National Republican., 1883-01-12
ON THE AVENUE.
small TALK win Mem nnd Measures


mittee on claims with u bill for $4,000 or
100000, which sum represents the difference
in the value of grecnbacks aud gold at the
time he was paid currency on certain govern
ment contracts during the war of the rebel
lion. He says that he did not know he
was going to be paid in paper, and that
he was a heavy loser in consequence,
business on the coast being done on
gold basis then, as now. The claimant sup
posed that all he had TO do would be to
file his claim, get a warrant on the United
States treasury, and get his cash. When con-
gress allows the 'FriscaI's claim, a million or
two soldiers who served through the war will
present bills for differences, demanding that
they be paid on a gold basis. A billion or two
dollars might be absorbed very nicely in this
way in double payment of shoddy contracts
mail and steamship subsidies, and for army
and navy supplies and munitions Of war. Mr..
Arthur has opened up a wealth of possibili-
ties.
go
Ben Holiday is sitting patiently on that
claim of his, and there is a prospect Of its
passing both houses of congress this session.
| The senate and house committee have both
reported fayorably upon the same items in his
claim, in an amount aggregating $4,000, and
bills authorizing this payment arc on the
calendar with parliamentary advantages in
their favor. Ben Holiday has been before
congress for sixteen or eighteen years, and
his claim has passed both houses several
times, but never, unfortunately for
| him, at the same session. Committees
| have passed upon his bill favorably every
| year, and the money is still in the treasury.
| The claimant is evidently one of the waiting
kind and he has demonstrated his staying
/ qualities. a. could give you material enough
/ for y hook" remarked Mr.. Holiday to
| NATIONAL REPUBLICAN reporter the other
| day, and IL would be an interesting, book too.
There were lively times west of the Missouri
before the days Of railways. My overland
/ Stage enterprises may have helped to keep
] things moving. / ran routes from Atchison,
! Leayenworth, and Omaha TO Salt Lake city,
Walla Walla, and Fort Benton, embracing
! 1000 miles in all, investing over $2,5000O0 in
! the project. | had to make my own roads
| through the mountains, build $50 stables and
houses, employ an army Of men, and keep
! greS number of horses. My annual expenses
were between 50 100000 and 81, 500 900 year
! and if it hadn't been for the war l would
have cleared S5,0OOO0O or $l000O,000. For
fourteen months ! had it my own way, and
cleared $1,5OO,OOO. l lost that and lot of
money besides, aud although sold out to Wells,
Fargo & Co., for around 100000, was out
of pocket big money. When L embarked in
the stage business l was clearing 100000 or
| SSO0,0O0 a year out of my steamship lines,
and my overland routes cost me about what
made in that way while l kept them running.
l received from the government on mail con-
tracts about $s5O,000 year, and it cost me
more than that to keep up my horses and feed
them. Indians destroyed hundreds of thou
sands of dollars of property for me, sometimes
compelling me to abandon routes for hun
dreds of miles and make new ones at enor-
nous expense. Indian depredations probably
cost me 81, 100000 or more"
....' aas
Mr.. Carlisle, of kentucky, is being forced
forward in the early contest for speaker in a
way that is very distasteful to him, while the
gamey Blackburn is answering ali questions,
and enjoying the forwardness of the struggle.
Mr.. Willis, of Kentucky, who makes a secret
of his friendship for Mr.. Carlisle, says that he
has not "failed to communicate" any terms
proposed by Blackburn to Carlisle. He is
not actively in the business of communicate
ing terms, and says that nothing awaits any
action from him. The proposition to can
vass the reelected democrats of the house
seems to have come to naught Mr.. Dor
sheimer, of New York, was in town yester-
day, and it is hoarsely whispered that he
looms up for speaker. lie was very agree
able, and recklessly complimented the short
speeches Of the democrats on the shipping
bill, in one or two instances wasting himself
on members who were not reelected.
go
IL see George Bliss credited with the re.
mark that the trouble (alluding to the Walsh
letter. is, that party who was identified with
the prosecution in its earlier stages, and one
of the witnesses, is trying to run the prosecu,
tion," said member of congress last evening
"Others besides Mr.. Bliss have been impressed
with the conviction that John A. Walsh never
wrote that letter to which he attached his
name. Those who know Walsh and are &C.
quainted with his characteristics and lack OF
education, will not believe he wrote it
Aside from this there are several
persons who could furnish conclusive
evidence that the author is certain
eX-newspaper man, who was formerly con.
nected with the star route inquiry. The con,
gressional records show this man to have at
tempted the bribery of a witness before n con
gressional Investigating committee few years
ago, just as the witness was entering the wit
ness stand, and that the witness, during the
investigation, exposed the individual 1t ha,
been reported that this party and Walsh have
been hunting in couples Of late. He is said t.
have been here a few days ago as an
agent of Walsh, threatening that unles,
certain matters were arranged in a manner
satisfactory to him the letter which was sub
sequently given TO the public would be pub
lishcd. The certain matters were not ar
ranged the agent returned to New York. anG
the letter was turned over TO the Associated
Press"
a"a
An old member Of tho house of representa-
tives remarked yesterday as he contemplated
Mr.. Smalls, of South Carolina, in the speakers
chair: "This is the first time colored mal
ever presided over the house."
,
The Date Of Entering the Army.
The senate military committee, through
Mr., Coclrell, in its report upon the senat,
, bill 10 fix the date of entry into the military
service and TO correct the record of officers o
Il certain class, deprecates contention amonJ
, officers Of the army in regard to seniority il
tl,.r r.ll rtr.sT TVffF L.