The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-03-08
WASHINGTON.
sup.r,,,eudeu. Cheue,,s Case.


WASHINGTON, Marsh THE House POST
Office Committed today continued the Cheney
investigation:
A. G. S ahl testified that he entered u non
the duies of chief clerk 10 Cheney's Office in
1872. Cheney attended TO his duties personally
white at Boston. He very often met him at
the offic- in the evening, attending to the bust.
ness of the service. When Cheney was not at
Boston, the witness forwarded his personal
correspondence TO Ashland. On two or three
OCCASIONS he forwarded kilograms to Asbland,
requesting Cheney to report at different poiots.
BE never knew the Business of the efice to
suffer from the absence of the superintendent.
Crosse xsmined-Cheney was absent from
one to two-,hiris Of his time. Forwarded let
tiers to Cheney at New YORK city, Concord. n.
a and Washington Did not think il nsces.
safy for Cheney 10 be at his Office over half of
his time Had frequently forwarded lettt "a 10
Cheney at Coucora, and presumed be had due
40 immedia'ely preceding the New Fl amp shire
cleo ion. Never attended to any political Cor
resoopdepce for Cheney.
Tromss b Cheney, superintendent Of the
New England railway mail service, testified
that he received verbal authority from the ex-
superintendent OF the railway mail transporta-
ton, George ID. Bangs, TO grant Mr.. Ssahl
leave of absence. He always erd-avored to
to transact the business of his Office faithfully,
Shortly AFTER entering upon toe du les of
Superintendent he was taken i'll from overwork
having travelled over the routes at all hours of
the day and nigh, the result of which was
severe illness. HIS physicians advistd him
TO do as little work as possible. H. met Vail,
the suD-rinte Of ent of the railway mail trans
portatioD, at the Centennial, and Informed him
that he thought hs woul1 ba compiled to quit
the service, whereupon Vail encouraged HIM
aud urged him to do the best he could, hoping
be would soon recover. He never failed TO
attend to any special service if it was possible
to leave his sick bed. Upon entering the
SUPPLEMENTARY he resolved to do his work
conssientiousy, and feels to-day that he never
committed corrupt act while in the service.
He claimed for himself aud his subordnstes
all that was due the department 10 New Eng
land. He had always endeavored to facilitate
the work and was quite positive that he had
succeeded.
Cheney acknowledged that he always had
been an active Republican, but had never
neglected his duties IN consequence In regard
to leave of absence granted Stahl, he said it
was authorized by Superintendent Bangs that
(he)Cheney should apply for one months leave
Of absence, and that s abl should be permitted
ton for substitute, wh) left the service
Immediately upon Stah's return. Holmes was
not indispensable to tho service in New
England by any means, and If bis (Cheney's)
health should permit, he was Of the opinion
that his direct supervision would give better
satisfaction to the employees.
What is to be Done with ths silver Dol.
After q full consideration and consultation
with the members of both houses of Congress,
the Secretary of the Treasury has determined
that the first silver dollars to be issued will be
used only in exchange at par for gold colo, or
for the purchase of silver bullion at market
price, He does not feel at liberty to use them
to pay for current expenses until the amount
coined is sufficient to furnish all alike withou1
discrimination, nor does be deem it expedieut
at present to exchange them for O. S. notes, or
to use them IN payment of interest on the pub
lie eebt until the amount coined is sufficient to
enable him to do so impartial'y, therefore they
will at present be used for the purchase of silver
bullion at market rates. Tne silver certificates
will soon be ready for issue aud ara IN the
form of bank notes engraved in the best man.
ner and printed on bsnk note fibre paper.
Sale Of Government Bonds.
In response to q recent resolution of the
House ibqniring as to the sale of U. s. bonds
for outstanding legal tender notes of the
United States at par, the Secretary of the
Treasury today sent q communication to the
Honse, in which he says:
All the bonds disposed of by me have been
sold for their par value 10 coin. To promote
the coavenieDce of subscribers the department
has made arrangements with the NatiOpal
Bank Of Commerce of New York, public
depository, whereby currepcy drafts can be re-
ceived from subscribers aud collected and con-
verified into coin for them at the current r. ties
on the days of transaction, and such collections
and conversions have been made to the exteut
OF about $50 10000, representing thirty five sub
ecri ptiOns
Appropriation for Pablo Park Rec
emmended.
The Secretary of the Interior today sent to
the House communication recommending an
appropriation of $4,000 to be expended In
earring out the iotentIon of the act OF March
/, 1872, relating to setting apart tract of laud
near the head waters of the Yellowstone river
as pubic park, 10 ba under the exclusive
conirol of the Secretary of the Interior, who
shall make such regulations as he may deem
proper for the preservation of all timber, min
eral deposits, natural curi0sties and wonders
within the park and their retention IN their
natural condition. The COMMUNICATION was
accompanied by resolutions passed by the
American Association for the advancement
OF Science" at its meeting in Louisville, KY,
10 1877, recommending that provision be 10 ade
by Congress for the protection of the park
The communication was referred TO the com.
mlttee on public lands.
An Eight Hour Law 10 be Reported.
The House committee on education and
labor have agreed TO report favorably joint
resolution restoring the e,ght-hour law and
providing that the same b. recognized as a
days labor throughout the entire governments
service.
The Tariff Bill.
The Committee on Ways and Means today
.
The rate on woman's or children's dress goods,
valued at about 20 cents per square yard; dress
goods weighing four ounces and over per square
yard and costing over 20 cents per square gard
were reduced from 81 TO 80 cents per pound;
the rate of hemp or jute carprting was de-
creased from 8 t. 6 cents per square yard; oil
cloths for floors, stamped, printed or paioted,
and all other oll-c'oth except silk o-cloth,
was reduced from 35 to 30 per cent, ad valorem
oil silk cloth was stricken from the bill
No Prospect Of Anderson's Pardon.
Judge Marks member of the Louisiana
electoral college, teIrgraphs that the motion for
new trial in Anderso"'s case was postpone
two weeks, and in the meantime Anderson
remains 10 the parish prison. No prospect,
Judge Marks says, of pardon.
The Pacific Railroads Sinking Fund
The subcommittee in charge of Senator
Dorsey's bill for the creation of a 81 nIing fund
to liqaidate the Pacific railroad Indebtedness
reported it favorably to the full Senate com-
mittee on rail roads to-day After some dis
cussion it went over to the next meeting with
out action. The hil provides as it's m .in
features that the Union Pacific aud Centr al
Pacific Companies shall each pay
$4,000 into the United States treasury
annually, and that the government shall allow
the sinking fluid to be credited with 81, 500 GOO
for each company as an equivalent of 600,
600 acres of land to be recOnveyed by each of
them to the Uulted States. The subcommittee
consists of Senators Mitchell, Barnum, Dorsey,
Matthews and Ransom.
Subscriptions to the Four Per Cent.
Bonds.
The Treasury Department announces it will
until further notice receive subscriptions for
the per cent. funded loaned in denomi.
nations for coupon bonds $50, 800, $500 aud
$1,000, and for registered bonds $50, 500, $500,
$1,000, $4,000 and $4,000 at par and accrued
interest 10 coin. Two per cent. of the pur-
chase money must accompany the subscrip.
tions, the remainder any time within thirty
days with Interest at4 per cent. Bonds will
BE- forwarded to subscribers free of charge upon
receipt of full payment A commission of one
fourth of per cent. will be allowed upon the
amount of the subscriptions, but no commis-
sion upon single subscription less than Sl0-