Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-06-27

IVICey Il new cOHSulSllp 10 colombia be-
ing provided for. The postal bill, be
sides making the annual appropriations
regulates the advertising of letting O.
contract. The chiefact relating to the
public lands provides that notices o.
contest under homestead, tree culture
or preemptiOn laws shall be published
IN a newspaper in the county where
| the land in contest is situated. Another
provides that where a person has made
a settlement under the preemption law
and subsequently changed his filing tc
that for homestead entry upon the
same tract, he shall be entitled to have
the time to perfect his title under the
homestead law computed from the date
of has original settlement under the
preemption laws, subject to all the pro
visions Ofthe law relating to hOmesteads
The act of June 1st allows homestead
settlers on public lands whose crops
were injured by grasshoppers to return
without their original rights being af
fected. The act Of June 3rd authorizes
citizens of Colorado, Nevada and the
territories to fell and remove timber on
the public domain for mining and do
mestic purposes, the provisions Of the
act not extending to railroad corpora
tiOns, and penalties being provided
where timber is cut on the public do
main not in accordance with the terms
of the act Another act allows citizens
in California, Oregon, Nevada and
Washington Territory to buy unsurvey-
ed public lands not included within any
reservations in quantities not exceed
ing 160 acres to any one person at $2.5O
per acre.
The District of Columbia is provided
with permanent form of government
by the act of June II, board of three
commissioners, one, an army officer,
being appointed by the president with
the consent of the senate The federal
government is to pay half of the ex-
penses of the district and the interest
on the $50 bonds. Colleges for scien-
tific purposes are permitted to import
alcohol on the terms mentioned in sec
ton 3, 297 of the revised statutes, giving
bonds III due form.
The river and harbor bill appropri-
ates IS, 100000. Much of this sum will
be simply wasted, and the wrong ex-
isting in this matter consists III appro-
priating large sums of money to the
improvement of streams that will never
become commercial highways just to
secure the votes of congressman to
meritorious river and harbor improve
mentS.
Over four thousand bills were intro
duced daring the session. Some of the
principal ones that failed of passing
were: The bill to repeal the resumption
law: the bill declaring greenbacks re-
ceivable for customs; the bills creating
postal savings banks; the bill author
izing the issue of treasury notes not
legal-tenders; the bill distributing the
balance of the Geneva award; the bill
to reduce and reOrganize the army, as
we'll as the attempt to do the same
thing IN the army appropriation bill;
the bills to restore rebels to the pension
rolls of the Mexican war; the bill to Gre
ate a commission to examine and allow
claims of rebels for damages sustained
in the war; the bills to admit rebel
claims to the court OF claims; all the bills
proposing amendments to the constitu-
ton in the matter of electing president
and vice president; all the bills prOvid-
ing new regulations for counting the re-
turns of presidential elections. and of
declaring the result; the proposed
amendments extending the presidential
term to six years and rendering the in
cumbent ineligible to reelection; the
OIL aQtnOrlHlng the issue OF SluU,UUu,UUO
of per cent. bonds of small denomina.
tions, to be issued at par in exchange
/ for greenbacks or coin.
Among the latest bills passed was one
granting Gen. Shields pension of 500
a month. We have mentioned the
more prominent measures that engaged
the attention of the last congress. and
reserve until another day the publica,
ton of more extended list of import
/ ant hills