The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-05-05
WASHINGTON BRIEFS.

WASHINGTON BRIEFS.
The value of cheese exported ID more than
double that of butter.
DOM PIATT has resumed writing letters for
the Sunday Capital.
SENATOR MALONE does not attend the caucuses
of either of the parties.
GENERAL FITZPATRICK says he is to have the
Chilian Mission, but friends OF Osborn, the
present Minister, deny this.
In caucus the Republicans appointed COM
mittee of seven to consider what plan had best
be pursued to bring about harmonious action,
and report at a future meeting.
II is now said that Platt is not sticking to
Conkling, but will favor Robertson's conhrma-
ton. Conkling is in earnest in making the
fight, and is getting all the votes he can.
THE National Committee of the National
Greenback Labor party are called to meet, by
Secretary Crandall, at st. Louis, June z, tc
elect chairman in place of T. FL. Murch.
The excess of exports over imports of NOR
chandise for the twelve months ending March
81, was $243, 445, ,S99. The excess Of imports
of gold and silver coin and bullion in the same
time was $78 943, 769.
JAMES MONROE, ex-member of Congress
from the Oberlin, Ohio, District, it is under
stood, will be appointed to the Brazilian mis-
sion. Mr.. Monroe is an old companion and
friend of the President.
THE Commissioner of Internal Revenue
decides that money in the custody of the Gov
crnment and belonging to a citizen is not sub
ject to levy and attachment under proceedings
instituted in State Court by creditors.
The President has designated the following
as members of the Board of Visitors to West
Point: Anson Stager, of Illinois; Milo s. Has
call, of Indiana; Charles A. Boutelle, of Maine,
George S. Greene, of Rhode Island; Henry
Ledyard, of Michigan; S. s. Laws, Of Missouri
and D. c. Buell., of New York.
n f111
ing Government Directors of the Union Pacific
Railroad Company for the ensuing year: 8. T.
Everett, of Cleveland, Ohio; r. H. Baker, Of
Racine, Wisconsin; Charles B. Peck, of Port
Huron, Michigan; George W. FIRST. of Omaha,
Nebraska, and A. Kountz, of New York.
PETITION was filed with the United States
Court of Claims by the Union Pacific Railroad
Company for compensation for the Transports
ton of mails. The amount claimed due is
1,169, 72O. The petitioner maintains that
s6O-should be applied by the government tc
the payment of bonds issued by the govern
ment in aid of the construction of the railroad,
and that the other half should be paid over in
money to the company.
The following is q decidedly interesting
table: ...s
Total number of star routes . 9,225
Original annual pay for SO routes. 1927, 11e
Increase of annual pay for SO routes 2,075, ,O0A
Total of annual pay for SO routes. 2, 803, ,214
Regular appropriation for star route
service for year ending June 80,
| Amount absorbed by SO routes $500. 2,sO2, PA
Remainder for 9,132 routes at the
1t will be seen that % routes cost almost as
much as 9, 1872 something of difference.
The great success which has attended Secre-
| tary Windom's policy of extending six-per-
| cent. bonds at the pleasure of the Government
at 315 per cent. interest (after they became re-
| deemable) has lead to inquiries as to what law
authorized it. There was no direct authority
| for the step, and none against it. 1t was one
| of those things which it seemed well to do as
| long as there was no law against it. The same
| policy will be undoubtedly adopted as to the
fives. Nor will it be necessary to sell the $104,
| 900, 900 of fOur-per-cents as the surplus reve-
| nues will probably pay all bonds of both series
that are presented for payment.
SPECIAL Agents of the Postoffice Depart
ment discovered, some time since, that Amer
| lean mail bags were in use in the Canadian
| postal service. Every now and then large
| numbers of mail bags were missing from our
| service. Special Agents traced them to Can
| ada, and found them in active service carry
| ing Canadian mails. An agreement has been
concluded between the Canada and United
| States postal administration, whereby all mail
| bags coming from one into the other shall be
| promptly returned to the Postoffice Depart
ment of the country from which they came.
| A WASHINGTON correspondent of the Gin
| cinnati Commercial writes as follows respect
ing the Star Route Ring: "When Mr.. James
| became Postmaster General he began an inves-
| tigation of the Star service, and substantially
the same facts were learned by the Appro.
| priations Committee Of the House came into
| his possession. He found that in 1880 there
were 9,225 Star routes, for service on which
SO r aas hss6 ssd ss@ M fd saa7 81 th
They had been increased from this sum tc
| 90, 2,S02, 214, leaving only $3,097,786 for the
remaining 9,132 routes. Thirty-nine contrac-
tors had the ninety-three routes 80 largely
favored, and but little inquiry was necessary
to learn who composed what has been known
here for long time as the Star route ring
| The Department also ascertained the names Of
the influential hackers of the ring. Eight con.
tractors alone controlled in their own names
forty-seven Of the most profitable of the ninety.
| three routes.
The New York Times (Rep.) contains the
following description Of the Star Route Ring
"The Dorsey gang is composed of J. w. Dor
sey, J. M. Beck and J. r. Miner, who have
Senator from Arkansas, and Secretary Of the
Republican National Committee, bidding fol
receiving contracts. j. w. Dorsey is brother
of Stephen W. Dorsey. Only little over thre.
years ago he was farmer in Vermont, Al
ignorant and stupid specimen of humanity
He was not SO stupid, however, that bis more
brilliant brother could not use him as q cat'i
paw to pull gold from tho public treasury, and
ne was brought to Washington for this purpose
J. M. Beck, the second worthy Of the trio, is q
brother-in-law Of Stephen W. Dorsey, having
married a sister Of the latter's wife. j. r
Miner is partner Of the great origina
Dorsey himself He was brought from San
.dusky, Ohio, expressly to go into the Stal
Route business. The amount known to hav,
pocketed by the s. W. Dorsey gang In excess OF
the amount called for by their original bids il
not less in round numbers than @412 600
What percentage Of this was transferred Il
Brady as his share Of the spoils only Stepher
W. Dorsey and his partners can tell"