Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-07-17

the evening of July fourth, was
the most damaging since 1862.
Whole blocks of houses were unroof-
ed, some were blown entirely down,
many beautiful trees were broken off
or uprooted, and the flood Of waters
that poured In upon the rooAess ten
ements, mede sad work with walls
and furniture. Some estimate the
damage at one million of dollars, but
that is about five times too great pro-
badly.
CONGRESS AND THE TREASURY.
Mr.. Charles F. Conant, the new
Asst. Secretary of the Treasury, was
pronounced by Mr.. Beck, Democrat
ic member from Kentucky, the ablest
man in the Department. Mr.. G. is a
good man, and understood his duties
as chief of Warrants, but Beck not
being acquainted with more than a
dozen or two of clerks, out of two
thousand in the Treasury, was hardly
justified in making SO sweeping an
assertion.
The Committees of Congress, know
nothing of the details of Department
business, and they 60 down from the
Capitol to investigate, impressed with
the idea, that they can see through
things in about FIVE minutes, and can
teach the clerks chow to do it,"
When they reach the Department,
they find a great and intricate system,
with men in charge that know all the
ropes, and the committee can hardly
ask question that does not provoke
laughter at the ignorance it betrays.
They are at disadvantage at once
which they feel, and after a day or
two, they become satisfied that it
would take some years study and
close application to get even with
the competent clerks; so they soon
begin to look wise, and say little, and
get out of the way as soon as decen-
cy will admit. They 60 back to Con
gress and report that they have found
nothing, and guess nothing is there,
keeping out of sight the fact they met
too many guns, and were worsted.
The only exception to this, was when
they got hold of Richardson, and in a
moment of panic, he confessed he
did his business by routine. This
was nuts to the Committee. and be-
cause Richardson signed few papers
without reading them, they reported
the Treasury Department all at sea,
and announced the discovery Of a
first-class mares nest.
Bristow continues the bureaus of
Boutwell,, with one exception, and
the general smashing that was an
nounced, consisted in sending Madge,
Chief of Specials, to the nursery of
the Commissioner of Customs. Bris-
tow therefore doesn't do all he is
told by Newspaper Row. Even
Prince Vanderbilt is retained, Prince
of elegant manners, and a riv-
al Of Talleyrand in diplomacy.
HALE AND JEWELL.
In the matter of making Cabinet
minister of Eugene Hale, there
has been considerable knowing
speculation. Mr.. Hale accepted
and then suddenly declined on &C.
count of his health and the warm
weather. He needed rest, and the
urgency for Postmaster General
was SO great that the time for rest and
recuperation could not be given, and
Hale retired. The President then
appointed Marshall Jewell, Of Con
necticut, now in Russia, but who can
not get here for two months. This
circumstance exploded the idea that
new Postmaster was an immediate
necessity, and gave rise to the story
hat the excuse of Mr.. Hale, though
really not in good health, was not
the real reason for his keeping out Of
the Cabinet. The surmisc is, that
Hale's appointment was a flanking
movement of Grant against Blaine,
to capture his first lieutenant, but
failed because Hale would not
forsake the fortunes of the as.
tute Speaker, who is in the field as
presidential candidate. The ap.
pointment of jewell is a shrewd one
as he is the strongest politician in
Connecticut, and his influence will be
strong in New England, and given
against Blaine, will cause such a
diversion as to greatly intensity the
canvass and imperil the chances OF
the Speakers nomination, who must
have a united New England in order
to win.
CIRCULATION STILL.
/ alluded last week to the tribula-
ton caused by the removal of clerks
in the departments, and which is far
from being ended. 1t was amusing
to see the efforts made by Congress
men to save their particular friends
after having voted for the general
slaughter, they having cast their votes
es under a vague impression, not un-
common with the Congressional
mind, that it is some other mans OK
that is about TO be gored always.
The Freedmen's Bank is in the
hands of a commission to be wound
up. The commissioners are Creswell,
DR.. Purvis, of Philadelphia, and Mr..
Leopold, Of the Treasury.
The. Commission to administer
the District Government, as finally
made up consists of Dennison, Blow
and Ketcham. They have been prac-
Using with the proverbial new broom,
and at one fell swoop cleaned out
some three hundred officials of the
old Boards.
The heat for several days has been
very oppressive, and last Thursday
night was the hottest night for many
years in the judgment of that eco
class who are obliged to
lodge in attics.