Morning journal and courier., 1882-07-18
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

The Star Route Trials-slow Progress of
 the eCases-Conferences Various Bills
 Other Matters.
 WASHINGTON, July 17.-In the Star route cases this morning after the introduction of some further documentary evidence upon the Eugene City-Bridge Creek route, Oregon, A. s. Powers, recently of McKenzie's Bridge, Oregon was called to the stand He had been sub-contractor on the mail route, and he described the character of the country and the stock required for the service. His tes- timony upon the latter point failed to agree with the contractors affidavit. Witness said the fifty-hour schedule was utterly impracti- cable in winter, because the mail had then to be carried on foot, owing to the deep snow. On cross -examlnation witness insisted that he had sufficient stock to operate the route, and his failures, ke said, had been unavoidable. He said he had employed number of men and animals in addition to those spoken of in his direct testimony, for the purpose of hav- ing supplies. Mir. Powers was shown let ter written by himself, in which he expresses his ability to render daily service on the fifty hour schedule, even in winter. He explained this by saying that the frequent trips would keep the trails open, so
 
 he had corresponded with Rerdell relative to the route and identified several of the letters presented to him by MT. Bliss as part of his Correspondence They relate to the pay to be allowed the sub-contractor, and notify him of remssions of fines. The witness was questioned at length upon the subject of l these remissions, MT. Bliss saying that he ! wished to show that remissions had been se- cured and never paid to the sub contractor | The same was true of the extra months pay. The court said that was matter of account between these two--the contractor and sub contractor, and in his judgment had no bear ! ing on the case. The examination of the | witness was then concluded and a recess | taken.
 | One half of the time each day in the Star ! route cases is consumed in tilts between | counsel. The judge complains of the slow progress. It is conceded that thus far no l testimony has been adduced to prove a con- spiracy. Mir. Bliss is aaid to have charged l the failure to indiot to political reasons. The l foreman of the grand jury has written to 1 Bliss, who has not yet answered. Bliss said | to a reporter to night that he had no idea of charging anything reflecting upon the grand 1 jury. It is supposed it gave the Senator the 1 benefit of the doubt.
 l Every now and then an invention is pro | claimed which is to revolutionize the world. l To-day announcement is made of new solar | machine, by which the suns rays to be l made to supply all the heat necessary for manufactures and comfort. The officers at the Patent office speak rather disrespectfully of this apparatus. ''The use of mirrors,
 both curved and fiat, to accumulate and con- centrate the heat of the sums rays" says
 one, lis about as old as the sun itself. Fries
 sons solar engine is, perhaps, the best appl
 cation of the principle. The French have ot
 late years done much in this direction. At
 the exhibition of 1878 some very interesting
 machines were exhibited"
 The conference committee sat all day anG
 late to night on the river and harbor bill
 There is no doubt but the bill will be report
 ed by Wednesday at the latest. Notwith
 standing yesterday was Sunday the sundr.
 civil conference sat all day, but it is hardl,
 possible that the bill can be reported in tw'
 days.
 Secretary Folger has demanded the resig
 nation of Supervising Steamboat Inspecto
 George B. N Tower, of the Second district
 on account of insubordination Tower is tn
 inspector who has almost continuously dur ing his term of office made issue on man points with. Inspector General Dumont, wh is thus vindicated by the Secretary.