The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-09-19
WASHINGTON.


WASHINGTON.
Judge Gresham authorizes the statement
that he expects to remain postmaster gen.
eral Until March 4, Notwithstanding the ru-
mors that he has accepted the vacant judi
cial bench at Chicago.
Total export of petroleum and petroleum
products during July, 81, 470, 01S gallons rep
resenting "a, 624 ,001, against 1859, 3S7 gal
Ions representing 81. 179, 1872 during the same
month last year. For the seven months
ended July 81, 1884, $50, SOC, 694 gallons, or
year, POS, 81, 400 gallons, or $26,6sS, 440.
The September report of the department
OF agriculture, now in press, contains elabO-
rate European crop returns and an article
on the area and production of wheat in In
dia. with causes affecting the extension OF
wheat-grOwing there. 1t also includes a dis
cussion Of the question of agricultural pro,
reference to home consumption.
Acting secretary of state. Davis has sent
the following commendatOry letter to
United States consul Frank II. Mason, who
has remained at Marseilles during the chol.
era epidemic In that city and TOulon: II
citation of the department for the courage
and devotion you have evinced by continu-
ing Mt your post during the prevalence OF
the scOurge which has visited these cities,
In the face Of the danger which has sur
rounded you since Its outbreak. Your re-
port Is exceedingly interesting, and the IN
formation 1t conveys OF very useful char
acter."
The 80 special pension examiners pro-
vided by the act of July have been ap-
pointed, and are in the field. Sixty-one Of
these places were filled by promotion from
the S23 applicants who passed the civil SER
vice examination. 1t Is understood that any
vacancies which may occur In this special
force will be filled from the examined list,
and the civil service commission has order
ed that those who passed above the grade of
aminers of the pension bureau II the appli-
cant notifies the commission that he wishes
to be SO held.
LAND AGENTS.
The present force of special agents en-
ployed by the general land office to investi-
gate fraudulent entries of the public lands
and to protect actual settlers Is represented
to be too small to properly discharge that
duty, and it is probable that Commissioner
Mcfarland will, in his annual report, rec
Ommend congress to make provisions for
one special agent to each of the 10S land
districts. The special agents at present
number less than an twentyye and the com
cape detection where one is detected. In
communication to the senate last session,
an appropriation of 500, 600 was requested
for salaries of special agents, but the esti-
mate was cut down to So, 600 by congress.
HOT SPRINGS.
A conflict of authority has arisen between
Captain Jacobs, A. q. NJ, u. s. A, in
charge of the construction Of the army and
navy hospital at Hot Springs Ark, govern
ment reservation, and Colonel Hamblen, SUI
perintendent of the reservation, under the
Interior department, concerning the use of
free public springs water for building pur-
poses, and Secretary Lincoln has advised
Captain Jacobs that his action in cutting off
the water supply from the free baths for
use in the construction of the hospital is
unnecessary and unwarranted, and that UNI
til final decision in the case at issue is
reached by the war department the supply
OF water must be restored to the pipes fur
nishing free and leased baths under control
of the interior department.
THE LABOR BUREAU.
The question of the right of the presi-
dent to appoint commissioner OF the bu-
reau of labor statistics in the place of Mr..
Jarrett, whose commission was withheld,
has again come up for discussion. 1t IS ar
gued in some circles that the president can
under the law only fill such offices as be-
come vacant either by death, resignation or
inability to perform the duties OF the office,
aud that as Mr. Jarrett's case comes under
neither of these heads no one can be APP
DOlnUtu CI1ltl VI Tic ldDOT DuIedu until Tie
senate meets. SOlicitor-General Phillips of
the department of justice declined to eX-
press positive opinion in the premise, but
thought the question rather more OF con-
stitutiOnal than a legal one, and that the
precedents established would seem to indi-
cate that the president can fill any existing
vacancy until the end of the next session OF
the senate.
THE HOwGATE DEFALCATIoN MYSTERY.
Mr.. Neal, solicitor of the treasury, has de-
termined to bring suit to recover So, 600
from the bondsmen of the fugitive Captain
HOwgate. The bond was given by How
gate while discussing agent of the signal
service bureau. in which capacity he became
a defaulter. Up to this time no effort has
been made to recover on Howgate's bona.
This Is another of the remarkable circum-
stances connected with this most eXtraordi-
nary case. The Howgate defalcatiOn is
mystery from the beginning. 1t was only
by very loose method of accounting thatit
was possible for the defalcation to occur.
The escape from the Jail officials was hardly
possible except by collision, and there new
or seems to have beeen any serious effort to
apprehend him.. Yet there must be persons
in the city who know OF his whereabouts,
and his hiding place cannot be very far dis
tant, as within year his signature being
necessary to certain legal documents In
suit, 1t was secured, and the authenticity Of
IL verified, and the court proceedings were
delayed but little more than one day.
THE CHOLERA.
Advices from British Columbia state that
two cases of Asiatic cholera are reported at
Clinton, on the main land. The announce
ment has caused great alarm among the
Cinnamon working along the Canadian Pa
cific.
There were GAL new cases Of cholera and
267 deaths reported at Naples, Tuesday.
This is decrease OF one case and eighty
one deaths as compared with the previous
twenty-four hours. There have been fifteen
deaths from cholera in Toulon during the
past two days. In the Department of He
rault there have been fifty cases and thirty
deaths. King Humbert voluntarily under
goes two days quarantine upon his return
from Naples.
A report has been received at the State
Department ut Washington, announcing
that there Is no longer single case of chol-
era in Switzerland. United States Consul
Wood reports that the Italian quarantine
has virtually stopped the foreign commerce
of that country, while Sicily and Sardinia
are cut off from the other portions of the
Ii Ia DaoiIac N lose Or, foraiOn