The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1859-03-08

tertSt Just now
\ document is now before me. Illus.
trating in small desr,e the method by
winch We are pressing W 10 Sl0O,00O. 600
ANNUAL expenditure. Ii is letter from
the Third Auditor If the Treasury, ad
dressed 10 the House in aaswer 10 a resolu-
ton Of that body asking or information on
the claims Of Indian hos ilities in Oregon
and " Washington Territori,s The prima-
~ cause Of the hostili;ies IS not given, from
the single fact that an, NJ the immense
mass OF papers, weighing hundreds OF
pounds in that office, not a single allusion
i made 10 il.
1t is the old story, however. Of plunder.
ing and war against tie red man and the
instant his savage nature ilds an quite: in
retaliation, the dogs Of war are let Loose up-
on the trib,, and extei uina;ion or dis
tant removal IS the only alternative. But
TO the expense. Il ape Is that commiS
sion organized at Portland. Oregon. in Oc.
tober. 1856, has suhl.it..i report to the
SecIvtaiy of Wa, il ~ Z. claims for the
snug lille sum of Si.ilg,, 80 30 were rrc.
Sented for payment fr,m the National
Treasury. This Is for Oregon only. The
Washington claim is more modest. bu,
touches the handsome figure OF SI,4Sl.-
i.o -, making for both these Young ter
riiorles sum reaching nearly six million
dollars. The items IN the accour, are rich
The limits Of my letter forbid extensive
quotations The price Of labor is fabulous
the ordinary laborer four dollars per day.
While clerks are awarded ten dollars per
diem Invariably. Horses by quantities, are
purchased for three and four hundred dol
lars apiece-hircd at four dollars pc. day;
shanties for officers and men are rented at
from one TO two hundred dollars Per month.
and one little item Of expressing mes
sage from Deer Creek to Port Oxford" i
set down at the cool price Of SS00-a hand
some sum for an ordinary horseback ride
II ---'---ii -.---- -s~-.-.I t,i. t.;,,.,
astounding. As for example. harness. ST.
90; riding saddle, $50 10 500 lumber,
$50 to SlOO per thousand. and this, too in
timber country; nails from H. t. 20 cts
per pound axes SIS to Sc axe handles 81
to 81, 80 each hand saws Ss; etc, etc
The price charged for forage is on the same
princely scale Oats from 81 to s. per
bushcl; corn 81 per bushel hay sl60 to
$500 per ton. Blacksmiths or farriers
must have made fortune out Of the war,
for find the invaTiablc price for shoelng
animals is 60 per shoe, or SI2 for single
horse or mule The difference between
purchase aud sale illustrates so clearly the
whole swindle upon the Government that |
cannot refrain from giving one full quota
ton; and presuming that the whole state
ment. covering seventy odd pages. is of a
piece with il, dismiss 1t from further con
sideration at present.
'Nlr Peters purcia>,l jI7 mules and
( IL horses, at an average oi S.1.JU each He
hired, in addition, / Is horses and mules
2S,07S days at 81 per day. sIi23l2. and
teams to the amount Of S2i 600. The rates
Of hire Of teams were s per day for thc
horses and mules, g. per day each for OK
en-, and 81 for wagons
The hire of packers. teamstcrs, etc, is
: TO Sl0 per day, having been reduced by
commission from So to sl2 The persons
from whom these animals were hired were
nearly all in service as tcamstcrs aud pack
ers, at from s. t. s. rcr day
The purchases Of forage arc-l57 .50i
pounds oats. charged 10 80 per bushcl.
allowed $3.50; 3,2l7 POUNDS corn. charg-
ed 81 per bushel, allowed s, 30; LOO
pounds barley, charged { to Sl2 per bush
cl, allowed $3.50, 4iI,S07 pounds wheat
charged s per bushel allowed $3.50,
393,135 pounds crushed, charged a. per
bushel, allowed $3.50: 49,, 500 pounds
hay. charged sIG0 TO $500 per ton, allow
ed sl20; ii, 400 pounds straw, charged
$50 per ton. allowed $50
;, Mr. Peters sold at auction, at jackson
vile, August y, l9J6, - horses for 81.
S9l, being little less than S73 each
200 mules for slS,07G, being an average
of $50 each. This included Ia aparajoes
and packsaddcs. costin- about SO eacE
wagons were sold for 500. an average Of
s5l,7O each SOS bushels wheat sold for
s5S0.25; 2Cl bushels sold a. II cents
9lS5,3I, G37 bushels sid a. - cents
| S39i,yi, 80 riding rad les sold for $685.
%, tie rates being from - cents to go
each; iron cen;s; Ia 10 cents caps,
- cents hats, 30 cents; 10 pairs boots.
, 81 l,5j per pair, and 29 pairs at $3.50 per
pair. There are 10 remarks made as to
the condition Of the property old. Of 80
sheets drawing paper, 4 which $50 Were
, paid, - sheets were soiled the remaining
. - sheets for sold for SlI, 20