Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-09
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Pensscola's Public ButldfDg-Wlths
ersDoOn.DAvidson- Forfeited Land
Grants-Georg1a Place-Hunsers oa
Hand


WASHINGTON. June THE following is the
full text of the bill which has passed both
houses of Congress, and which viii receive tina
Presidents signature. for the erection Of pub.
lie building at Pensacola:
Be 1t enated by the Senate and House OF
Representatives Of America, in Congress as
sembled, That the Secretary OF the Treas urY
be, and he is hereby, authorized and di-
rected TO purchase Rt private sale
or by condemnation, in pursuancs oe
the statute of the state of Florida. all tha
land that he may deem necessarv adjacent to
the site lately occupied by the United States
custom house, post office and United States
court rooms in the city of Pensacola. Fla. AMI
to cause to be erected thereon suitable brick
or stone building, with fire-proof vault ex.
tending to each story, for the use and accom-
mediation OF the United States District and
Circuit Courts, custom house, post Office, aud
other government offices ia that city. at a cost
not exceeding two hundred and City thousand
dollars, including the purchase of land; and
the building hereby authorized shall be so
ere ted as to afford an open space of not less
than forty feet between i5 and any other build
ing; and the sum of two hundred thousand dol
lars is hereby approp rated, out OF any moneys
in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated.
for the purpose herein mentioned.
THE DAvIDsoN-wITHERsPoo coNTE IT
AS was some time ago chronicled in the
NEws, the contest of Witherspoou AGAINST
Davidson for a seat in the House was agreed
missed. Representative Ranney to-day made
report in the case, he representing the Flec-
tions Committee. That report is as follows:
I'm this case there was no notice of contest
or answer, aud no evidence taken legally
which the committee had before them Con-
testant appeared, and produced an affidavit
copy of which is appended TO this report
with the counter affidavit of contestee he
committee caused notice to be sent and de-
livered to the counsel named In contestants
affidavit, asking him 10 produce the papers in
his hands, but he has omitted and declined to
do 81, he havi & taken no notice Of the letter
sent him, save to knowledge the recent OF
same. Contestee exhibited t the committee
the copies OF the notice of contest served upon
him and his answer thereto, together with a
replication and amended notice. end moved to
dismiss the proceedings. 1t was claimed
and it appears that the notice of contest was
insufficient and inadequate It alleges
certain frauds very generally. but does not set
up or allege that contestant was elected The
replication ensrgeS the notice, however and
obviates some if not al of the objections The
committee are OF the opinion that contestants
failure to prosecute his contest arose from the
causes which he sets forth 10 his affidavit But
they see no way of pro, uring the papers, or of
Investigating the case fur, her, unless the House
take the matter in hand and do it in its own
way either by sending a special COMMITTEES to
Florida to take the evidence or otherwise
There nothing which duplicates cnntestee in
any of the wrongful proceedings referred to-
The committee report the facts, and RECON-
mend that the co'Ai-A leave to with
draw his contestw UnouJ pr Jddice.
The FORFEITURE OF LAND GRANTS To RAILROADS.
The House Committee on the judiciary has
reported upon the question of the forfeiture OF
land grants when were made to railroads.
This report excludes from forfeiture the lands
of the Northern Pacific Railroad. which is the
greatest offender against the laws in this par
ticular, and includes a number IF roads Of less
wealth and importance The House Commits
fee did not dare-fOr some reason-to report
against the Northern Pacific But the same
committee had the courage to report against
small roads. In other words, there is no recoms
mendation to forfeit the lands OF the delinquent
Northern Pacific but there is a very unani-
nous report against small railroads. which
have not complied with the terms of their
original land grants Among the small roads
is the Albany and Savannah Road, which
has never been commenced. Roads which
have been commenced ara, as a general rule,
not included in the forfeiture.
ALL HERE
Every Republican in Georgia of any
prominence, from Atkins down, are now
here. Even Farrow is on the scene; and a
couple of men from Savannah are here about
the new District Attorneyship Recent events
in Georgia have so completely sat down upon
anything like Republcanism or Independents
ism that the present visitors find things not
near so promising or encouraging as in the
past. Potomac