The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-12-13

SoUl9,OOO nave Deen collected from
Southern railroads during the year.
leaving about 81, 600, 900 still due The
Quartermaster has examined and trans
mitted to the accounting officer for set
tlement S37, ,617,27I of claims by citi-
zens for Quartermasters' stores taken
during the war. Subsisting supplies to
the amount of So, 904, 812 have been is
sued to the Indians. The annual ave
rage mean strength of the army was 24.-
101 white and ., 494 colered soldiers
The total deaths of soldiers reported for
the year were 367 white and 81 cOlored.
The distribution of the medical and
surgical history of the war is yet to be
ordered by Congress. There exists an
absolute necessity for the medical corps
to be of the full number established by
the act of Congress of July 28, 1866,
there being now fifty-nine vacancies,
and the number of successful candidates
exceeds eight or ten in one year.
The river and harbor improvements
have been carried with energy and econ
omy, though many are only partially
eomlxeted. The results have saved to
commerce many times the amount ex-
pended. The increase of commerce,
with greater depth of canals, greater
security of navigation and the saving Of
DlllE, dOOlS llllll1OLS W t1lC hGttlbll Ol ILc
country and increases the resources of
the Government. The bridge across the
Mississippi River, at Rock Island. has
been completed, and the 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 Congress the Observa-
tions and report of the signal office have
been continued stations have been
maintained at each of the principal lake,
seaport, and river cities ten additional
stations have been maintained in the
United States arrangements have been
made for the exchange of reports with
care and a similar exchange of Observa-
tiOns have been contemplated with the
West India Islands
The favorable attention of Congress is
invited to the following recommends
tiOns of the Secretary of War: A dis
continuance of the appointment of extra
heutenants to serve as adjutants and
quarter-masters the adoption of a code
providing a specific penalty of well de-
fined offenses, so that the inequality of
sentences adiudged by cOurt-martials
may be adjusted. The consolidation Of
accounts under which expenditures are
y
preparation of the mOneyfOr the construc-
tion of depot at San AntOnia, the title
to the site now being perfected, a spe-
cial act placing the cemetery at the city
of Mexico on the same basis as other
national cemeteries, authority to purchase
sites for military in Texas, the appoint
ment Of cOmmissary-sergea from non.
commissioned officers, as a measure for
securing the better care and protection
of supplies an appropriation of the cat
alOgues, table of the anatomical section
of the army medical museum, a reap
preparation of the amount for the manu-
featuring of breach-lOading arms, should
the selection be so delayed by the board
Of officers as to leave the former appro-
prlatlOns expended at the close of the tis-
cal year. The sale of such arsenals east
of the Mississippi as can be spared, and
the proceeds to be applied to the estab
Hshment of one large arsenal of con-
structiOn and repair upon the Atlantic
coast, and the purchase of a suitable site
for proving and experimental ground
for heavy ordnance; the abrOgatiOn of
laws which deprive inventors in the Uni
ted States service from getting any benefit
from their inventions the repeal of the
law prohibiting promotions in the staff
corps a continuance of the work upon
the coast defenses: : the repeal of the sew
enth section of the act of July 13, 1866,
taking from engineers soldiers the per
diem granted to other troops limita-
ton of the time for the presentation of
subsistence supplies, under act of July
4, 1866, and modification in the mode
of the selection of cadets for the Mill
taTy Academy IN order to enhance the
usefulness of the academy, which is
impaired by reason of the large amount
of time necessarily expended IN giving
new cadets a thorough knowledge of the
mere elementary branches of learning
which they should acquire before en-
tering the academy also an appropria-
ton for philosophical apparatus and an
increase in the number and pay of the
Military Academy Band.
CHEAPER TRANSPORTATION.
The attention of Congress will be
called during its present session to vari-
GUS enterprises for the more certain and
cheaper transportation of the constantly
increasing surplus of the Western and
Southern products to the Atlantic Sea
Boards. The subject Is one that viii
force itself upon the Legislative branch
of the Government, sooner or later, and
1 suggest that Immediate steps be taken
to gain all necessary information relative
to the route to connect the Mississippi
valley with the Atlantic, with Charles
ton, South Carolina, and Savanna, Ga,
by water, by way of the Ohio and Ten
nessee. River and canals and slack wa
ter navigation to the Savannah and
OcOmulgee river has been surveyed, and
a report made by an accomplished engi-
neer officer of the army. A second and
third route viii be proposed for the
consideration of Congress, namely, by
the extension Of the Kanawha and
james River Canal to the Ohio, and by
the extension of the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal l am not prepared to re-
commend Government aid to these or
other enterprises until it Is clearly
shown that they are not only of National
interest, but that when completed they
viii be of value commensurate with
Their cost.
That production increases more rapid
ly than the means of transportation in
our country, has been demonstrated by
past experience. The rapid growth in
population and the products of the coun-
try viii require additional facilities,
cheaper means for the more bulky arti-
cles Of commerce to reach tide water,
and a market viii be demanded in the
near future, IS equally demonstrated. /
would, therefore, suggest either a COM
mittee or commission to be authorized
to consider this whole question, and to
report to Congress at some future dav
for its better guidance IN legislating on
the important subject. The railroads Of
the country have been gradually exten-
ded during the last few years, to meet
the growing demands of the producers,
and reflect much credit upon the capita
lists and managers engaged III this con-
structlon- In addition to these, a pro-
iect to facilitate commerce b,- +be build