The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-03-05
the account of pensions, amounting to nearly
$4,000, 900, prevented greater reduction.

$4,000, 900, prevented n greater reduction.
A BOY in Philadelphia public school being
reprimauded drew a revolver. The pupils were
searched and seven revolvers we're confscated.
THE reports of the census Of 1880 have been
arranged in twenty.eght volumes OF about one
thousand pages each. Five OF them have been
issued.
SENATOR VEST he's introduced q bill in the
senate incorporating the Interoceanic ship rail-
way company for a railway across the lsthmus
OF Tehuantepec, with q capital stock Of $780,
100000.
THERE is great excitement at Eagle, Wau-
kesha county, Wisconsin, over the reported dis
covery of rich diamond field. Milwaukee
parties have purchased all the land about Eagle
at high figures.
Mrs. MARY BROWN, widow Of John Brown,
OF Harper's Ferry fame, died at San Francisco,
on Friday. Mrs Brown was born at White
hall, N. Y, in 1876 and was married July III,
1888 Her home has been in California since
1864 and she leaves four children living in
that state.
A BILL has been introduced by Senator PEN
dleton providing for the settlement and devel-
opment of Alaska; 1t provides for an appropri-
alton of 100000 for a highway from Fort
Wrangle to the nearest station on the Canadian
Pacific railroad, and for the opening Of lands
to settlement under the homestead laws
THE wool-growers are to hold a national con-
vention through which to explain and advocate
their side of the tariff question The call for
this convention Is signed by Columbus Delano
and Albert Chapman, president and secretary
of the National Wool-growers' Association, and
by officers representing five state organizations.
The convention will be held at Chicago on May
7th next
THE post-office appropriation bill, completed
by the committee, appropriates for the compen-
sation of postmasters $40, 800, 600, and provides
that no salary of any postmaster shall exceed
81 600 per year. The postmaster-general is
directed to reduce the compensation for trans
portation of mail on railroads five per cent per
annum below the present rate, computed on
the basis of average weight
HONORABLE w. H. HUNT, United States
Minister to Russia, died at st. Petersburg the
9th ult. He was born in South Carolina,
studied law, and located in New Orleans. He
was steadfast Union man. After serving in
the court Of claims in 1877 and 1881 he was
made secretary of the navy by President Gar
field, and President Arthur appointed him
United States Minister to Russia The remains
will be brought to this country for interment
THE house committee on accounts will fix a
scale of funeral expenses in the future beyond
which the sergeant alarms will not be allowed
to pay The parties claim that high charges
in the past were due to the fact that they had
been compelled to wait months, sometimes
years, for their pay. The undertaken who
furnished the casket for the remains Of Presi-
cent GdrHelu, Recently lulOrlutu lne sorSedut-
| alarms of the house that he had not yet
| been paid
New ORLEANS was given over the Goth, en-
| tirely to balls which it it is almost impossible
| to enumerate. Fully fifty thousand persons
enjoyed themselves in these various entertain
| ments For the ball of Rex, fifteen thousand
| invitations were issued. Washington Artillery
| hall was converted into a carnival palace for
| the reception of Rex and his friends. The
| throne-room was a marvel of beauty, ilumined
| by hundreds of electric lights. 1t represented
| a garden, the floor being covered with turf, and
rising in terraces to the walls, and the walks
| bordered with flowers, plants and trees.
| Mr.. BARNES, member of the national demo-
cratic committee from Georgia, has had an in
terview with Mr.. Tilden. He says that the
| latter was in such weak condition that he
| spoke in whisper, which had the effect to
make the conversation unsatisfactory. Mr..
| Tiden intimated that he ought to have been
| nominated at Cincinnati four years ago, and
gave the impression that the nomination in
1884 would be acceptable to him but for his In
| disposition to undergo the physical strain, and
| he indicated that he had no idea, under any
| circumstances, OF again being associated with
Mr.. Hendricks. The gentleman says Mr.. Til
| den's mental faculties are remarkably clear
| and acute.
THE president has sent the first annual re-
| port of the civil service commission to con.
| gress, with the comment that it has proved a
benefit to the public service. The report says
political assessments upon federal office-hold-
ers have been stopped in large measure. The
| number OF places to be filled on the basis OF
competitive examinations is fourteen thousand
The commissioners express themselves com
pletely satisfied with the manner in which ex-
amining boards have performed their duties
In regard to subjects for examination the re
port says in none Of the branches do questions
20 further than is covered by ordinary instruc
ton in common schools of the country. TIL,
commissioner claims there has never been any
favor or disadvantage allowed by reason o.
sex. The law leaves to the discretion of the
heads of the departments whether or no
women shall be employed They suggest asc
that examinations for promotion might be ap
piled with advantage to some parts of the ser
vice. 1t is suggested that the rules be ex
tended to postmasters and collectors.