The New York herald., 1874-07-08
w a S r I n GTON.
Inauguration Of Reforms in the District
Of Columbia.


Messrs Dennson Blow and Ketchum, the newly
appointed Commissioners of the District OF Colum.
bia, having completed their preliminary examiua
ton OF the affairs OF the District rave unanimously
agreed upon a general system Of rctrenchmenS
| This afternoon they promulgated series OF or
| ders, which Will Immediately eject the following
changes in the District oflces OF the govern
| ment:-The accounts and duties OF the Auditor oil
the Board OF Public Works are transferred
the Auditor of the Districts those OF the Asses
sor OF the Board OF Puoc Works are transferred
TO the superintendent OF Assessments and 10 the
Collector OF the District, the Assessor OF the Board
OF Public Works having heretofore performed the
duties both OF assessment and collection OF taxes
for special improvements. The books ana ac-
counts OF the Treasurer of the Boaed OF Public
Works are transferred to the Comptroller OF the
District, and all moneys and securities now in the
treasury Of the Board are directed TO be
deposited in the Treasury OF the United States
subject to the order of the Commissioners
The Surveyor OF the District and the Inspector and
Taper of Water Mains are placed under ,he
! orders of the Engineer OF the Commission, Lieu
tenant HoXie OF the United States Corps OF En-
gineers. All Other officers and employees or the
Board Of Public Works are discharged. These
number about 1870 and include superntendents,
assistant engineers, clerks, &c, some OF
reorganisaton Of the Engineers Department the
offices OF Register and Deputy Register OF the Dis
trict are abolished, their duties being devoved on
the present Comptroller Of the District. The
offices and functions OF public printer, three
deputy collectors OF taxes and Deputy
Auditor are totally abolished. The Offices
OF Secretary aud Treasurer OF the Fire
Department and OF Public Schools are
also abolished, and their duties, so far they
late to disbursements, are imposed on the Comp
troler OF the District. The care and supervision
OF all the pubic buildings occupied by the govern
ment Of the District are committed to the
Engineer OF the Commission. The hours of
business for all the district Officers are
ordered to be from nine to four O'Clock. No
increase OF compensation will be allowed
to those officers on whom additional duties are
imposed by these orders. The office OF the Treas
urer Of the District of Columbia is also abolished
the Commissioners intending to make the United
states Treasury the depository OF oil funds coming
into their possession. General William Birney, of
Philadelphia, is appointed Assistant District At
torney.
Paying the Debts of the Defunct Dis
trtct Governments.
The new District Commissioners had anothe
long session to-day and continued their investiga-
tlon into the affairs OF the late district govern
ment. kilograms were sent to Morton, Bliss &
Co., the First National Bank Of New York and
other banks where loans have been hypothecated
by the late District government, notifying them
to present their accounts for settlement. 1t has
been ascertained that it will require 1925
to pay the interest due on the 1st lnst $4,000 to
redeem the securities pledged, ana nearly 5000 900
to pay the clerical force and worKmen OF the la to
District government, thus exhausting nearly ali
OF the appropriation OF 300 900 made at the last
session OF Congress.
| Org nfzatiOn of the Wheeler Exploring &
ExpeditiOn-Its Scientific Objects.
The following are the latest particulars about
the geographical exploration and surveys west OF
the Tooth meridian:-
The Wheeler expedition is taking the field I,
will concentrate at Pueblo, Col, aoout the 18Th
inst, moving thence in three separate divi
sons, which will occupy portions of southwestern
Colorado and Northern New Mexico. The principal
portion of the area to be occupied lies south of the
thirty eighth parallel Of north latitude, in the
vicinity of the Rio San Juan and northern tribu
tares of the Rio Grande, Rio Chama, Pecos ana the
Canadian, a region especially interesting because
of the routes OF communication pushing forward
toward Northern New Mexico and Arizona and the
mineral developments coming into prominence
through late prospecting. In addition to these
main portions of the expedition. two astronomer
parties-one in charge OF Mr.. John II. Clark astrOn
Omer, with one assistant at the Observatory al
Ogden. Utah, aud another under DR.. f. l.. Kampf
with two assistants, Will determine the astronomi
cal cO-ordinates at Las Vegas and CtmmeroD, Ne v
Mexico; Sidney Barracks, Julesburg and the cross
ing OF the Union Pacific Railroad by the Tooth me-
ridlan.
In Nebraska, a special party, to consist OF Pro
fessor f. ID. Cape, PaleontolOgist and Naturalist
ana DR.. II. G. YarrOw, in charge of the natura
history branch Of the survey and one assistant
will visit certain specified areas in the valleys O
the Canadian River, Rio PecOs, Rio Grande and Rio
San Juan. Professor Cape is well known for his
extensive researches in the domain OF Vertebrate
PaeontOlOgy, and is following out his line of de
markation between extinct vertebrate and in YER
| tebrate fossil remains The main division viii
consist of Lieutenant George M. Wheeler, Corps o
Engineers, in charge; Lieutenant G. w. Whipple
assistant, and six civilian assistants. The
first party Of division No. / to consis
OF Lieutenant william M. Marshall, Engi
neer Corps, in charge with three civilian
assistants; the second party to consist of Sec
ond Lieutenant Rogers Birnie, in charge, and five
civilian assistants. The second dvision-Firs
party, First Lieutenant Philip M. Price, Corps O
Engineers, in charge, and four civilian assistants
second party, Second Lieutenant s. E. Blunt, Thir
teenth United States infantry, in charge, with
three civilian assistants.
special party, consisting Of DR.. j. 7. Rothrock,
botanist; II. w. Henshaw, ornthologist, and one
assistant, took the field in May and are operating
IN portions of Eastern Arizona and Western New
Mexico. The above expedition is made up OF nine
different parties and covers a very wide and ex-
tensive field, and its contributions VIII augment
the geographical inquiries that are now being
made throughout the world.
The Changes in tho Treasury Depart
| ment.
Mr. James Gilhllan has declined the appointment
of principal clerk in charge Of the Appointment,
bureau in the Office of the Secretary OF the Treas
ury. and accepted the position Of Chief Clerk O
the Treasurer's ONCE.
GEORGIA POLITICS.
Alexander H. stephens Declines q Re.