Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-11-15
Washington Notes.
CONVERSATIONS.

COMBINATIONS.
A Washington dispatch of the 18th
says the senate to-day confirmed the
following nominations John l.. Stew
ems, minister to Sweden and Nor
way; Edgar N. Marble, Michigan, con-
sui at Orney; Gen. Jno. d. Defrees,
public printer: Kenneth Rayner, detec-
tor of the treasury; EIleroy NJ Brayton,
collector internal revenue for South
Carolina, vice L. Cass Carpenter, re-
signed. T. S. marshals-Robt. III. Chit
tenden, for Kentucky; Joseph L. Nor
phis, for northern Missouri. Z. S. at
torneys-G. B. Patterson. for Iowa,
James A. Warder, for middle district OF
Tennessee.
THE VIRGINIUS AFFAIR,
Washington dispatches of the 18th
say that Springer of Illinois has intro
duced resolution calling upon the
secretary of state to inform the house
what amount or indemnity has been
paid this government by Spain on ac-
count of the execution of Gen. Ryan
and others at Santiago de Cuba on Nov
4, 1873, and what disposition has been
made of such funds as may have been
received. The widow of Gen. Ryan
lives in Chicago. and is in destitute cir
cumstances. The indemnity was de
manded from Spain for the benefit OF
the families of the American citizens
executed, and was in all probability
paid, but no report has been made as to
the disposition of it.
GEOLOGICAL. SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES.
An effort will be made this year to con-
solidate the three branches of the geo
logical survey Of the territories, con-
Quoted by Hayden, Powell, and Wheel
er, and place them in charge of the
secretary of war.
THE BLACK HILLS.
Delegate Kidder, of Dakota, has a
bill before the committee on public
lands of the house, to create land dis
trict of the Black Hills country, with
the office at Deadwood.
SECRETARY M'CRARY
expects to reduce the estimates for the
appropriations needed to sustain the
war department next year to the very
lowest figure probably $10,000000 less
than they were last year.
SENATOR FERRY
has left for Michigan. Before going he
recorded his vote in the Senate Com
mittee on Finance in favor of reporting
the Bland silver bill without amend
ment.
SENATOR DAWES AND HERMAN,
who would prefer the defeat of the bill.
will offer an amendment limiting the
issue of silver.
FORT CUSTER.
Secretary McCrary has ordered the
new military post on the Big Horn
River to be called Fort Custer.
AN INTERESTING SPECTACLE
on the floor of the House today was q
Southern member of Congress, in a
condition of almost unconscious inc
briefly, calling on the Speaker to order
the lOafers out of the hall
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM.
The new national museum question
is again being agitated by the regents OF
the Smithsonian institute They have
Just decided to renew their recommen-
datiOns to congress to appropriate a
sufficient sum to enable them to erect a
suitable building on the Smithsonian
grounds, to be used for depositing and
displaying the mineral articles presert-
ed to this government by the various
foreign countries that exhibited at the
Centennial exposition. These gifts are
valued at more than $1,000O00, but at
70 Id
of the Smithsonian building proper,
they are stored away in old boxes in
the fast-dec aging army building. The
regents are not fully determined upon
the plan of the new building, but are
now considering the designs of archi-
tects of this and other cities, and will
probably decide in day or two.
THE NORTHERN PACIFIC.
Senator Nipple Mitchell, in his char
acter of next best friend to all the rail
roads desiring legislation in the senate
introduced to-day bill extending the
time for the completion of the northern
Pacific railroad. The company was
given ten years to complete its work.
The time is very nearly out, when the
gift of public domain will revert to the
government. This will give back to the
government on the branch line 5,50O,OOO
acres, and on the main line, north OF
Tacora, about 100000 more. The bill
provides that in lieu of the grant for
the branch made across the Cascade
mountains to Puget sound, which is
proposed to be surrendered up for set
tlement, an equal number of acres of
l.. i
Lake and south pass railroad company,
a corporation organized under the laws
ofOregon for the purpose of aiding in the
construction of branch connecting
with the northern Pacific road at Uma-
tilla, Oregon, and connecting with the
Portland road at or near Salt Lake.
Cabling Across the Atlantic.
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