Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-12-13
WaShin gton News.

A Washington telegram dated Dec
10Th, says the secretary of war was be-
tore the committee, on military affairs
again to-day. He said the order to Gen.
Ord to pursue the Mexican raiders across
the Rio Grande on the fresh trail was
based pri'r"inally on information given
IN the report OF Lieut.. COlOnel Sha1Ier,
heretofore published, and being asked
what authority the war department had
to make such an order, he cited the or
der given Col. Robert E. Lee in 1860 to
follow the Mexican depredators into
Mexico, if necessary, and that given by
John Z. Calhoun, as secretary of war in
1917, toGen. Gaines to pursue the Sem
mole Indians into Spanish territory,
which order was vigorously carried out
by Gen. Gaines; the successor of Gen.
Andrew Jackson, Capt. Claus, of the
Nth infantry, stationed at Fort Brown.
confirmed the current statement that
several large ranches had been aban-
doned, IN consequence of the danger TO
property and life from Mexican raiders.
THE CHINESE BILL.
Dispatches from Washington under
date of December 9TH, state that
the bill introduced to-day by. Repre-
sentative Shelley, of Alabama, to reeu-
late Chinese immigration, proposes to
levy a per capita tax of $3.50 upon
every subject of China Immediately
upon entering the United States, either
from China or any other country, after
the first day of.January, 1879, excepting
officers or duly accredited agents of the
Chinese government, and their families
or servants coming to the United States
III some official capacity. Every Chi
nese subject entering the United States
without paying the tax shall be impris-
oned at hard labor for five years.
THE TEXAS PACIFIC BILL.
Washington dispatches dated Dec.
9TH say that Mr.. Stephens, of Georgia,
today introduced the Texas Pacific
railroad bill. 1t provides for building q
railroad westward from Fort Worth to
Ell Paso and thence to crossing on the
Colorado river at or near Fort Yuma
and thence via the most practical route
but not further north than Warmers
pass in the Sierra Nevadas, to the ship
canal in the bay of San Diego. One
hundred miles of this road must be
built westward of Fort Worth and fifty
miles eastward from the Pacific ter
minus every two years. The freight
tariff IS to be determined from time to
time bycOngress, if it chooses to exercise
the power. Ifthere is any irregularity
III regard to through business with con-
Meeting lines, the offending company
is to be sued in the state and district
IN which the last annual meeting of di-
rectOrS was held or wherever the prin-
clpal Office OF the company
may be. The government of
the United States is to guarantee
THE INTEREST ON THE BONDS
to be issued at the rate of $4,000 per
mile, except for several difficult and
regions of two hundred
and fifty miles each, for which bonds |
are to be issued at the rate of $35, 900
per mile, the total of which issue to
construct and fully equip this part of
the road shall not exceed $31, 100000. |
Five thousand dollars per mile of bonds
are to be deposited with the secretary
of the treasury, to be known as "issue |
b" as security for the payment of
interest on the issue of $31, 100000. |
The amount received from the sale of
land guaranteed by the United States
and transportation for the govern
ment is held as a fund for the pay
ment of the interest and redemption of
the bonds, and in the default of the
company the government is to sell the
bonds of issue b." The guarantee of
interest is to extend to the bonds for
that portion of the road necessary to
extend the line from the eastern termi- /
m thn u,
dent of the United States is to appoint |
five commissioners. free from ali per-
sonal and corporate interests, to select |
the route between Texas and the Missis-
sippi river and to say whether it shall
connect with the east bank of the Mis-
sissippi by bridge or boat. There is
very considerable decrease in the de-
mands made in this bill by the friends
of the road from that made in the bill of
the last congress asking for government