Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-11-08

Fefssd the OCCASION so Tar IS it applied to
the issue Of g., which involves the principal
feature OF the telephone, which was svyarti-
ed 70 McDonough, and which the examiners
ln-chle1 nave decided in Bells favor.
Receipts Of the Postofice Department for
the hscaI year ending June 80, 1884, exclU-
slVe OF money order revenue. 50. SIS 625: ex-
pend1tuFes, $40, 44l,772 leave deficiency of
s., 5S5, l5z, which is attributed TO the reduc-
ed postal rates. The Department last year
had a surplus OF s., 655,l69. This year the
deficiency, however, viii be reduced about
100000 by the money order revenue The
result confirms the estimate made by Presi-
dent Arthur IN his message TO the last Con-
gress.
The following circular, respecting the i'm
portatiOn OF old rags, has been issued by
the treasury Department to customs OH
GERS: Department circular No. 145, dated
Aug. 80, 1884, Is modified SO as to limit to
injected ports only, and all Mediterranean
ports are deemed injected ports within the
meaning Of this order; provided, however,
that no old rags shall be landed at port OF
the United States except upon a certificate
Of the United States consular officer at the
port OF departure that such rags " ere not
gathered or baled at or shipped from any
infected place or any region contiguous
thereto.
The second Auditor of the Treasury has
completed his annual report for the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1884. 1t shows that
the aggregate number OF unadjustsd &C
counts and claims on hand July i, 1883,
was II. CPS, OF which 6,1l2 we're for arrears
of pay and bounty. 10 these were added
which Il ,919 we're for arrears of pay. ana
bounty. PASS of these old and new
claims were disposed of during the year,
leaving a, 6Sl unaOl uSted On the 30th of
June last. A recommendation is made
that Congress enact a statute OF limitations
which viii bar all claims growing out of
the late war not presented for payment
within one or two years thereafter.
Commissioner of Railroads, William H.
Armstrong, submitted his annual report for
the fiscal year ended June 80, 1884. State
ments are submitted in detail, showing the
indebtedness of the subsidized railroads to
the United States, earnings and expenses
and financial condition to be $50 per cent.
and the net earnings and other data per
tanning to these roads. The Commissioner
also submits detailed statements of the
sinking fund Of the Union and Central Pa
ciic Railroad Companies, showing the sums
which have been con Verted into said funds
by the Treasury of the United States, and
the amount and character of the invest
ments made by the Secretary Of the Treasury
as custodian. The total indebtedness Of the
several subsidized Pacific Railroads to the
United States on June 80, 1884, is reported
by the Commissioner as follows: Total
debt OF the Union Pacific, including the
Kansas Pacific, principal and interest, $780,
639, O66; Central Pacific, including the West
ern Pacific principal and interest $54, 647,-
S25; Sioux City q Pacific, principal and
interest, 50 290,Sl6; Central Branch of the
Union Pacific, principal and interest, S.
245, SIS. Total, $127, 823, 0l5. Total credit of
those roads, $24, e68, 222. Balance in favor
Of the United States, but not due until ma
turitv of the principal in 1895 and 1899, !
$1O2 943 793. The sinking funds Of the
Union and Central Pacific Companies held
by the Ire surer of the United States /
amounted to $6,O84,O90 on June so. 1884. /
Hhe amounts remaining IN the United
States Treasury uninvested June 80, 1884, /
are as follows: To the credit of the Union
Pacific, 1892, 4S6; to the credit Of the Cen
tral Pacific, $1,O89, 159.
Brig. Gen. Bennett, Chief of ordinance Of
the Army, has submitted his annual re-
port Of the expenditures OF his department !
during the year, including those sttending /
the sales of condemned stores amounting /
to s. OILS, 255. The erection of shops and |
at the Rock Island arsenal has |
been conducted economically and thor
Oughly, and the estimates for the prOsecu- /
ton and mpletiOn of the same should re- /
ceiVe favorable consideration. The amount /
appropriated for the general care, &c, OF /
the arsenal, $50, OOO), is not deemed ade- /
quate to it's necessities. During the year /
80 600 rifles, carbines and shOtguns have /
been man ufaCtured at the National Ar
magazine guns. Gen. Bennett /
says the condition of our coast defences is q /
M after of grave concern and calls for i'm
mediate action, and he hopes before the /
end Of the ensuing session Congress will |
show to the country It's appr6 citation of /
these National wants by q liberal and per
manent annual apprOpri atlOn. The de-
partment was greatly embarrassed in its
work OF constructing several experimental
guns Tor armament Notifications by the
rrl~ Of q pfr
meeting their engagements for furnishing
sheet fOrgings, and by the inferior quality
Of some material received and submitted to
test by the department. After desCrib-
ing these matters ia detail the re-
port continues: The difficulties of
procuring steel from abroad, even Tor ex-
perimenJal guns, makes manifest, without
lengthy comment, the necessity for home
production. 1t is hoped that the very
pressing needs of the Department and the
to secure suitable material for the
construction of guns, may be relieved
through the prompt and energetic action Of
Congress at the next session. The steel
makers of this country viii not undertake
the production of steel on a scale adequate
TO our wants without an inducement of
being fairly remunerated for their outlay, /
and the importance for immediate action
on the part Of Congress for holding out
such inducements by liberal appropriations
cannot be OveresGmated. The truth of this
statement is apparent, when it is consid-
cred that, after ample encouragement has
been afforded, considerable time must
elapse, say two years or more, before the
requis tie plant c an be designed and set up,
and the production of steel in masses in
sufficient size and suitable 1ality for gun
can become practical. Success
ia the manufacture and testing OF expert
mental or typical guns will require at least
two years or more even for the more mod
crate sized calbres before the manufacture
Of guns In quantity can be proceed
ed with. IL was under clear
apprehension of these facts and a deep con-
VlctiOn of the importance of saving time,
that the department aimed to get, if practi-