The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1880-11-25

answered. tuaI DOtu leRlsldt1oA W SoHRIeos
and treaty stipulations are conditions pre-
cedent to any action by the interior de-
partment concerning the construction OF
railroads through Indian territory.
SURGEON GENERAL BARNES, in his an
nual report. thinks an appropriation OF
$3.50 ,0CO will be required for the use of the
medical department for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1882, for the purchase -oi
medical and hospital supplies, for the ex
penses of purveying depots, for the pay OF
employees, for the pay of private physi.
clans and nurses employed in emergencies
/ at posts or stations, and for other miscel-
| laneous expenses of the medical depart
ment. Gen. Barnes earnestly recommends
| an appropriation for new tire-proof
building adequate for the uses Of the medi-
cal museum and library The cost of such
building he estimates at $250,OOO
The forthcoming report of Assistant
Postmaster General Hazen makes an in
teresting exhibit of the operations of the
registry system: The total number of let
ters and parcels registered throughout the
country during the fiscal year ending June
80 last was 6,996,5l3, of which in round
numbers, 5,2G0.OOO were domestic letters,
5000 domestic parcels-third and fourth
class matter; 250,O00 letters to foreign
countries, $3.50 parcels to foreign countries
and upward Of 100000 letters
and parcels of official IN after were for
warded for the government: and by law ex-
empt from payment Of registry fees. The
amount of fees collected was 1896, ia, an
increase of nearly 80 per cent. over the
preceding year. The increase in the
number of letters and parcels registered
was l ,507 ,49l. The actual losses Of reg
.,t1 l,,~ <Io1 I I
letters and parcels, which is at the rate of
one in about every 5000. This is pro-
portionatelv a smaller loss than for the
previous year. The newly authorized regis
tration of third and fourth-class matter
merchandise, etc. is reported to be still.
attended with extraordinary success, and
1888 parcels were registered
during the fiscal year at New
York city postoftice Z alone. Gen.
Hazen, in view of the fact that most of the
losses Unregistered matter occur on "star
service routes, recommends that mail
contractors on "star" routes be held ac-
countable for losses directly traceable to
carelessness or other fault of their agents,
and suggests that in all contracts, hereaf-
ter, clause be inserted providing for such
accountability.
WHEN the president returns it is ex-
pected that he will comply with General
Drums request and relieve him of the
management Of the signal service bureau
by appointing a successor to Gen. Myers.
Gen. Miles all along has had the promise
of this place, but it is now being discovered
that he is a gallant soldier, yet
has not the general education and
special knowledge necessary for the
management OF the bureau. But Gen.
Miles will be consoled with something else
in case he is not appointed to this position.
1t is intended to retire Gen. Ord at an
early day and give Miles this posistion and
command of the department Of Texas. 1t
is thought by officers at the war depart
ment that if this programme is carried out
Gen. Hazen will get the sigma;
place. The scientific people have a thiro
candidate for the signal bureau, who has
made such thorough Investigations in the
bureau of ethnology of the Smit hsonian
institution but the administration is
more inclined to put practical man, of
wide, general information, at the head Of
the bureau, rather than mere
scientist, who is apt to be an
impractiblc business man. Gen.
Drum, who has had charge of the bureau
for some time, is one of the most practical
men in the army, while at the same time
possessing the highest executive ability.
Although he has had only brief portion
of his time to devote to this service, he
has already improved it greatly. He has
instituted a special system of reports in
the south for the protection of the tender
cotton and sugar cane, that has this fall
saved thousands of dollars. A planter
warned of an approaching frost wave,
hastens his harvest and so saves great loss.
The feature of copying the logs OF the
coast vessels, instead of only naval vessels,
has greatly widened the practical informa-
tion of the bureau upon the subject of To-
cal storms, their course, duration, etc.