The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-01-18
Our WOsItin0tOn Letter.


The Southern Claims Commission expiring
by act Of Congress which created it, ON the Sd
of March next,) has passed upon 800 claims
and has 1900 more still on file. II is thought
that Congress will continue this Commission
four years more.
The Subcommittee to investigate the defal-
cations in the Internal Revenue, met last even
ing and took considerable testimony which is
said to be very damaging to certain bondsman
of defaulters.
From the Investigations now going on of the
Credit Moblier affair, one would judge that NJ.
C.'s were mortals and had an eye to investing
their loose change in the best possible way.
With the exception of Cakes Ames, probably no
member will be found guilty of any Illegal
transaction, and this trouble and expense to
the government will come to naught
Senator Ramsey, chairman of the Senate
Post Office Committee, has given notice that
he would call up the Postal Telegraph bill on
Monday next. While the Committee was unani-
nous in favor of the bill which it reported, the
influence of the Western Union folks is being
visably appreciated here. All Mr.. Orion wants
is to defeat the bill reported by the Committee,
and he will, upon plea that the Government
can not afford, at the present time, to purchase
the entire lines of telegraph, have new lease
ofpower. Every one, however, who is interested
In sustaining the country press, favor the SEN
ate Post Office Committee bill, which reduces
the present telegraphic rates to about one-t third
OF the present cost, and which will be under
the control of the Postmaster General
Senator Pool of N. G. is talked of as the
Southern Representative in General Grants
next Cabinet. 1t is claimed, and with some
force, that the South should be represented in
the Cabinet-if so, there is surely no more de-
serving gentleman to represent it than Mr..
Pool. He was one ofthe pioneers in annihilating
the Ku-Klux, and unyielding in his support to
the re election of General Grant to the Pres-
dency.
The female suffrage convention, which meets
here on Thursday and Friday of this week, will
be exceedingly interesting. The Woodruff &
Clafiin faction will, it is said, receive cool
ception-their free-love doctrine having already
so disguised many of the genuine, honest adj
vocates of Woman Suffrage, that they declare
they will not sit in convention with Victoria
Woodruff or any of her clan.
The petition of the soldiers OF Iowa presented
by Mr.. Harlan, in the Senate to-day, created
a smile on the face of nearly every Senator.
These soldiers have made a great mistake in
attempting to induce Congress to believe that
fifty millions of acres of land will be all that is
required to give to the soldiers should the bill
pass. The Secretary of War in his estimate
contained in letter addressed to the Committee
on Public Lands states that the whole number
of soldiers and sailors enlisted during the war
for ninety days or more being 6,607,57S, it is
only safe to deduct 607 1913 as dying without
leaving any record. From this estimate we can
draw the following conclusion one hundred
and sixty acres of land given to the remainder,
would amount to three hundred and twenty
million acres.
The New York Financial Chronicle confesses
to some disappointment that our railroad
building during 1872 was not quite equal to
either Of the previous years, building an aggre-
gate Of only 6511 miles against 1861 in 1871,
and 6433 in 1870. The stringency in the money
market, caused by the immense demand for
gold to pay the French war indemnity, check
ed building operations during the last part OF
the year, otherwise an increase would have
been 5000 miles. But we have still enough to
be satisfied with. Since the conclusion of the
war we have nearly doubled our railroad mile
age, which is now but little short of 10000, or
about 1000 more than all Europe. The in
creased cost of railroad building, (the result OF
higher prices of labor aud materially raises
the average of $780, 900 per mile and the aggre-
gate value of the whole to 30 billions, the largest
capital that ever was invested in any one ma
tional interest. These roads now transport an
| nually 200 million tons, the aggregate value OF
which is not less than Is billions of dollars, or
about half our total personal and real estate.
Political &c onomists puzzled as to the source
whence all this capital is derived-yet still it
comes.
The pork packing enterprise of 1872 is yet
somewhat behind the previous year, yet it is
gaining rapidly. The success of this great an
nual movements watched with special interest
in the East. A large hog crop in the West
means to the Eastern cities an abundantsupply
of meat In the New York market the corn fed
pork of the States north of the Ohio river en-
Joys special popularity.
In the Maine ship yards, so long Idle, quite
a revival of business was witnessed during the
past year. No less than $50 vessels of 1000
tonnage were built during 1872; the operations
of the coming year will reach at least 10000
tons. The Delaware ship yards have also been
able to underbid the English yards in the con
struction of five new vessels of great Italian
rapidly overhauling the famous Scotch builders
of The Clyde. The bright prospects now open
ing to this trade are stimulating investments
and the business will soon be on its old footing
LIFE,