The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-05-11
WASHINGTON.
The Pending Negotiations for the Black
Hills Country.

The Pending Negotiations for the BLACK
Hills Country.
NEW YORK, May 1C.-The Washington cor
respondent of the Times telegraphs as follows:
The people of the Northwestern states and Ter
ritories manifest great interest in the negotia
tions between the government and the Indians
touching the Black Hills country. In antcl-
patton of the arrival of Red Cloud ana nls par
ty. Senators Ingalls, and Harvey OF Kansas,
Hitchcock and Paddock of Nebraska, and Rep
resentatives from several frontier states and
territories are here to be at the negotiations.
All of these gentlemen will urge the govern
ment. to use great exertions TO make new
treaty that will give the United Sites undls-
puted title to the Black Hills country.
Treasury Balances.
The following are the Treasury balances OF
to-day:-Currency 81, 632, 81. 90 special deposit
of legal tenders for redemption of certificates OF
deposit $51 300, 000 coin, 1888, 36l O24 including
coin certificates, $21, 3ll AGO. outstanding legal
tenders, 1878, 051 ,76o.
Wheat Crop.
During the past week the condition of winter
wheat in 800 counties have been reported to the
Department of Agriculture About 300 coun-
ties in the valleys of the Ohio and Missouri are
represented, which last year produced 10000
600 bushels of winter wheat, or 60 per cent. OF
the product of seven states from ONO TO han-
sas. The average OF the condition IN these
states is 63 per cent, indicating only five-
eighths of full crop if no improvement oc-
ours. In Kentucky IS per cent Ohio 81; Mich
gan 81; Indiana 66; Illinois 60; Missouri 81;
Kansas 81, though only 81 counties in the lat
ter state are represented The condition is bet
ter in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.
though below an average. Few wheat coun'
ties 10 New York make extremely unfavorable
returns. The proportion to be replanted in
other crops averages IA per cent. in the west,
or 1850 900 acres on breadth OF 5000, 600 acres
seeded. The largest proportion is q per cent,
in Missouri and Illinois; % in Kansas and In
diana; IL In Michigan and Ohio; 10 in Ker
lucky. There is very little repanting in the
Middle states in New York
WhisIxey Frauds-C Completely of Govern.
mcut officials.
For some time past the Sc rotary of the
Treasury and Commissioner of Internal Rev
euue have been giving attention to the subject
of illicit distillation; in several cities have been
using every effort possible for the purpose OF
putting to au end the practice of Illicit whiskey
manufacture and traffic. The officers OF the
Department who have been specially instructed
by the Secretary with view to a complete de-
struction of this wholesale fraud upon the gov
eminent in connection with the manufacture OF
whskey have been successful in discovering
evidences of and the means OF preventing
very great amount of fraud in connection with
illicit distilation. Their researches show that
a well organized aud formidable plan has been
successfully practiced for some time for the
preparation of frauds upon the revenue with
their principal headquarters and Operations in
ST. Louis, Chicago and Milwaukee. One result
of the discovery has been tie dismissal of
several internal revenue gaugers and
storekeepers in the districts where the
fraudulent practices have been in full opera
ton, the investigation of the Department prov
ing concusively that several OF these
officers were bought up by parties engaged in
the transactions. Other revenue officers in the
localities mentioned, including some OF much
higher position than the grade mentioned, will,
it is said at the Department, share the same
participation in the crimes that have been dis
covered, but because of gross neglect in the
performance of their official functions, which 1t
thoroughly attended to would have saved the
government great loss by preventing the frauds
that have gained much success. Steps will also
be taken to bring to punishment all other par
ties engaged in the business
Various Matters.
The Navy Department authorizes the state-
ment that it has undertaken to bring to this
country in ships returning home from the Med
iterranean squadron all such works of art as
American artists abroad desire to send to the
centennial exhibition of 1876.
Internal revenue receipts to day 1914 ,ll4;
customs receipts $566,725
United States steamer Ossipee will sail from
Pensacola the 18th inst. for Aspinwall. The
ShawmuJ left Port Royal to-day for Honduras
and Bay Islands.
The President has signed the commission of
G. A. Shippee, Postmaster at Greenwich, Il. L.
There are intmations from officiai quarters
that several changes will soon be made OF in
ternal revenue collectors ia western districts,
and also that not less than two supervisors will
soon be appointed to fill places OF parties now
holding such office, who will either resign or be
summarily dismissed.