The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-03-13
FROM WASHINGTON.
Bills introduced aud TO be Reported
Railroad Decision, &c.

Railroad DecisfOns &c
The secretary of the interior recon
mends $414, 600 in lieu of $26S, 737, hi
original estimates for the use of tn
lUtes and Shoshone Indians.
The committee on ways and mean
has agreed to report bill fixing th,
duty on still and imported wines at fift,
cents per gallon in casks and two dol
lars per case in bottles.
The secretary of war asks appropria
tions for the improvement of the moutl
of the Mississippi river for the mex
fiscal year, and for the improvement o.
the banks of the Rio Grande at ForI
Brown $4,000.
The attorneys neral has decided that
the secretary Of the treasury may with
hold from railroad company compen-
sation for transportation services when
such company has received from the
United States, o aid in the construction
of its road, bonds upon which it has
not paid interest, though the services
were rendered upon another of its roads
to which no government aid was given.
The senate committee on postoffices
and post roads made further progress
with the postal telegraph bill, ard
agreed to amend it in various minor par
ticulars, suggested by the arguments of
Orton and Hubbard. The committee
voted to report adversely on Senator
Hitchcock's bill, proposing to invest in
the postmaster general the power of es-
tablishing post roads. The committee
are of opinion this power cannot consti-
tutionally be delegated by congress to
any other power.
0f hD
ence of the Methodist Episcopal church
for compensation for churches destroyed
by United States troops, during the
war, at Arlington, Dumfries, Falls
Church village and Fairfax courthouse.
They claim compensation on the ground
that portions of their congregations
who remained at home at their places,
which were in the union lines during
the war, were constantly loyal to the
government.
The secretary of war recently ad-
dressed a communication to the chair
man of the committee on appropriations
of the house, inviting attention to the
e1uction on the appropriations for the
collection and rayment of bounties,
prize money, etc, tothe colored soldiers
and sailors for the fiscal year ending
juno 80, 1874. The secretary has stated
that if the amount necessary to make
up the reduction be not granted the
business of paying colored claimants
will be paralyzed, and by the end of
April, if not soot er, entirely suspended;
further that if the relief asked for is not
granted, the time has arrived for him to
give public notice of the suspension of
Senate committee On appropriations
have decided to recommend to the SEN
ate that they strike out the section of
the army appropriation bill as passed
by the house which provides for trans
f rring to the southern claims commits
sion all claims from citizens of local
states that are now pending in the quar-
termaster's and commissary generals
They agreed, however.
to the sections which provide for cover
ing into the treasury the unexpended
balances of appropriations made for
their departments in former years, so
that while the claims will remain where
they are now for adiu tment, congress
shall resume control of the matter of
from time to time for their
payment.
The house committee appropriations
has finished the Indian appropriation
bill. It appropriates about $4, 800, 900,
s.. 600, 600 less than the estimates of the
interior department. $4,000 are app O.
priated for the support of the Modocs.
It continues the board of Indian COM
missioners with all the powers and du-
lies conferred a1d imposed by existing
avs. These powers and duties shall |
not be constituted as authorizing the |
board or any member or committee |
thereof to examin and pass on the ac-
counts and vouchers of the Indian bu-
reau at any other place than Washing |
ton, and nothing herein provided shall |
be construed to support or interfere |
with duty heretofore imposed upon said
board.
The bill introduced by Mr. Stone, of |
Missouri, relating to the improvement
If the Mississippi. and referred to the |
committee on railways and canals, is the |
Eads plan, and it is believed the COM
nittee will report it to the house, in
place of the st. Philip canal project.
The bill provides that James B. Eads,
md others who may be associated with
lin, shall be authorized in order to
lepen the channel at the mouth of the
to build such walls, dykes,
evees, and other structures as may be
necessary to their purpose, but not OBJ
tructing the present navigation by any
work. It must be begun within six
months, but for good reasons reported
o the president, he may extend the
ime four months, but under no circum-
tances shall moro time be allowed, and
he oborFar ebolj hoaoyoa q aatso11fa1z null
nd void, whenever the channel Cf
wenty feet, for the widCh of six hundred
eet, has been secured and maintained
or one hundred aid twenty days. The
United States are to pay Eads and his
ssociates one million dollars, but no
'ayment shall be made till the commit
uch channel has been maintained for
be time specified. Whenever a channel
twenty-five feet deep and six hundred
eet wide has been maintained one hun
red and twenty days, another million
J to be paid Eads and his associates,
nd an additional million for each addi-
ional two feet in depth so maintained
p to twenty-eight feet deep at food
ide, and for the total expenditure of
4, 600, COO the president is to appoint
to examine and report up
n all stages of the work, and ON their
eports the payments are TO be made. As
o money is appropriated by congress
Or the work, the secretary of the treas
ry is to issue five per cent. thirty-year
onds, principal and interest payable in
old. After the channel, twenty-eight
y six hundred feet, is completed, Eads
nd his associates are to receive $780,
90 year for keeping it at that width
nd depth.
The bill introduced in the senate by
,enator West, for the settlement OF
erritorial claims, provides that the
ourt of claims shall have sole juris-
iction of all claims against the United
,tates, brought by loyal pensioners for
IL classes of property, destroyed or oc-
upied, used or taken by the army or
avy of the United States, for and in
he service of the United States also,
nat all persons who have been restored
n their rights of personal property.
fter participation in the late rebellion,
" reason of any amnesty, proclama-
ion or pardons by the president, or
RELY resumed their allegiance before
he final ending of war, are entitled to
he benefit of the provisions of this