The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-30

Line Railroad bill having exercised their parlia-
mentary riRht to demand such reading, so 20
prevent action on that bill in the morning hour.
AS soon as the call of States was concluded,
dilatory motions To adjourn were made, and the
yeas and nays called upon them. In this way the
whole OF the morning hour was consumed
Mr.. Dawes, from the Committee on Approprta-
lions reported loint resolution repeating tue 1olot
masterGeneral 90 adjust the accounts OF George
Ohorpennng. He proceeded to give history OF the
The resolution proposed to be repealed had been
introduced IN the House on the last day of the last
session, and had been passed under a suspension OF
the rules without any statement OF the facts having
been sent to the Senate, and there passed the same
day with amendment, IN which the House con-
curred The claim was based upon a joint resolu-
tiOn passed in 1885, and originated in two contracts
for carrying the mail There had been allowed to
ChOrpenning under the Joint resolution OF 1881
the sum OF s2Ss 6l7 extra allowance over his con-
tract price OF 100000, and under the joint resolu
tion OF the 10th OF July last There has been al
lowed him s237 OH more making an extra allowance
on his contract of si7Oe35 The services for which
this extra allowance had been made had all been
provided for in the contract itself.
Chorpenning had taken his contract to carry the
mail from Salt Lake City to Sacramento being a part
Of the line from Independence, Mo-, westward to
the Pacific Coast Having carried it for two years
on that line, he applied TO the Post Once Depart
ment, stating that during the winter season the
route was difficult that it was next to impossible
for him 10 carry it on that route, and asking the
privilege OF carrying II during the winter season, In
stead Of on his own line, by Carbon Valley down TO
the coast at San Pedro and the coast where there
was a line OF steamers to San Francisco. and up the
Sacramento river by another line OF mail steamers
to Sacramento.
The department had given him permission to do
that at his own request IL was hard contract, as
many other contracts at the same time WERE Con-
gress had relieved other contractors by allowing
them specified amounts, but Chorpenning had de-
vised bill worded so as to require the department
TO adjust his claim the basis of the papers file
in the House OF Representatives.
Chorpenning's lawyer had arranged and assorted
those papers as not to allow his application for
permission 10 change the routes TO appear at that
time an allowance OF s9 90 was made by Postmaster.
General Brown. Applications toreopent the case were
made 10y ChorpeIning at different times. After
WARDS, under the join. resolution o last July, Post
master-G neral Creswell allowed ChOrpenniDg addt
tOnal compensation up the coast to san Francisco,
from San Francisco to sacramento and from Sacrd-
mento TO Carson City, at the of $50 01O year.
Postmaster-General Creswell had then at the
end OF fifteen years, reviewed the evidence which
Postmaster General Brown had given extra COM
penEatOn for extra weight Of natl, notwithstanding
that ChorpenniBg had agreed in his contract TO
carry the mail whatever might be its weight, and
allowed s235 600 additional on that.
One item OF $50 600 had been allowed the simple
letter OF a Postmaster To ChOTpenning, and why
Because the joint resolution required him to act
upon the atlldavts aud proofs the files of the
House of Representatives and even some papers in
the pocket OF member Of Congress were treated
being constructively on the files of the House,
Another item Of sl96, 600 had been allowed on
single affidavit OF one OF Chorpenning's EN- Dloyes
without any opportunity to weigh the value of that
testimony or to look further inquire into those
Of s440 900 had been allowed, Of which sum S205, ,993
were allowed for profits that might have accrued
from the contract for two years and twenty-five
days that it had to run. In conclusion he said that
he did not make any charge against any Official
against any member OF Congress.