Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-15
THE EVENING STAR.
DOUBLE SHEET
Washington News and Gossip.

Washington News and Gossip.
GOVERNMENT RECEIPTS To DAY.-lnternal rev.
enue, s26O, ,449.65; customs, $685. ,77sO6.
WHITE House CALLERs.-Senators BILL Col
Orada), Mcdonald. Ransom and Hoar, and Rep.
resentatives Keifer, Morse Neal, Baker. Jones.
Mckinley, Harris (Va), Kelley and Williams
called on the President to-day.
THE FIRST BILL SIGNKD.-The President to
day signed the first bill passed at the present
session OF Congress that has reached the White
House. 1t was to authorize the Secretary of
the Interior to dispose OF part of the Fort
Dodge military reservation to actual settlers
under the provisions OF the homestead laws.
CoNFIRMED.-The Senate, in executive session
yesterday. confirmed the following nomina-
tons: John B. Nell, to be governor of the terri.
tory OF Idaho; Associate Justices Stephen P.
Lewis, associate Justice Supreme Court terri
tory Of Utah; Warren Bristol. associate justice
Supreme Court OF the territory OF New Mexico;
District Attorneys kitTidge HaSkinS, for district
of Vermont; Daniel Chadwick, for district OF
Connecticut; William ii. Bohis. for eastern dis
tlict OF Missouri; John s. Bigby, for northern
and southern district OF Georgia; Charles C..
Waters. for district OF eastern Arkansas; Post
masters N. ID. Cartright, jr., at Mauch Chunk
Pa; S. Goring, at LykenS Pa.
MAJOR GENERAL WINFIELD S. HANCOCK U. S.
army. is assigned to duty by direction of the
President, according to his brevet of major
general to date from December 4th, $780,
THE COTTON CRoP-rhe following statement
showing the condition OF cotton was issued by
the department OF agriculture to day: Cotton
There is decline In the return OF December 1st,
compared with that received November 1st.
The continuance of rain and the very cold
weather iD November lowered the estimates OF
the states bordering on the Mississippi river
The following Is a summary of the reports for
the month by states:-In North Carolina 43
counties report an increase in the crop, as
compared with last year, OF IA per cent; South
Carolina, is counties average an Increase of Q
per cent; Georgia, 81 counties an increase OF s
per cent; Florida, IA counties an Increase OF !
per cent; Alabama, 27 counties reporting make
decrease OF II per cent; Mississippi, 35 coun-
tles reporting average decrease OF II per cent;
10 per cent; Texas, 6S counties give an average
increase OF 80 per cent; Arkansas, 32 counties
reporting average decline OF per cent; Ten
neSsee, 2S counties report an average decrease
OF Is per cent.
THE FRERDMEN's BANK INvE5TIGA ATIoN.-The
select Senate committee on the Investigation OF
the Freedmen's Bank, of which Mr. Bruce Is
e chairman, ,r will meet In few days to consider
the Dill appropriatlng money TO refund to the
depositors what they lost They will also try
TO pass this session the bill TO sell to the gov
ernment the Freedmen's Bank building oppo-
TIE YORKTOWN CENTENNIAI.-The Congress.
ional committee on the Yorktown centennial
to day decided to set apart three days of the
celebration for the Z. S. government The
other associations Will be permitted to arrange
program for the several states, so that the
celebration VIII probably extend over 20 OF 80
days.
THE {. S. GRANT BILL.-The proposition now
pending In Congress to place General Grant on
The retired list with the rank and pay OF gen.
eral OF the army has been referred to a sub
committee consisting Of MessrS. McCook, Sparks
and Bragg: General McCook introduced the
Dill originally 1n the House, and Is, OF course,
favorable TO its passage II Is not known no v
MeSsrs. Bragg and Sparks feel toward the
measure.
y PROBABLE DIvORCE.-It is not unlikely th #
at this session OF Congress proposition to d.
yorce the signal service bureau from the War
department and make 1t separate and inde-
pendent division or bureau, Will be submitted
There are members of both houses of Congress
VINO are convinced that the signal service Could
oe made more efficient as a separate weather
bureau, and lhe Indications are that an effort to
establiSh1t upon this independent basis viii be
made. Senator Edmunds In tine short debate
over Mr.. Vests reS0iut on, yesterday, said he
was not, by any means, sure that 1t would not
oe good plan TO establish weather bureau OF
the signal service"
lie LIBRARY BUILDING SITE.-Ile Special
library committee Of Congress held meeting
the proposed library building. The committee
adjourned until Friday without reaching any
conclusion.
THE HOUSE COMMITTEE on coinage, weights
and measures held their first meeting OF the
session this morning, and informally discussed
the proposition to impose melting charges In all
cases on deposits OF bullion, either for coin or
Dars ABOVE or below the standard 1t was de-
clded 10 invite Mr. Burchard, director OF the
mint, to come before the committee on Monday
next, and give his views upon the subject.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE from the 22d Instant to
Carroll Mercer, Z. s. NJ. C., VINO is O resident OF
washington, on duty at Boston.
NAVAL ORDERs.-Captain j. L. Davis, to duty
as member OF the board of inspection; Passed
Assistant Paymaster c. II. Bartlett, to duty at
the naval station, New London, Connecticut
January lSt,relleving Passed Assistant Paymas
Ter l.. q. B0ggS, who will settle his accounts
Cadet Engineer N. Z. Cooley, from the Alliance
on tne 80 lhst. ana placed on waiting orders.
NOT JUSTICE HUNT.-The paragraph in THE
STAR last evening, stating that Justice Hunts
condition was very bad-that he was unable to
wrtte-waS Incorrect. l. was meant to apply
to Justice Clifford instead Of Justice Hunt the
latter. though Dy no means in good health is
slowly improving. Justice Clifford Is suffering
from softening OF the brain.
MAJOR A. w. G. NOwILN was yesterday elected
as postmaster of the House OF Representatives
TO succeed the late Captain Steuart, aud was
sworn In by Speaker Randall
ARMY ORDERS.-lst Lieut.. d. A. Lyle, Ord.
nance department. will repair to this city on
public business, In connection with the lie.
saving service. The following changes in the
stations OF officers on signal duty are made
Upon his arrival at Santa Fe, New Mexico. ID
Lieut.. William A. Glassford, signal corps, Will
relieve 1st Lieut. James Allen, Sd cavalry. acting
signal officer, OF such duties as may be specified
by the acting chief signal officer of the army
and will establish his office at Santa Fe LIST
Lieut.. Allen, upon being relieved, Ola ssford viii
report to the acting Chief signal officer In this
city.
THE WASHINGTON MoNUNENT.-The workmen
engaged upon this structure were yesterday
engaged In putting matters In shape for the
winter the intention being to suspend work
untu warm weather returns again, Since one.
IatlOns were last resumed about tWenty-fiya
Ieet nave been added TO the height of the Shaft
ana tne present expectation Is that excenr i'm
lnclement weather there will be no farther in
terruptlon TO It's completion.
The NATIONAL BOARD OF TRADE began its
annual meeting at Wnlard's Hotel to-day and
Hon. Frederick Freeley, of philadelphia. ere.
sided. The report OF the executive commtttee
was read. It cOngratulateS the country an rha