The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-02-22

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The appropriation bills last year wer
the cause Of IT, A commission had beeI
appointed 10 inquire into tho postal ser
vice, and il would furnish valuable in
formation which would enable Congres
TO make n postal system that would resul
In saving in the transportation OF III
mails. The Committee on Post.ofIiCe
and PoSt.rOutes had come to the conclu
sion that II would not be wise to-day Il
enter upon system Of fast mails.
II Congress should undertake TO ex
Tend the fast mail service to-day, i
might find endorsements. Postal car
could be put upon the large trunk roads
but they would have no connection will
the fast mail service. The two giea
trunk lines, the Pennsylvania Centra
and New York Central roads we're nov
running postalcars, i5 feet in length, ant
there was not room in them for proper
distribution Of mail en- route.
The amendment which he proposed
was for the purpose Of enabling the Pos
Master General to arrange with com.
Panies 10 place postal cars on their road
10 feet in length. While the speed Of the
mails would not be increased the facili-
ties for distribution would be, and the
mails could therefore be delivered earlier
as no time would be lost in the distribute
ing them alter reaching the city TO which
they were destined.
The amendment Of Mr.. HamIin was
agreed to without division.
Mr.. Hamlin then submitted the follow.
ing: That the sum Of 100000 is hereby
appropriated ont Of any money in the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to
enable the Postmaster.General 10 con,
unue the steamship mail service between
San Francisco and japan and China for
one year; and the Postmaster il
hereby authorized to contract with the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company on the
terms specified under the act Of February
l7th, 1865, and February 18th, 1867, for
transporting mail from San Francisco 10
Japan and China, upon the same terms
and conditions so far as applicable, and
the Postmaster. General is directed to con.
tinue said service as herein provided.
After debate the amendment OF Mr..
Hamlin was agreed 10, and the bill hav.
ing been considered in Committee Of the
Whole, was reported to the Senate and
the amendments made in committee con.
CURED in, excepting of the last one
with regard the China mail service, upon
which a separate vote was demanded.
Mr.. Bogy submitted an amendment to
that Of Mr., Hamlin, appropriating $500.
900, or so much thereof as may be neces.
sary, for the monthly mail service from
New Orleans TO Rio Janerio, and that
the Postmaster General be authorized to
enter into n contract for this purpose
with any parties to carry such mails in
American vessels Of not less than 1000
tons burthen.
Mr.. damlin submitted an amendment
to that OF Mr.. Bogy, SO as to provide thst
the ships shall be built under the direc.
ton and inspection OF some naval officer,
to be designated by the Secretary OF the
Navy, and that said ships shall at all
times be subject TO the use Of the govern.
ment at reasonable rates for charter
Agreed to.
The amendment Of Mr.. Bogy as amend.
ed by that Of Mr.. lIamlin, just mention.
ed, was agreed to.
Mr.. ingalls, submitted as a substitute
for the amendment OF Mr.. Hamlin, agreed
TO in the Committee OF the Whole, as fol.
lows: "And the sum Of $500, 900, or SO
much thereof as may be necessary is
hereby appropriated to carry the mails
between the United States, China and
Japan, upon the best attainablc terms for
monthly service, and the Postmaster
General be and Is hereby authorized 10
contract for such service, said mail TO be
carried in American built, and owned
vessels, Of not less than 1000 tons burth.
en-. Agreed to-yeas 81 nays 49,"
LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION BILL.
Mr.. Wyndham called up the Legisla.
tive, Judicial and Executive Appropria-
lion Bill, and, in explanation, said the
bill, as it came from the committee, ap.
propriated Sl4979, ,345, as amended by
the Committee on Appropriations, and as
reported to the Senate ii appropriated
SIG, ,737 ,Se5, an increase Of Sl,75S, $50
The legislative bill, for the current fiscal
year, appropriated Sl5,7lT,9S3. The
Committee on Appropriations had
adopted general principle in consider.
ing the bill, which was to reinstale all
salaries reduced by the House TO what
they are at present.
The committee had taken the com.
promise measure OF last session, fixing
the salaries for the current fiscal year as
their guide, and had not in a single in
stance increased any salary over that de.
termined by the compromise Of the LAST
session. In few instances a number oi
the employees in the Executive Depart,
ments had been increased, as, for instance
in the 9Th Auditors office, where the ac-
counts Of the Postoflice Department were
settled, and there was not sufficient force.
There were four hundred applications
for money order offices, but they could
not be granted on account OF there moi
being sufficient clerks to settle their ac-
counts. The Money Order Offices paid
their own way, and left a small profit tc
the Government. Therefore 1t was deem.
ed advisable to increase the force.
All the amendments reported by the
Committee on Appropriations werC
agreed 10. Among them we're the follow
ing:
Increasing the appropriation for sala-
ries and expenses Of Collectors Of Inter
nal Revenue from Sl,675,00 to $3.50,
900, and striking out Of the House bill
the clause reducing the numberoi Interna
Revenue collection districts TO. 120 afte
30lh Of June next. The amendment ap
proprIating S6S9, ,4l0 30 to payahe judg.
menls Of the Court OF Claims was alst
agreed 10. The House, il will be remem
bered, appropriated 25000 dollars foI
the compensation OF the Presiden
Of the United States, and pro
vided that section 1853 Of the RcyiseC
Statutes be repealed 80 far as the samc
relates to the salary Of the President
The Senate Committee offered an amend
ment increasing the appropriation from
S25 900 to $4,000, and striking out tn
the provision in regard 10 the repeal o
section 1853. Question being on concur
ring in the amendment OF the committee
Mr.. Wright demanded the yeas and nays
1t was agreed to-yeas 90, nays Is.
The bill having been considered in The
'Committee OF the Whole, was reported Il
the Senate and the amendments made il