Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-12-24
STARTLING RuMOR.

STARTLING RUMoR.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.-A private letter
received in this city yesterday from South
America, states that rumors are rife there that
the United States steamer Alaska has been
fired into and struck twice, damaging her so
seriously that she had 10 return to Callao for
repairs, Neither the state department nor the
navy department have received any information
on the subject. and the report is discredited.
Commodore Walker, chief of the bureau of
navigation and repairs, says the report that
if there had been any foundation for it the
navy department would have been SO informed
long before this. The rumOr was reported
here by letter; whereas, in the judgment of the
naval authorities, if there had been any truth
in it, the fact could easily have been communi.
Gated by telegraph.
THE CONTESTED CASES.
There are enough members of the committee
on elections remaining in the city during the
recess to form quorum, and meetings will
be held and subcommittee selected ana put
to work at once. The cases selected for i'm
mediate action are those of Lynch VS., Cbal
mers, Mississippi, Lowe VS.. Wheeler, Alabama,
Mackey VS. Dibble, second district. and Temne
VS.. Tallman, fifth district, South Carolina.
These have been taken as representing the
strongest cases for the contestants, and there
is little hesitation exhibited by the Republican
members in predicting that very prompt ac
tion will be taken upon them favorable to the
contestant Calkins. chairman of the COM
mittee, SAID tonight he thought the report
could be made by the second week in January
on these cases.
vANwYcK's RESOLUTION.
Senator VanWyck says the object of the
resolution introduced by him, directing the
committee on public lands to investigate the
causes of failure of so many titles in Southern
Nebraska, whereby great injury is threatened
to settlers who have invested their all. and
expended the latter many years ago is neces-
sary by the action of the st. Joe & Denver
Railroad company and their assignees, now
claiming lands which the government had
conveyed by patent. If the claim of the rail-
road companyis sustained, and if the govern
ment does not indemnify settlers. Gen
VanWyck will insist that American
citizens are treated worse than the Irish peas
antry by the landlords of the sons of England.
he proposes by action of the committee to OBJ
tain fully all the facts in the case. Van wick.
McDill and Grover, the subcommittee. will
take testimony during the recess, and will
probably hold session at Lincoln. Neb. on
Friday, the 30th inst. Before the investiga.
ton is concluded it is probable that similar
inquiry will be instituted as to the dealings of
other land grant railroad companies, The
Northern Pacific road is particularly COM
planned against, aud an effort will certainty
be made to restrain the greed of land monopo.
Isis along the immense line of the Northern
Pacific.
THE JEANNETTE.
The following was sent to-day:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, Dec. %,
To Hoffman, st. Petersburg:
Convey thanks of the president to the impe
rial government for its liberal and penerons
action IN advancing necessary favors to render
assistance to the members of the Jeannette ey-
pedition, and inform our dignataries that Won
are authorized to draw ON me to reimburse
that government ifit will kindly inform Won
of the amount.
(Signed) FREL1NaHUYsEN.
HOLIDAY REGULATIONS
Application having been made by cadet mid.
shlpmen at the naval academy for leave of ab-
sence during the Christmas holidays, the Sec
retary OF the navy has decided that sucb SIN.
aants as desire to visit Washington on Christ.
mas DAY may be granted leave of absence from
sunday morning till Monday evening, and no
more.
All the executive departments will be closed
Monday next and on January 2. DURING
Christmas week and tomorrow business viii
SoSPchuCu III Lie QeD1rtmeQtS az
ter IL O'Clock each day.
The signal service has about completed ar
rangements with observatories in different
parts OF the country to secure time signals of
tne nighest degree of accuracy for the general
advantage of the people.
There will be about fifty discharges from
the lapse roll" of the treasury department on
the 9th OF january next. Secretary Foleer in.
tends IN the future to make this roll the pre-
ferred roll from which all vacancies on the
permanent rolls will be filed.
Total redemption bonds to date Ia "a fol.
lows: Undsr IO5th call, Sl7, 500: under
1O6th call, Sc, ,439, $50.
There was issued TO day over Secretary Kirk.
wooo's signature twenty pieces of boun-
ty land scrip to the heirs of Jno. Paul ZONES
captain In the American navy, as a private
acknowledgment of the brave and meritorions
services IN connection with the capture of Ger.
tain British vessels of war.
postmaster wrote to the postmaster een-
erai: "A man g wife dropped letter in This
Office addressed to another man. The hns.
band suspected something wrong. Shall
deliver the letter to him?" The postmaster
general answered that the husband could NOT
get the letter in that way.
The best bargains in st. Paul, at W. B.
Rowell & Co.'S.