The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-06-27
Forty Fourth Congress-First Session.


WASHINGTON, ID. c., June 26.
Spencer, from the Military Committee, re-
ported favorably on the Senate bill to limit and
fix the signal service Placed on the calendar
Logan from the Military Committee, report
ed amendments to the House bill to equallze
bountes. Placed on the calendar.
Anthony, from the Printing Committee, re-
ported favorably resolution to print the re.
port of Geo. Davidson, coast survey, illustrat-
ing methods of irrigation employed in India
and Southern Europe. Passed.
Morrill, of Maine called up the message of the
President in regard to continuing the unexpen-
cal year andbmoved it be referred to theCommit-
tee on Appropriations. So ordered.
Spencer, from the Committee on the District
of Columbia, to which was recommended the
bill providing for the assessment and collection
of taxes for the support of the government of
the District Of Columbia, reported the bill con-
tinuing in force during the next fiscal year the
tax bill passed at the last session, with amend
ments providing that the taxes shall be paid in
December and providing that cemeteries, free
public libraries and charitable institutions shall
be exempt from taxation as we'll as other insti-
tutlons mentioned in the old law.
Bill was discussed at some length including
the question of taxation of public buildings in
the District of Columbia.
At the expiration of the morning hour the
bill was laid over.
Conkling, from the Judiciary Committee, re-
ported without amendment the Senate bill to
punish the counterfeiting of trade mark on
goods and the sale or dealing in the same.
Placed on the calendar.
The army appropriation bill was taken up
and Mr.. Allison explained its provisions and
amendments proposed by the Committee on
Appropriations.
The committee had agreed to strike out the
first eight sections of the House bill which re-
organized the army, not feeling authorized to
examine that subject. The amount appropriate
ed is therefore increased from 1924, 2S3, 269 to
$27 ,561 ,361.
A long discussion followed on the question
OF striking out the sections noted, during
which Mr.. Logan said the Military Committee
had determined to postpone the bill reducing
the army as it was late in the session and the
bill would require great deal of time and at
tentioD, and besides the present was bad
time to cut down the army.
to strike out the eight sections recognizing
the army, reducing pay, &C., was agreed to,
yeas "a, nays Is.
Maxey voted with the Republicans in the
affirmative Other amendments proposed by
the committee were agreed to as follows: In
creasing the appropriation for the expenses of
the commanding generals office from $4,000 to
S5000 and that for expenses of recruiting and
transportation of recruits from $4,000 to $105,-
600. The House bill provided that no money
appropriated by the act shall be paid for re-
cruiting the army beyond the number OF $4,000
enlisted men. The Committee on Appropria-
tions reported an amendment to make the
number of enlisted men $4,000, including In
dams, scouts and hospital stewards, and pro-
viding that nothing in the act shall be construed
to prevent enlistments for the signal service
which shall hereafter be;maintaned as now or
ganized and with the force of enlisted men now
provided by law The amendment was agreed
to.
House bill also contained a clause providing
that hereafter the number of enlisted men in
the signal service shall not exceed $780, Senate
committee reported an amendment to strike
out this clause and it was agreed to-.
Other amendments reported by the commit
tee were agreed to as follows: Increasing the
appropriation for the army from $9,154,7S8 to
$9,96S,574; providing that from and after the
LIST of January next there shall be no more
than 40 paymasters in the army, the reduction
to be made by dropping from the rolls the jun
ior commissioners until the maximum of 40
was reached.
Other amendments reported by the Commit
tee on Appropriations were agreed to as fol-
lows: Increasing the number of Indian scouts
from $50 to 300, and increasing the appropria-
ton for that purpose from $4,000 to $46.S00;
increasing the appropriation for the pay of
contract surgeons from $107,7 to $2l5,573;
increasing the number of paymasters' clerks
from AZ to 81, and appropriating $62, 900 in
stead of $4,000 for their compensation; in
creasing the number of hospital stewards from
200 to 250 and the appropriation for the COM
pensation from $4,000 to 100000; increasing
the appropriation for pay to soldiers for cloth
ing not drawn from 100000 to 10000; in
creasing the appropriation for postage on let
tiers, compensation OF citizen witnesses attend
ing upon court martial, &C., $4,000 to $780,
900; increasing the appropriation for the sub
sistence department from $1,90S, 6S6 to $780,
000; increasing the Appropriation for the quar-
termaster's department. from 667 to 3d.
100000, and that for the purchase of horses for
cavalry and artillery from $105, 7S4 to 1000;
Increasing the annrODriatiOp for the tranSDOr.
tation of the army from $2,S17,S04 to $780,
600, and for the construction of military depots
at such points as may be selected by the Secre-
tary of War, and all existing military posts,
the maintenance of which may be rendered
necessary by the erection of new posts, shall be
abandoned soon as practicable. Agreed to-.
The amendments increasing the appropria-
ton for the construction and repair of hospitals
from S61, 494 to 100000; for the purchase and
manufacture of clothing, &c, from 1888, 221 to
100000; for pay of superintendents of national
cemeteries from $4,000 to $57y75O, and all con-
tingent expenses of the army from $4,000 to