The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-06-15

secretary Chandler has denied the request
OF the cadet engineer corps to be recognized
as In the navy till the supreme court or
congress passes upon the question Of their
status. The secretary says he Is acting in
conformity 10 the evident Intention of con-
gress to reduce the ''top-heaviness" OF the
navy.
The Postmaster general Is said to have
come TO the conclusion that Senator Ma
none shall not be permitted to dispense the
patronage OF the department In Virginia.
The Withholding OF similar powers from
Chalmers, OF Mississippi, has resulted in
that gentleman losing all influence In state
politics.
Despairing of assistance from the gov
eminent in the investigation of the charges
against Supervising Architect Hill In the
way OF legal counsel (the treasury depart
ment having assigned one person to look af-
ter both the defense and the prOsecutiOn,)
MIR. Murch has engaged his own counsel and
Withdrawn his application to Sec. Folger
for legal assistance.
Considerable annoyance has been caused
the P0stoffice Department officials by the
publication OF a statement that the Post
master General had decided to exclude
patent insides" from the mails as second
class matter. The publication is without
foundation In fact and the Postmaster Gen
eral has no idea Of taking such a course or
making such decision.
1t Is authoritatively stated that General
Crooks expedition into Mexico after the
renegade Apaches was undertaken with the
full knowledge and sanction of this gov
eminent. and with the understanding that
he would have the cooperation Of the Mex
lean government. No news has yet been
received from the expedition.
The comptroller of the treasury has de-
cided that the fact that a pon-subsidized
railroad has passed under the control OF a
corporation that received government aid
In the construction Of its line does not inter.
fere with the obligation OF the government
to pay for the transportation OF mails over
the nOn-subsidized line.
The state department has dispatched
special agent to La Paz, Mexico, to invest
igate the case Of the United States schOOn-
the Mexican authorities, her captain being
condemned to five years imprisonment, for
smuggling. The captain denies that he was
guilty of defrauding the customs.
The new postmaster general has promul-
gated an order intended to compel pOstmast-
ers of the first and second classes to do
what they can to earn their salaries, such
officials being required tn give their time
during business hours 10 the government.
They are cautioned not to absent themselves
from their duties except upon permission
granted from the department. on written APP
plicati0n.
Slas w. Burt, ex-naval officer Of New
York, explains his acceptance of the office
of examiner of the state civil service COM
mission, after having declined similar
position in the United StnteS civil-service
commission, by the allegation that his Sc
lection by the president was not made in
good faith, but, coupled with the appoint
ment of Surveyor Graham to the position of
naval officer, amounted to all insult.
Secretary Teller will, as soon as possible,
detail a special agent to examine the tract
of land adjoining the Zuni Indian reserva-
ton, with view of determining whether
or not the land is Of use to the Indians
This is the tract of land upon which Sem
ator Logan's son-in-law pre-empted, and
which, by recent proclamation, was includ-
in the Zuni reservation. If the lands are
Useless for the purposes OF the Indians, they
will probably be thrown open to settle
nent.
The postmaster general on Tuesday heard
N argument by counsel in favor Of the
lain of Postmaster Dick, of Bloomington,
illinois, to commissions upon the money
rider business of his Office. The postmas-
or general reaffirmed the decision in the
:ase of the postmaster of Springfield, ILL.,,
n which it was held that the postmaster
lad no right to commissions when the work
" the money-order department was per-
Ornied by clerks paid by the government.
An agreed case will be sent to the supreme
.purt for adjudication to test the question
tt issue.
The authorities have entered into n con-
ract with the South Boston Iron Works for
he construction of four twelve-inch rifle
guns, at S3O, 900 each, one large mortar, and
- convert fifty ten-ill III >moothbOreS into
,ight-inch rifle cannon. ut al average cost
If 5000 each. The South Boston Company
will not furnish the tub 'for the laSt-named
cannon. These will come from the West
Point foundry, and will cos. loo each,
making the total cost Of converting the fifty
runs So 100 apiece. 1t is estimated that the
South Boston Company will pe able to fill
It's contracts in about year. The total APP
oropriation granted by the last Congress
,or improving heavy armament was $780,
100.
CROP STATISTICS.
The total wheat crop for 1882 is finally
igured up at SOP, 20 go bushels, against
$50, % J, O00 for 1881, and 1912, sos for 1879.
bushels, for Isl AT 10, OIL 10 bushels and
for 1879 /, 194, SOL, '3i. The crop for 1879 and
1881 are given for comparison. According
TO the Bureau of Statistics the export Of
wheat and wheat -four for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1880, was 40A per cent of
the crop; for the year ending June 30, 1881,
it was 81 Is per cent. of the crop, and for
the year ending June 30, 1882, was 81 Is
per cent. The average for the past sixteen
years has been about % per cent. 1t Is OBJ
vious that foreign demand for one-quarter
If the crop cannot fix the price, but the
home demand for the three-quarters. With
reference to the present crop harvested in
1882 the export up to the end of February,
according to the Bureau of Statistics, was
but 81, 80, 4D7 bushels of wheat, 1872, 1903
barrels of -four, l4,6S5, Ia bushels of corn,
and l65, 301 Of corn meal.
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
The Civil Service Commissioners held a
meeting Monday at which number of
questions Of detail relating to the examina-
ton of candidates for places In the civil
service and to the application Of the new
rules governing appointments were discuss
ed. The most Important of these functions
was what Interpretation should be given
the words zone family" In that clause of
the civil service reform bill which provides
that when two persons. OF one family are
employed in the civil service OF the govern
ment no other member of that family shall
be eligible to appointment. As the Com
missioners do not care to examine persons
who are ineligible they wish to have this
question definitely settled, and will ask the
opinion of the Attorney General upon it,
They desire to know whether lone family"