New-York tribune., 1880-02-21
WoRK oF III nONMIrrEEs.

WORK or THE COMMITTEES
nv IN1EnurfANIC CANAL-CTH SsuIP oF ~
pIAxs-MORs rrBtc .fiplNG--,NyNprNG
rHE PENSION LAWS
lGiNgeAL rGEs, mPtrrHl
WAsHINGrON, Feb. 2O.-Ibc Committee on
the Tntrroccnuc Canal 49, bcoro t This morning Nr
A. g. Mcuocal United stsiel Ssvy. one OF the clvI
engineer. formerly engaged ~ making surveys of the
Isihmu- and heard his statement ns tn tho
relative advantages aud disadvantages OF thr
Panama and NiclraFua routes NJ. Menooal Ia
yurrd strongly the Nicaragua route being GEO
les shor;er tnan thc Panama one, bctween New
York and san Frauc. co. aul hcc'm-r o. the grentrr
snlubriy OF IL climate. tho batter supply of building
material and ~ relative "Eeapnc-, ~ constructions lie
expressed hts cnnvctni that The ,4f ~ fhe Nirarngta
Canal would not Scc'd T7OOnDO0p, wuiic that of
vrl camel Il Piudu. woald not be less Than
REALLY imprac.i lie adoiltr thAt the passacr
by Nrracua would cen ulie more tine nu prcDuut or
its greater cnRh rud the large number ~ lDrks ,ud
thHt the annual rxpfpSc ~ maintaining tt would
twice great; but hr tHought taat tHrsc objections
were mott than srt N ~ relative cncapucs.. He
was asked by Mr. HutchiGs whether re had read she
rccrnt reports Of Mr.. Dcich the fegsl-
bIiity of the Panama Canal. lie said that he hid.
what yIu tn'nk % g.. ahil y as au cnginccfi'
"Hls lie any superior III The world Tor engineering Of
knd Does he not stand at the head OF p.ofcs-
sion 8,
II sbould mat no considers the Panama Canal
entirely feasible and practicable would you sin adhere
10 your opinion az against his y
al woulo because thin. he does not know enough
OF the American IsthHfus 10 form an upiniOu"
Mr. Fry We're ihcse ynrious surveys Of the
Panama route under onr Government made with the
inclination on tue prt ot the authorities a. adopt mat
route If practicable or were they made averscly ~
CRITICISMS the route
Mr. Men0ca -They were made for the purpose OF
aseertaining which route WAS the best
Commander Lu and l. eutenant Collins, OF the Navy
also present ~ invitation OF me committee, but
their rxamlnson had 10 De deferred for the present
Representative j. T. Updegg1, OF Ono. has been all-
tho ized by unanimous Vole ni ~. Committee on Pen
sions 20 report fayorably his bill TO amend the
liking the rate Of pension - be paid to a
soldier or sailor who lost one eve IN the service.
Of the Pension Oncr one suffered M this way
ia paid $4 month Mr.. UpdegrarS bill increases
VINO en,erel the service, having previously lost
the sight OF one eye, ana ~ the line OF
pension Of 800 month"; wbIea persOn who entered the
service with good and lost the ght Of both In
MIR. UpdearaG's bin places both OF these
CLASSES on an equal footing, paylhg each
eye niunousy Affects the sight OF the otner,
pension officer Ia directed To Increase the amount paid
eIei"d esSar 2 mgn, goy above Sl2 "on" but not
The Senate Committee on Territories to-day decided
dcion Of the United States Courts In civil and criminal
matters TO the Indian Territory, ANA providing for The
allotment OF lands 10 them In sevorGlty under pre-
s, s,1oI tme p rtOp4ssS To- create Unied
posed 0f what II known as the Indian Territory and In
general terms provides for extending an lave ai inn
United States whole Terrtory. IL ia
| ~ every lndAn NAV become u citizen by making
declaration that he has severed hs tribal relation :.
aud theTeupOn he is 10 become entitled sece home
stead for himself and family. Inc ibal lands IN ex.
cess the number Of acres absorbed by these seec-
tons 20 be sold for the benefit of the indians.
All the foregoing provisions. except the one Tor the
establlshmeuv of Court, made dependent upon the
conscn Indian councils being obtained therefor
as provided 10 existing rcairs Tne bin will not be re-
por the until next week. but the above s
verified by members OF the committee "a slate.
mout of it, scope and nature.
some since the House Committee Public
Buildings adopted a resolution rot 20 report 20 tho
| House for the present any more bills nppropratng
money pubic buiidn-s. A. their meeting this
morning they reopnsidered their former action. aud
granted report fnv0raby 10 the House Mon
day nexl tue bill appropratng $3.50 900 the pur-
| chase a site ~ Baltimore Md for post Office. The
bills introduced In the present Congress aud referred %
this COMMITTEES provide appro auons lOr pub
1 lic buildings now amounting ia tho aggregate 10