vessel may be recovered.... Brigadier General Gibbon has been assigned to the command of the Department of the Columbia, with headquarters at Vancouver Barracks, Washington Territory. The Navy Department has made provision for the appointment of a board to examine applicants for foremanships in the navyyards.