Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-12-05
Washington :, aauedtet. The affair

Washington aduedhet. The affairs
Of tie freedmen's Bureau have
all been transferred to the War De
partnent, and regulations have been putt
into execution for the speedy payment OF
bounty, pay, etc, due coiored soldiers,
properly coming under that bureau. All
war accounts for money and property prior
to 1871, have been examined and transmitted
to. the Treasury for final settlement.
| During the fiscal ycat there has been paid
which $50, ,S5' was over the Pacific railroads;
! tor TRANSPORTATION bF water, .s626 ,3I3 %,
and by stage, S4S 1854, ana for Sne i;t..
chase of transportation animals. wagons,
hire of teamsters, etc, etc, s934 ,65O64.
About S3dO,OOO have been collected from
Southern railroads during the year, leaving
about $1,000, non still due.
The Quartermaster has Examined end
transmitted to the Accounting officer for
| settlement SS67, ,172.72 of claims by loyal
| citizens for quartermaster's extras taken
during the war. Subsisting supplies to the
amount of IS 1904 ,Sl2 have been issued to
| Indians. The annual average mean strength
of the army was "a, 210 white and z, ,494 col
| ored soldiers. The total deaths for the
year reported were 351 white ard 64 colOred
The distribution of the medical and sur
gical history of the war is yet to be ordered
by Congress. There exists an absolute ne
cessity for medical corps of the full num-
Der established by act of Congress of July
and the number of successful candidates
rarely exceeds or 10 in any one year.
The river and haIbor improvements have
been carried on with energy and economy,
though many are only partially completed.
The results have saved to commerce many
times the amount expended. The increase
of commerce, with greater depths of chan
nels, greater security in navigation, and the
saving of time, adds much to the wealth of
the country and increases the resources of
the Government.
The bridge across the Mississippi River at
Rock Island has been completed, and the
proper site has been determined upon for the
bridge at La Crosse.
The able and exhaustive report made by
the Commission appointed to investigate the
Sutro Tunnel has been transmitted TO Con-
gress.
The observations and report of the Signal
Office have been continued. Stations have
been maintained at each of the prin-
cipal lake, sea port and river
cities. Ten additional stations have
been established in the United States,
and arrangements have been made for ex-
change OF reports with Canada, and a SINH
lar exchaage of observations is contem-
plated with the West India Islands.
The favorable attention of Congress is in
vited to the following recommendations of
the Secretary of War A discontinuance of
the appointment of extra Lieutenants to
serve as Adjutants and Quartermssters; the
adoption OF code providing specific pen
alties for well-defined offenscs SO that the
inequality of sentences adjudged by a court
martial may be adjusted; the consolidation
OF accounts under which expenditures are
made, as a measure of economy; a reappro.
priation of the money for the construction
OF depot at San Antonio, the title to the
site being now perfected; a special act plac-
ing the cemetery at the City of Mexico on
the same basis as other national cemeteries;
authority to purchase sites for military
posts in Texas; the appointment of Commis-
sary Sergeants from non-commissioned Off
GERS as measure for securing the better
care and protection of supplies; an appro-
priation of the catalogues and tables of
the anatomical section of the army medi-
cal museum; reappropriation of
the amount for the manufac-
ture of breech-loading arms, should
the selection be SO delayed by the board of
officers as to leave the former appropriations
unexpended at the close of the fiscal year;
the sale of such arsenals east of the Missis-
sippi as can be spared, and the proceeds ap-
piled to the establishment of one large ar
senal OF construction and repair upon the
Atlantic coast, and the purchase of a suit
able site for proving and experimental
| ground for heavy ordnance; the abrogation
of the laws which deprive inventors in the
United States service from deriving any ben
eft from their inventions; the repeal OF the
| law prohibiting promotions in the staff
corps; continuance of the work upon
| the coast defenses; the repeal of the
seventh section of the act of July 13,
| 1866, taking from engineer soldiers the
| per diem granted to other troops; linn
itation of the time for presentation of claims
| for subsistence supplies under the act of July
4, 1854, and a modification in the mode OF
| the selection of cadets for the Military Acad-
| emy, in order to enhance the usefulness of
the academy, which is impaired by reason of
| the large amount of time necessarily ex-
| pended in giving the new cadets thorough
knowledge of the more elementary branches
| of learning which they should acquire before
| entering the academy; also an appropriation
for philosophical apparatus, and an increase
in the number and pay of the Military Acad
emy Band,
The attention of Congress will be called
| during its present session to various enter
| prises for the more certain and cheaper
| transportation of the constantly increasing
| surplus of the Western and Southern pro-
| ducts to the Atlantic sea board. The sub
| ject is one that will force itself upon the
| legislative branch of the Government sooner
or later, and l suggest, therefore, that i'm
mediate steps be taken to gain all available
| information to insure equitable and lust legis-
lation. The route to connect the Mississip-
pi Valley with the Atlantic at Charleston, s.
c., and Savannah, Ca, by water, by the way
| of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers and canals,
and slack-water navigation to the Savannah
and Ocmulgee Rivers has been surveyed and
| officer ofthe army. Second and third new
| routes will be proposed for the considera-
| tion of Congress-namely, by an extension
of the Kanawha and James River Canal to
the Ohio, and by the extension of the Chesa-
| peake and Ohio Canal. am not prepared
to recommend Government aid to these or
| other enterprises until it is clearly shown
that they are not only of national interest,
but when completed they will be of value
commensurate with their cost. That pro-
duction increases more rapidly than the
means of transportation in our country has
been demonstrated by past experience
| That the unprecedented growth in the
population and the products of the
whole country will require additional facili-
ties and cheaper means for the more bulky
articles of commerce to reach tide-water and
a market will be demanded in the near
future is equally demonstrable. I would
| therefore suggest either a committee or a
| commission, to be authorized to consider
| this whole question and to report to Con-
| gress, at some future day, for its better guild
| ance in legislation on the important subject.
| The railroads of the country have been
rapidly extended during the last few years
to meet the growing demand of producers,
and reflect much credit upon the capitalists
| and managers engaged in their con-
| struction. IN addition to these, a pro-
| ject to facilitate commerce by the build
| ing of ship canal around Niagara Falls, on
| the United States side, which has been
agItated for many years, will no doubt be
called to your attention this session. Look
ing to the great future of the country and
the increasing demands of commerce, it
might be well, while on this subject, not
| only to have examined and reported upon,
the various practicable routes for connecting
the Mississippi with tide-water, but the
feasibility of an almost continuous land
locked navigation from Maine to the Gulf
OF Mexico. Such route along our coast
would be of great value at all times, and of
inestimable value in case OF foreign war;
Nature has provided the greater part of this
route, and the obstacles to be overcome
are easily within the skill of the engineer.
have not alluded to this subject with the
view of having any further expenditure of
public money, at this time, than may be
necessary to procure and place all the neces-
sary information before Congress in an au.
thentic form to enable it hereafter, If deem
ed practicable, and worthy, to legislate on
the subject without delay,
Ihe report of the Secretary of the Navy,
I herewith r,lI,