Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-04-25

SUBSCRIPTIONS to the four per cent refundlne
certif Gates to-day amounted to s177,44o; tota
| " ate, 81, ,L03, o5u
| AT THE WHITE HoUsE.-Senators Platt arc
.'OreS (NeVada) ard RepreSen atiyeS Fel on
| Kelley, NalentlAe. nuhbell. Morol and Millel
were among the Presidents callers to-day.
| THE SALE OF REFuNDING CERTIFICATES is ran
Idly increasing. In New York the amount has
reached $50.OCO a day. The entire sales or
| Wednesday were S177,OOO and On yesterday
much larger. 1t is believed that within few
DAYS the amount OF sales will be half million
| oay. Much surprise is expressed that the
| postmasters in leading cities where the market
Is not favorable do not show more energy anG
| success In these sales
| SIGNING THE FIRST PENSION ARREARS GER.
TIF1CATEs.-Late last night the Commissioner
of Pensions signed the first 100 arrears certifi-
Gates, representing $s5, 72s.6s. The issue OF
until provision is made for the payment of a
greater number. The claims will be taken up
and settled in such order as to distribute the
cies ana not n in ,a ah 10 IN IN al the agen
| applications. Immediately upon the settle.
| ment OF claim the pensiOner will be notified
and promptly paid without waiting for the
quarter day. No specials" will be made, and
| the Pension Office will not answer inquiries in
relation to the claims for arrears, as such cor
Iespondence Will tend only to delay instead of
| THE AMENDMENT which was proposed last
| session by Senator Ingalls, to the arrears of
| pensions appropriation bill, recognizing the
| machinery OF the Pension Office was presented
to-day as an original bill by Senator WitherS.
| The bill provides for districting the country
INTO 60 districts, and the appointment of SUR
geons 10 make medical examinations OF all
receivers and applicants of PENSIONS; also of
lawyers as clerks In the department to take
testimony In the claims OF applicants.
The BILL reported to the Senate to-day BY
Mr.. Harris, from the committee on epidemic
diseases, with recommendation for passage is
In all respects substantially Identical with the
measure framed by Senator Harris and the ma
tlonai BOARD OF health which was fully describ-
meeting held to-day made number of slight
changes in the bill, almost wholly OF a verbal
nature, and then formally adopted it.
INVESTIGATION OF CAPTAIN BLACKBOARD
Architect Clark and Sergeants- alarms Thomp-
son and Bright, constituting court to inquire
Into charges preferred against Captain Black
IoId, OF the Capitol police force, met at quarter
Ce1OIe three o'clock to-day to take the testimo-
ny OF a lady witness, who claims that one of the
capitol police officers had insulted her At three
O'Clock the doors had not been opened to the
public.
Mr.. CHARLES E. LEWIS, q member of Pariia-
ment from Londonderry, Ireland occupied a seat
- ~~S ~AkASAAAeSeAN SoAAOAJ VI C11C uOuSc GO-Q1Y.
Nor ACCEPrED.-It has been stated that Prof
Cyrus Thomas, of Illinois, had accepted the
position OF entomologist at the Bureau of Agri-
Iiom MIN announcing his emphatic declination
OF the place after learning the facts Regarding
Prof. Riley's resignation.
THE CONTRACT for brick masonry on the new
National Museum building has been awarded
10 Gleason and Himber
REPRESENTATIVE HUBBsLL OF Michigan. on.
terta1ned the members OF the House Committee
on appropriations with dinner at Worm!ey's
last night.
CITY POST OFFNR.-A subcommittee of the
House committee on public buildings and
grounds Will visit the Post ONCE department
tomorrow. for the purpose OF conferring with
tI the postmasler General relative to his request
mat provision be made during the present ses.
Sion OF Congress for city post Office
THE House COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC LANDS to-
DAY referred number OF bills to sub commit
tees. There are some sixty measures pending
before the committee. and the indications are
mat tney Will dispose OF a number of them
during the present session. Another meeting
Will be held early next week.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE SEWARD re-.
turned yesterday from q short visit to New
YORK He attended the funeral of General Dix
yesterday afternoon.
NAVAL ORDERs.-Gen. R. D. Hitchcock, to
ordnance duty at the Washington navy yard.
May 1st. Lieut.. e. s. Prime, to the Minnesota.
reau OF provisions and clothing, Navy depart
ment. Assistant Surgeon L. b. Baldwin. to the
washington naval hospital.
DANGEROUSLY ILL-The War department. ia
informed that General Sykes, commanding the
district OF the Rio Grande, Is dangerously Ill.
THE U. s. TRAINING SHIP MINNESOTA, CAPT.
8. Luce, lett the New York navy yard yes
terday and anchored In the North river of west
2ed street, New York.
BAD PLACE FOR CLERKS AND TEAcHERs.-Mr
roster, minister to Mexico, In dispatch to the
department OF State, and In reply to numerous
inquiries, gives information of great surplus
o, OF LABOR OF all kinds in Mexico. He discourages
ment may DE found there by persons from the
United states, either In manual or intellectual
harsnl's: ,a He describes the distressing condl-
find themselves after their fruitless
search for situations.
REVENUE MARINE CADETs.-The Secretary of
The Treasury Will convene board of officers I'm
This city early in May to examine candidates
Tor appointment as cadets In the revenue ma
rine service. The examination VIII be compot-
Tive, aid already there are some twenty-five
for the three vacancies to be filled.
THE CONTRACT SYSTEM VERSUS DAYS WORK
Muller, OF New York, has in
trOduced In the House O Dill authorizing the
to convene board, composed of the
OF public buildings and grounds
the architect OF the Capitol. the supervising
architect OF the Treasury, and the engineer
OF the District of Columbia to
make thorough examination of the subject OF
doing work on public buildings, and to report
whether a more equitable system cannot be
est staDHshed Dy doing the labor and mechanical
WORK Dy what Is known as days work." The
Dill Is preceded by preamble setting forth the
o1t-repeated charge that the present system Of
CONG the work Is q pernicious one, giving the
contractor power to enrich himself at the eX-
lehse oI the mechanic and laborer, while the
government gets Inferior work. The measure
was referred to the committee On public build
iDgs and grounds.
CHEAP SUGAR AND COFFEE.-Mr. Dickmap,
Minister at Bogota, In dispatch to the Depart
meht OF State. alludes to the great advantages
Wnlch Great Britain has acquired in the trade
OF lie South and Spanish American states. He
recommends that the government of the United
states change It's policy by adopting the treaty
or conventional tariff instead Of general tariff.
Id lhls way the balance of trade, which Is now
against the United States, may in time be
cnaLged. AT present, our country buyS its SUI
gar ard coffee In South America, while the sugar
ana coiiee producing countries procure their
0Fy goods, boots and shoes OF Great Britain
he predicts an immense surplus OF coffee tn the
future, SO great is the increase of it's production