The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-12-13


apphed to the CRIME Of desertion In thee
several recommendations l concur.
The Secretary of War further reports thai
the WORK ior the improvement in the Sontb
pass OF the Mississippi river. under confract
with Mr.. James B. Eads, made in pursuance of
al az u ooh8r's SIS, has been prosecuted dur
ing the past year with q greater measure of
success In the attainment Of results than dnr
ing any previous year The channel thronob
the South pass, which, at the beginning Of
June, 1873, had the depth of only seven nd a
n sIa Ieet OF water, had, on the Sth of july
1903 minimum depth of twenty-six feet hs "
ing width OF not less than twenty-five and a
central depth of thirty feet PAYMENTS have
Deen made IN accordance with the statute as
the work progressed, amounting in tho
aggregate 70 "a, 80 O0O, and further payments
Will become due, as provided by the sta tf1ta nd
IN the event of success in maintaining the
channeI now secured. The reports Of the Gen
erai OF the Army and Of his subordinates nre-
sent full and detailed account of the military
operations for the repression of bosti1itias
among the Indians of the Ute and Anache
tribes, and praise is justly awarded To the OFF
GERS ana troops engaged for pr0n1ptness skiII
and courage displayed. The past wear has
Oeen one or almost unbroken peace and oniet
On !ne Mexlcan frontier, and there Is reason to
DeHeVe that the efforts of this Government and
Mexico to maintain order in that region will
prove eminenUy successful.
This department was enabled dnrino .bo
past year to lind temporary, though crowded
accommodations and safe depository for .
portion or Its records in the completed Fast
wing of the building designed for the Sta,e
War and Navy Departments The construc
ton OF the North wing of the building-a mart
of the structure intended for the use Of the War
DEPARTMENTS being carried forward with ALI
possible dispatch, and the work should receive
from Congress such liberal appropriation az
Will secure Its speeL- completion
The report or the Secretary OF the NAVY
shows continued improvement in that branch
Of the service during the last fiscal vear FY-
tensive repairs have been made upon vessels
and two ships have been completed and made
ready for sea. The total expenditure OF he
year ended June 50, 1879, including specific an
preparations not estimated SIN for by the depart
ment, were 1855, 1905. The expenses
chafgeable to tho year, after deductlng the
amount OF these special APPROXIMATIONS
were sl3, 343, 3l779; but this is subject to-
a reduction of s2S3, 725. 81, that amount
having been drawn upon warrants but
not paid out during the year. The amount Of
appropriations applicable to the last fiscal
year was Sl4, 53S, GAG IT, There was. there
fore. balance Of sl,479, 054. 81 remaining
g l pended and to the credit OF the
mates for the year ending June 80, 1881, are
Sl4, 500, l41 %, which exceed the appropria-
tons for the present fiscal year S36i S57 2S
Inc reason for this increase is explained
A. WV AJSSISthiy IGHOIh Inc aDDfO-
prlauons available for the present fiscal
year are 81, so, 80 81, which viii. in the
OPINION OF the Secretary, answer all the ordina-
ry demands of the service TheamOrnt drawn
rom 4 the treasury from July to Nov 1, 1879,
was 50, 110, 404 -, of which 81 Oq5 44O 33 has
been refunded, leaving as the expenditure for
that period $4674, 963 -. If the expenditures
OF the remaining two-thirds of the year do not
exceed the proportion for these four months.
there will remain unexpended at the end of
the SAT- ~ +ba
tons.
The report of the Secretary shows the graft
flying fact that, among all the discussing
officers Of the pay corps of the navy, there ia
not one who is defaulter to the extent of a
single dollar. / unite with him in recommend
ing the removal of the Observatory TO a more
healthful location. That institution reflects
credit upon the nation, and has obtained the
appreciation OF scientific men il all parts OF the
world. Its removal from its present locality
would not only be conducive to the health Of
its ofhcers and professors, but would
greatly increase its usefulness.
Timber Thefts
The efforts made by the Department Of the
interior TO arrest the deprcdat tons on the timber
lands Of the United States have been continued.
and have met with considerable success. A large
number of cases of tresDass have been prose
cuted IN the courts of the United States
Others have been settled, the trespassers offer i
ing to make payment to the Government for
the value Of the timber taken by them The
proceeds OF these prosecutions and settlements
turned into the treasury far exceed in amount the
sums a7prO priated by Con ress for this pur
pose. A more important result, however, con
sIsts IL the fact that the destruction Of oul
pubic forests by depreciation, although such
cases sui occur, has been greatly reduced il
extent, ard t is proposed that if the present
policy is vigorously pursued, and sufficient
provision 10 that end made by Congrs IS, such
trespas e5-at least those on q large scaie-can
be entirely suppressed except in the Ter
where timber for the daily require
ments OF the population cannot, under the
present state of the law, he otherwise
obtained. therefore earnestly invite the at
sentlOn Of Congress to the recommendation
made by the Secretary of the interior, that
law be enacted enabling the Government to sell
timber from the public lands without convey
ing the fee where such lands are principally
for the timber thereon, such sales to
be so regulated as to conform to domestic
wants aud business requirements, while at the
same time guarding against sweeping de
struction of the forests. The enactment of such
a law appears to become a more pressing Lee
cessty every day.
Condition of Alaska.
The third article Of the treaty with Russia OF
March 30, 1861, by which Alaska was coded to
the United States provides that the inhabitants
Of the coded territory, with the exception of
the uncivilized native tribes, shall be admitted
70 the enjoyment of all the rights OF citizens of
the United States, and shall he maintained
and protected III the free enjoyment of the
liberty OF property and religion. The unciv-
Ilized tribes are subject to such laws and
regulations as the United States may
from time to time adopt III regard to the
aboriginal tribes of the country. Both
the obligations of this treaty and the necessi-
ties of the people require thst some organ
lied form of government over the Terri
tory OF Alaska be adopted. There appears
10 be no law for the arrest Of persons
charged with common-law offenses, such as
assault, robbery, and murder, and no magistrate
authorized to issue or execute process in such
cases. Serious difficulties have already arisen
from odenses Of this character, not only among
citizens OF the United States but of other coun-
tries +" no have engaged IN mining, fishing, and
other business operations within the Territory.
A bill authorizing the appointment or Justices
u the Peace and constabes, and the arrest
ard detention of persons charged with criminal !
ofenses, and providing for an appeal to United
States courts for the District Of Oregon of suita
BILE cases viii, at the proper time, be submitted
to Congress.
Public Finances.
The attention of Congress is called to the an
nual report of the Secretary of the Treasury on
the condition Of the public finances. The or !
binary revenues from all sources for the fiscal
year ended June 81, 1879, were $40, ST, Isl 30
The ordinary expenditures for the same period /
were s266 947, 0S3. %, leaving surplus revenue
for the year Of So SO, 800 s. The receipts for !
the present fiscal year. ending June 81. 1880,
actual and estimated are as follows: Actual j
receipts for the frat quarter, commenc-
ing July l, 1879, SIS, s43, 665.61; es-
dmated receipts for the remaining
three quarters Of the year, SOS, 156, $50 SO.
Total receipts for the current fiscal year, act
lal and estimated, $2SS, 600, 900. The expend- |
lures for the same period viii be, actual and
estimsted, as follows: For tie quarter COM
mencing July /, 1879, actual expenditures,
cor 6SE~ 2S5 For remaining three