, 1874-05-14
NOTES AND NEWS.
Special U'spatch to The Chicago Tribune,


THE BrEAMBoAT BILL.
WASHINGTON, D. g., May 19.-Thero waa vory
little opposition to the Steamboat bill in tht
House to-day, and it WIS passed without respect
| abla dissent. It will not be 80 easy to haye Il
adopted by tho Senate. Conkling wll, without
DOUBT oppose it, Us he did in tho last Congress-
in tho interests of tho Treasury officials whose
latitude 1t curtaits, and there does not seem ia
be in tho Senate any one Of ability to undertake
ltH defonse.
THE rosrA1-coSTNAo7 FRAups.
The Houao Post Office Committee mot ut tho
Post ofico Department this morning, aud pro-
ceodsd further with the investigation OF the a.
legged frauds In tlla letting OF mni contracts.
The fact was developed TINT J. H. Ednunds, tic
Postmaster Of this city las boen in tho habit Of
certifying to tho character and responsibility Of
bidders generally, especially for carrying on
" Western routes without regard to tile fnct that.
'snown to him: He would do thus at the request
Of members Of Congress-, and, to accommodate
him, the Department consented to strife out
OF the printed certificate tho clauso provided by
lpw' ayerrjng personal knowledge on hia part Of
tue individual for whom he was certifying. In
the case Of the person to whom Routo No. 1851
Was awarded, on bid Of $500, EdmunlB corti-
lied for him at the request OF q gentleman from
Iowa He Bays Sawyer afterwards got tho corr
tract at over 100000. The poBtmaater- G cnoral
has placed the correspondence With regard to
the bid at the disposal Of Mr. Stone, who begins
to fe0l encouraged now that there is q 1roYpect
Of getting at the truth.
GEN. sOHENCK'a RETURN TO 1tIB POST.
:, Con. sohonck will leave Washington for Now
York tomorrow evening. It Is his plcseut r,1r-
poSe to aail for bis post at the Court of st.
james some time next week.
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INVESTIGATION.
Tho Department Of jtlhtice concluded their
investigation Of the WoBt Arkansas DISTRICT cnse
to.f1nv Fthov will %r, !
abolition Of tho district Tho records and the
result Of the examination Just concluded show
that u haH mover paid expenses, and tint tho
ends Of Justice be aB we'll attnfned as il tho
whole State comprised hut o!le district.
THE pIsTRIur INTERPOLATION.
The District Investigation Committee held its
sessions to-day with closed DOORS Tho Uar-
r!ngton bogus Bafe-burglnry case was the object
Or inquiry. Several witnesses wero examined.
but nothing could DO learnod Of the proceedings
boyond the fact that the Committee exoneratad
Thomas Shepherd, brother Of the Governor,
from all knowledge or participation 10 the job.
He lnppened to 10 passing Harrington'H office
at the particular hour, and was invited by Har-
rIngton aud the Chief Of Police to Eait and aoe
tho fun.
TIE sANBonN CASE.
The Ways sud Means Committee hayc come to
the conclusion that LRwyar Prescott. Ut Boston,
anllned with regard to tho Sanborn contracts.
IL is nald that. under cover Of his physiclan's
certificate Of disability, he has takon Its light
to parts unkn1wl.
GYo tie Aasoetated rressl
EoMlNATIoH6.
WARRINGTON, D. e., Nav 13.-Tlle President
has nominated William H. HA!lunhc:k, Collector
OF Internal Revenue for DakotA Territory POST
nlaatorB-PrlHca i. Hawkins, Bowling Green,
KY; George W. MoAtiams, lit. Pheasant, 1a.
NOMINATIONS CONFIRMED.
Tho Senate confirmed The following nonnina-
tlouR: George ". AlcAdams Postmaster at Nit,
P!earant, H.; Alongo q. Sharp, Collector OF In
formal lssyonuo Third District Of Tennosseo;
l.e"ia bloao, Indian Agent Mt tho Chippewa
Agency, Mlnn.; ]. II. Hodge, Recover OF Public
Monoys at CaWkor City. Kun; E. N. Brown, ne-
celvor OF Public Moneys for the Bismarck Land
District. Dakota; Phillip Clayton, Of Gsorgln,
Consul ut Calico.
OWL SERVICE REFORM.
John bright, IN = letter to D. D. Eaton,
hopea Ciyll"Sasvico Reform will bo auocea4iul III
thB country.
WAf.pLt1Na,
Az argument Nas made before the Committee
on War~UlhtmH to-day In favor Of paying tho Cit
izena Of Frederick, Md, S200, 0,000 reimburse
mont Tor tho contribution OF tho Bamo sum
levied upon the !oItizcns by the Confederation
during tho Rebellion. This s1,n ts asked for,
NOT Oh legal grounds, but ~ an net Of grace, In
WOW OF tho loyalty Of tho cisizeua Of Freteriok,
antl tue faot that at tho tine tho Confedsratea
entered the clty. tho Maryland troops we're ah-
aens, lighting IN tho Unio!, army.
cHEA.FKAxE OHI1 CANAL.
An adJoarntd meet nX Ut tho friends Of the
Ohoaspeake d. Ohio Canal WAS had to-day to
!nrtA4r tAo proposed extenslon Of the canal
m hMt RI hNA a. $kAH IL n