New-York tribune., 1873-03-03

roads for transportation &c, until tney nave rei
bursed the Government for interest paid on bonds
loaned them and the sinking fund of five per cent
ON their net earnings and giving them right to
sue in the Court of Claims with appeal to the
Supreme Court, was agreed to, as passed by the
Senate.
HOW The PUBLIC MONEY Is APPROPRIATED.
THE sUNDRY CIVIL APPROPRIATIONS BILL-wHAr
Is IN IT - MUNIFICENT DONATIONS TO THE
WASHINGTON BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS -
LARGE APPROPRIATIONS PASSED WITHOUT
CUES ZION OR DEBATE
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNRl
WASHINGTON. March 2-The jobbers alone and
perhaps the Conference Committee know what is IN
the Sundry Civil Appropriations bill No other
Senator does. Ii was passed early during the night
session on Saturday after hard if not honest work
for two whole days and more than half of night.
This hill which from the miscellaneous character of
its provisions, and the great number OF subjects
which are in it as amendments, ought to have re-
ceived the most careful scrutiny OF every honest
Senator. was taken up with a deliberaton that had
it continued would have kept the bill tolerably free
from Jobs, and by restricting the vicious amend
ments would have secured an early vote, but after
the recess of Friday night there was not quorum
in the Senate AT any time during that session.
When Mr.. Edmunds called the Senate TO order,
this time the care and attention which the Senators
had before given TO every section was relaxed.
Then the amendments which had been proposed by
the Committee were expressed the usually hurried
terms of the Clerk. An appropriation of SlCOO.OO,
the need of which only a few interested Senators
knew ANYTHING about passed without the least con-
sideration and without even a division of the SEN
ate. Amendments which were clearly out OF order
were put on by unanimous consent, and II any one
called for a division or for the Yeas and Nays,
other Senators became indignant and accused
them Of desire to prevent the completion OF
the public business before the 4th OF March;
for a division would disclose the fact that quorum
was not present, and an adjournment would have to
take place at once. Indeed, the presiding ot1cer
himself had the powe to declare any amendment
carried or defeated entirely without regard 10 what
the vote really was. The question taken rird
roce aud even though it might be evident that the
presiding officers decision was erroneous. nobody
dared ask for division tor fear Of stopping the leg
islative mill.
1t is. therefore, impossible TO tell what jobs
were put into that bill Friday night and during
the day Saturday. Some of the amendments that
did not state on their face the amount appropriated
were agreed to.
The amounts set apart in il TO be used in the Dis
trict of Columbia unprecedentedly large Beside
the House appropriations for public buildings In
Washington which are needed by the General Gov
ernment, S107,SOO is appropriated for the improve
ment and care of reservations, public squares. &c
The Board of Health gets from the public Treasury
$4,000, beside $1,000 which is appropriated for
abatng nuisances. Then there is 10 be gwen TO the
District Government, to pay for work done about
the public buildings and grounds, before the estab-
lishment of the present Territorial Government,
SlS5,OO0 for work done by the present Government,
and not included in the Deficiency bill Of January
last for work done the Of the city which
are under the jurisdiction of the General Govern
ment since 1872 $4,000; to pay for work yet to be
done on streets in front Of the public buildings and
grounds S9l3OOO The appropriations made IN the
last four items are 70 be expended under the direc
tion of the District Board of Public Works. Beside
all of these there is S35OOOO for the improvement of
the Capitol grounds and $4,000 for a bridge
over the Eastern Branch of the Potomac.
The amount of all these items is
So 800 This is in addition 10 the 81 $4,000 given
10 the Board of Public Works earlier in the session.
The District Government-which has not yet distin-
guished itself for economy, 20 say the least-thus
secures nearly S4,OOOOOO from the public treasury
during this three months session. The heargest
amount ever before appropriated in this way in a
single year has been about $l,0OO0O0.
An amendment was put by Mr. Stevenson, in
the Senate Committee, and agreed TO without word
of debate, giving S297 $50 % to pay arrears of inter
est due the Chickasaws under the Chickasaw
Treaties of 1892 This may be all right but it could
not have been passed at any other time without de-
bate. Among the amendments made to the bill, on
Saturday morning, was one by Mr.. Conkling forbid
ding the undertaking Of any new class of work in
addition to that now doing by the Bureau of En-
craving and Printing. As is well known, part of
the printing of the notes and bonds of the United
States is now done in New-YOrk and part in Wash
ington each set of workmen acting a check upon
the other. The New-YOrk Company have great in
terest in keeping the work and not having it con-
centrated in the Bureau here.