The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-01-03
Tnsolvent National Banks.
End of the Engineers'Strike
Fatal Boiler Explosion.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2-The public debt
SIS, S,453,272 during December.
The public debt statement shows
Total debt ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. s. 249, l5262
Total interest....,.. ................ 42,547 ops
Coin balance in Treasury ............. g1.419 100
Currency balance in Treasury........ 4.2T7.S51
Special deposits held for redemption
of certificates OF deposits as provided
=, by law .....-.'.'.''......... Ss,I2a0OO
Debt less cash in the Treasury 2159 1915 026
Inbrease during the month. h........... S,453,272
The Commissioner of Internal Revenue
issued an order announcing the death of
Deputy Commissioner Sweet and directing
VIM Avery, Chief Clerk, and John B.
Taylor, head of one of the bureaus, to es-
cort the body to Chicago, The business Of
the Internal Revenue Office is to be sus-
pended the day of the funeral.
No official information has been received |
confrmatory of the report from Madrid |
respecting the indemnity to be demanded |
by the Spanish government in the case of
the Nirginius, nor is it probable that any
such claim will be presented. If it should |
the payment would, there is good ground
for stating, be refused on the principle es-
tabGshed by the Geneva Tribunal in disal-
lOwance of indirect or consequential dam
ages. The preparation of the Nirginius
correspondence will be completed to-mor
row and may be sent to Congress Monday
next. 1t is represented to be voluminous.
An appropriation by Congress of nearly
two million dollars of gold will be required
in satisfaction of the claims allowed by the
| United States and British Commission.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 3.-The increase Of
the debt since June Both, 1878, is $ll,-
| 496,6l2
Inc House Committee on Appropria-
uonS nave proceeded so far with their work
that they believe a reduction Of 500 600,
900 in the estimates is possible. The esti-
mated deficit in the revenue for the fiscal
year is $40,O00,OO and it seems certain
that the additional $2O,00O,0O0 must be
obtained by increased taxation.
The public debt statement for December
shows coin balance of $9l ,479, 100; cur
rency balance, S4.277,S5l; outstanding le-
gal tenders, 1878, 4O4, 7O2 The increase
Of the national debt during the month is
| $S,453,27 Increase of the debt since
June 3Oth, 1878, $ll, 1862 coin certif-
icates, $3,754, 300 There were large dis
bursement for the navy and for pensions
during the month.
The impression prevails that Congress
will conclude to order new election in
Louisiana. rather than undertake to decide
the incongruous and conflicting cases that
are now pending in the House and Senate.
. Leading Louisiana Republicans admit the
probability of such result. E. B. W.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.-The decision OF
Judge Blodgett, Of Chicago, that nation,
al bank cannot be thrown into bankruptcy
is the position which has always been
maintained by the Comptroller of the Cur
rency The latter holds that nationa
banking act itself provides all the necessary
means for administering upon insolvent
national banks.
The body of the late General Benjamin
J. Sweet will be immediately forwarded tt
his old home at Lombard, Dupage county
I'll. None of his family were here at the
time of his death.
CHICAGO, Jan. Especial dispatche.
from points on the railroad lines, affected
by the recent engineers strike, report tina
the strike is ended. At Dennison, Ohio
the engineers are applying for work again
and at Crestllne they are resuming thei
h places, except that those freight engineer
% who volunteered to run passenger train
- are allowed to keep them and the recalci
trant passenger engineers are put OF
2 freight.
LONDON, Jan 3-In the Vile du Havr
:, investigation Yesterday. Capt. Robertson
+ of the Loch Earn, testified in denial tina
the charges against Capt. Surmont cam
from him, and said that he was incapabl
of destroying such a brave man. character
An application was made, but subsequent
o withdrawn, for an adjournment until tn
. French witnesses could attend The coul
:. unanimously decided Capt Robertso
II blameless
MILWAUKEE, Jan. 2.-The boiler ;
a Nunmacher distillery, near the city, eJ
ploded yesterday afternoon. The eng
neer was fatally scalded and two othel
- scalded slightly The damage to the di
tillery was $4,000.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Mot the Sigh
est anxiety is felt at the Navy Departme,
for the safety of the United States steamt
Franklin. The vessel sailed from Bostc
on the 23d of December for Key West, an
y under the general instruction of the d
partment probably went out under sal
Hence it is likely that she may not reac
her destination for week to come, as sf
no doubt put to sea to avoid the gu
stream and did not encounter the traC
winds before reaching southern lattitud
Her voyage has been slow At this seast
of the year the trade winds are not falle
in with before getting very far south, an
as the course of the vessel was by Il
''Hole-in-the- Wall passage and PROV
dence channel, she is not expected at X
West before twelve or fourteen days
least, from the time of her sailing. Agai
~ the Franklin had on board a great ere,
and some attention has probably been 81
en- to their instruction, instead of goir
directly to Key West by the shortestro rout
The United States has not lost frigat
D., built vessel since 179S The Insurger
which was captured from the French, W
fitted out and sent to sea, but was nev
s, heard from afterward Captain Simpsc
Iwho commands the Franklin, is one of t
:, best officers OF the navy, and skill
A'' navigator.
Brother Beeeher's Church Speaks.
New York, Jan. AT the conclusi
ew OF the prayer meeting at the Plymou
Church, Brooklyn. tonight. the clerk
the church read communications from t
+ joint committee of the Church of Pilgril