The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-11-29
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF
WAR


WAR.
The HERALD publishes The advance
report of the secretary of war, which
VIII be found only in the leading papers
ofthe land. To summarize, ho says:
Expenditures, appropriations and os.
Inmates during the fiscal year ending
June Both, lSSi-thus salaries, military
establishments, public works and
miscellaneous objects ($3, $50, 66S.3i
amounted to$i2,332, S7G.2l.
The appropriations for the year end.
ing June 3Oth, 1888, are for the same pur
poses, 1890 5l53.
The secretary asks for an increase of
appropriations for the higher function
aries III his department, but recommends
no sum. Referring to state claims, he
puts down that of Texas, "hrst install
ment, July 9th, 1884, SG7I ,iOO2O."
GEN. SHERIDAY's report is incorpor-
ated, which the HERALD has already
published. 1t shows gratifying quiet
on the Indian frontier, and refers to the
PAYNE Oklahoma enterprise as an in.
vasion of the Indian Territory. and ad-
vises imprisonment as an additional
penalty against what he terms these
"vexatious raids"
lie endorses SHERIDAN's recommend
atoms for the payment of the Seminole
Negro Indians in Texas who have been
employed as guides and scouts; congrat-
ulates the country on the reduction of
small posts as matter of economy, and
ADVISES their concentration says SHEER
lDAN reports slight increase in deser-
tons ; speaks favorably OF the artillery
school at Fortress Monroe and the cav
airy and infantry school at Fort Leayen-
worth. The secretary doesn't like civil
appointments, because so many gradu-
atlng cadets would have no place unless
there were vacancies existing at the
time of graduation. Advises legal
professorship at West Point. Abiding
10 the adJutant generals report, he saws:
The reduction in the number of un.
answered requests for information in re-
gard to pension and other claims. re
ported last year, still continues.
The number of unanswered
calls on hand October l, 1883,
was ,............ .............. 2l25g
There were received during
the year thereafter .. 1924
- l69,5OS
'i''s''eu uurihg the year ...-.......... l5,567
hema"ing on hand October |, 1884 lg38
inc acknowledgement calls attention
to tho fact that nearly twenty years
nave elapsed since the close of the war.
and that the very valuable regmental
rolls in his office have, by constant
handling in procuring information,
mainly in pension cases, become almost
destroyed; and that it is absolutely nee
essary that more than 100000 of them
he entirely recopied at once. This work.
1t is estimated, will take tho constant la.
Dor of 100 skilled men for at least three
years. The adjutant general urges that
suitable force be provided for restor-
ing these records, as the work cannot
be done with his present force engaged
In answering calls from the pension of
flee. concur in his recommendation.
says the secretary.
lie says the inmates of the District of
Columbia Soldiers Home is 7l9-last
year 1913 admissions. Current expenses
OF maintaining the Hone being $l3l,-
So7.ii' Renews recommendation for adj
ditional clerical force, Gives the number
OF army insane as ~ in the District in
sane asylum for the army and navy. The
prison at Fort Leavenworth il
highly lauded. Recommends the en-
towering of court martials or Judge
advocates thereof to give a dedinus
potestatem to take dispositions. He
Ioots up the 100000 appropriation under
the quartermaster's notice as follows:
pnsfa