The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-01-28


President. II has b,.rn asserted tnat
the President yoaid pocket the bill
and again the he would not sign 1t
until the frst day of February 1t
will dsfc as approved Jan. Goth, 1874,
and rom and after that date the old
salaries will be paid to Congressman
and their employees besides several
heads Of bureaus who deserve bet
ter fate than reduction. For in-
stance the Auditors get So, 200 per
annum, when the responsibilities of
their Offices should entitle them to at
least $4,000.
The contested election cases Of
West Virginia members came before
the House for consideration yester-
day, and will be considered until a
decision is reached unless some un-
forseen obstruction arises 1t is gen.
orally thought that Mcssrs Davis and
Hagans will be seated. The former
is Democrat of the anti-Bourbon
stripe and the latter a Republican.
The postal telegraph bill introduc-
ed by Senator Ramsey, Chairman of
the Committee on Postofices and
Post Roads, before the holidays is
now being considered by the Post
office Committee of the Senate Mr..
I Hubbard, an advocate of the bill, and
MIR. Orton, President of the Western
Union, opposed to the bill, are both
allowed satisfactory hearings, al
ready each consuming about four
hours of the Committees attention.
To be brief, Mr. Editor, Gas your cor
respondent knows that your crowd
ed columns will not admit of an ex-
tended description of the bill at this
time) would state that bill provides
for the establishment of telegraph
in each post Office on telegraph cir
cult, and within ten miles of any cir
cult where the salary of the post
master is $500 and upwards the
government being required to furnish
room, free of charge for the same.
All messages are to be prepaid by
stamps printed by the government
and to be sold by all established
telegraph Offices. The government
is also required to deliver without
cost, to each person addressed within
half mile of the post Office; or if
the Office be letter carrier Office,
within the circuit of the letter carrier
circuit. Five cents on each message
to be retained by the government as
compensation for Office room, the
printing and sale of stamps and the
delivery of messages. No message
is received less than % words at the
following rates under 100 miles, %
cents: over 100 and under 200, 80
cents; over 200 and under 500, 80
cents: over 500 and under 80, so
cents; over $50 and under 1000
81; any distance over LOCO miles
Sl,25. If sent by night the rates are
more than one-half less. For every
five additional words or less, one
fifth extra charge will be made.
The rates of charges to the press, for
every 100 words $50 miles are not
to exceed 81 by day and 10 cents by
night. Where the same dispatch is
duplicated and delivered at the same
Office only 10 cents additional charge
will be made; and when the same
dispatch is dropped ut different offices
on the circuit, the charges not to eX-
ceed Is cents by day and 30 cents by
night.
The bill further provides that the
telegraph lines operated under the
act are to be demonstrated post routes
and under the direction of the Post
master General, the same law gov
erning the protection and secresv OF
transmition of letters through the
mails now shall be applicable to the
postal telegraph.
Ii will be seen on examination by
comparing the foregoing rates of
this line with the rates of the West
ern Union, that fully one-third reduc-
ton will be made in the cost of tele-
graph by the passage of this bill.
A National Health Convention
commenced its session Yesterday in
this city. Delegates from the Health
Boards of many of the cities of the
Union were present. DR. c. c. Cox
delivered an interesting salutatory
address and DIR. Verdi an address of
welcome in which he quoted some
humorous poetry taking off the owls
of the Medical profession of former
days. DIR. Bliss as chairman of the
Committee of Arrangements read the
programme of entertainments. His
name in this connection is guaran
ty of the interest and practical bene
fit which will accrue to the cause Of
sanitary science.
Congress is on its good behavior,
the House holds night sessions twice
a week and on Saturdays instead Of
the former practice ofempty seats and
orders to print what has never been
delivered, there is generally very |
fair attendance, each member deliv-
ers his speech in due form, and the
deliberations are characterized by |
quite as much dignity and decorum
as at the reglar day sessions through |
the week. The body is now SO large
as TO be somewhat unwieldy, but
this is redeemed chiefly by long and
numerous sittings.
Gov. Newton Booth OF California,
recently elected L. S. Senator is be-
ing trotted out as an opposition can
didate for the Presidency. His anx-
ious friends have proposed him this
early for the express purpose no doubt
of killing off any possible chance that
he might have prospectively. He
NAV well exclaim Save me from my
friends LIFE.
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.