The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-03-16
Washington Gossip.


WASHINGTON, March 9-There has been
no change to-day in the attitude of the
Washington authorities concerning the stua-
tion of affairs in San Francisco 1t remains
simply one of watchfulness and preparation
to respond to call of The Governor for assist
ance to preserve the peace in case he reports
that the State forces are inadequate for that
purpose.
The efforts assduously made by certain
parties to convince the administration that
the board of lealth's condemnation of China
town was merely a pretext for forcible
expulsion of the Chinese from the city, and
that therefore the Federal government, in
view of the guarantees of the Burlingame
treaty, ought to interpose to prevent Its exc
cution, have failed to produce the desired
result, and there is no reason to believe that
the personal representations of the delegation
from the Chinese Six Companies, who are
rumored to be on their way to Washington,
will be any more effectual. On the contrary
there is good reason to believe that the Six
Companies are by no means in favor here,
even with the Chinese legation. 1t is felt
that the Six Companies, with their immense
revenues derived from the mass of their own
countrymen in California, might themselves
long ago have averted the board of health's
order by devoting some of their money to the
sanitary improvement Of Chinatown, and, as
an illustration of their cold-blooded parsim-
ony, it is known in Washington that the
Chinese not long ago were informed that the
Six Companies positively refused to contrib
ute few hundred dollars out of their own
revenues of perhaps one million dollars year
to defend Chinaman on trial for his life,
and that the requisite amount was sent to
California from Washington by the Chinese
legation as all act of charity and humanity
The bill passed by the Senate, yesterday,
for the relief of homestead settlers is a
measure of great Importance to very large
number of settlers in California. 1t was
originally introduced by Senator Booth, and
his persistent efforts procured its passage,
both in the public land committee and in the
Senate. Under the existing law the right to
preemption on public land attaches from the
date OF settlement, but the right of a settler
under the homestead law attaches only from
the date of entry. This bill provides that the
land shall be given to the first settler, whether
| he claims it as preGmptor or hOmesteader
Senator Booth said on this point that there
| is no reason why the right Of a homestead
| settler should not relate back by his alleging
| the date of his settlement in his homestead
aftidavils, and the fact that settler now be-
| fore survey has no option, but must claim
under the preemption law in order to cut into
settlers grants, is sufficient reason why it
oiouiu iCldtC UoCh, lpI iIdAy SCJIlcIS ldNc
| already used their preemption right, and are
now, although in possession of valuable inn
provements, entirely at the mercy of inter-
vening preemptor's or railroad grants. The
| bill next provides that the first settler upon
an abandoned homestead entry shall have the
preference and right to acquire title to it
after the original entry is cancelled; and the
last section substitutes for the present round
about and dilatOry method of cancellinS
relinquished homesteads and timber culture
entries in the general land office. the common
sense provision that such accomplishments
shall be etfectual as soon as they are filed in
the local land office. Booth, in explaining
this section, said these accomplishments are
nearly always made as the result of the pur-
| chase OF the improvements by some person
who is looking tor homestead, and if the
cancellation was Immediately noted, he, by
reason of his being party in the matter,
would be able to enter it before any one else,
but as long as cancellations in such cases are
made as at present he has no advantage by
reason of such purchase, for in the interval it
becomes widely known in the neighborhood
of that land Office that the claim TO that tract
has been relinquished, and all the jumpers
and spectators of the locality are immedi-
| ately on the alert to ascertain in advance OF
every one else the moment of cancellation
This desire is no small source of corruption
in the local land offices, and reporting can.
cellations by telegraph, which go by mail
forms considerable part of the business o1
some land attorneys in this city.
The Oakland Fire.
| SAN FRANCISCO, March 9.-The fire in the
Grand Central Hotel at Oakland broke out
in the rear of the dining room, near the cen.
ter of the building. 1t burned slowly at first
and the occupants of the house, about Is in
number, had time to dress and save most OF
their personal effects. Though there was
necessarily much confusion there was nt
panic. a witness says it was the quietes
thing of the kind ever witnessed. The guests
were busy packing up their property, while
many stood about the halls watching the slow
progress of the flames. After the fire haC
fairly gained access to the open air the destruc
ton was rapid, owing to a high wind. Burn
ing brands carried by the high gale started
several fires at a distance to the leeward of the
hotel. Most Of the furniture OH the first ant
| second floors was saved
Porter.
CHICAGO, Marcn S.~-The Journals Wash
inston special says: "Il is the intention O
General Porters friends to try and have
debate on the pending bill in the Senate th
week, but failing in this they will move to lay
it aside and proceed with more pressing busi
ness. Bayard does not expect to speak more
than one day, and will be followed by eithe
Burnside or Mcdonald. Before the vote i
reached Conkling and Blaine desire to partic
ipate in the discussion, which promises t,
take on a political aspect"