Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-02-04

LIE era Oh TdilrOdu WIeChlnS mas W ~
means passed away During the past year
thirty-two roads were sold under foreclosure,
although some OF them became bankrupt
several years ago. Of these thirty roads
thirteen are in the South, and the remainder
are in the West and Northwest Since 1876
there have been sold under foreclosure 225
roads, the united length of which was 90.
3O7 miles, and in which 81, 225, ,633, 900 had
been invested. These bankrupt roads rep
resent almost % per cent of the total mileage
of the railroads in the United States and more
than 20 per cent of the total railroad capital
The situation, however, has been greatly i'm
proved since 1873 In that year there were
sold under foreclosure sixty-five roads in
which the sum of S243, aSS, 900 had been in-
vested. In 1880, only thirty-two roads were
sold, including the Atlantic and Great West
ern, whose downfall took place some years
ago. Omitting that the total number OF
roads sold would be but thirty one, and in
stead of representing an invested capital OF
S263, ,SS2, 900, the figures would be Sl60
3s2, 600, or SlO3, 500, 900 less.
Is the House of Representatives, Friday.
there was another illustration of the lack OF
tact of the Democrats and their incapacitT
to manage PUBLIC business 1t turned upoa
'.claim" for S136, which Mr.. Goode of Vir-
ginia urged upon the House as made by the
widow of navy officer, Captain Page,
Virginian, who resigned his commission and
abandoned the flag in 1861, leaving this
amount of pay undrawn. There is a law
against paying such salaries Of deserters
from the flag which the bill was to override,
Gen Bragg of Wisconsin, 4 Democrat, de-
nounced the bill, and remarked that If the
Southern men wanted the war 10 be forgot
ten they ought to stop loading down the
calendar with this class of claims, and that
be was utterly opposed to the bill, not out
of lack of sympathy with Mrs Page, but be-
cause its passage would be an entering wedge
for good many similar claims. Mr.. Chit
tenden of New York and Mr. Wright Dem
of PENNSYLVANIA went to Mr. Goode and told
would, out of sympathy for an aged widow.
draw check for the amount and give 1t 10
Goode to send her. Mr.. Goode abruptly re
fused. saying Mrs Page would not take
cent from any one, but was only asking her
rights and what was due her--a course Civ
ing color To the declaration OF MI
Bragg and the Republicans that the bill is d.
signed to open tie way for general attach
on the Treasury by deserters from the army
and navy in 1861 The New York HErdlds $
Washington correspondent adds The
widow of Rear Admiral Pauldng i; now
seventy-three years old. poor, feeble and
helpless. Her husband died in 1873 at the
age of eighty and his widow has been asking
Congress for two years for pension OF so
per month. A bill granting this small sum
passed the Senate unanimously so long ago
as December. 1873 but i. was lost in the-
House. Another bill passed the Senate lasl
June. and has lain on the House eaiend; I
ever since, and, unless this despatch shaI!
shame the Democrats into calling il up and
passing it, may lie there until new Coa-
gress meets next December or until the old
lady dies. In the meantime the Democrats
waste half day squabbling TO force rebel
claim-a claim contrary to law and Justice
| through the House. and this when they have
| for two wears shamefully neglected the peti
tion of the aged widow of one Of the most
loyal aud deserving officers in the navy for
trihing sum TO make her few declining DAYS
easy. That is no, politics 1t is mere stu