The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-09-26

tienerai DudIey's resignation does NOT take
effect until Nov. 10 the selection of COM
missioner or pensions to succeed him would
ident. There Is considerable pressure r on
| the part OF Deputy Commissioner Clarke,
| who under the application of the civil SER
vice rules would be entitled to the promo
ton. 1t Is understood, however, that other
| induce the president to depart from the
| rule, usually observed by him, by appointing
! q commissioner of pensions from outside
that bureau. There are grave complaints
| OF favoritism shown certain pension attor-
neys, and of determinations In the interior
management of the Office, and 1t might
therefore become necessary to select a dis
interested incumbent with special view of
correcting these abuses.
sCUNNING CELEsTIALS.
Ever since the Chinese restriction law
was passed by congress the custom-house
| authorities at Victoria, Port Townsend and
| other Puget Sound ports, have experienced
| great difficulty preventing Celestials from
smuggling themselves across the borders of
British Columbia and entering upon Ameri-
can soil. Late advices state that not less
than 500 Cinnamon have gained unlawful
admission into Washington Territory with
! In the last three months. A Chinaman has
his photograph taken In Victoria. This
picture, with an affidavit, is forwarded by
the Victoria firm to Seattle agent, who
| was resident of Seattle before the restric-
ton law was put into force. The photo
graph, with an affidavit attached, is then
returned to Victoria, where the customs Of
hcials find the papers all right, and the Chi
naman Is passed. He then takes steamer
for Seattle, presents his credentials, and is
permitted to land on American soil unmO-
| Tested.
TEST OF KEELY's vAPoRIc GUN.
A trial of the Kelly Motor company's
yaporic gun took place Saturday. Mr.. Kee-
iy d took small leaden ball, n ounces in
1t down the muzzle of the gun. Then he
tapped the iron receiver containing the inn
polling force, and, turning handle, con-
cluded the first experiment. The ball was
projected from the gun with q short, sharp
sound. There was no heat, the, muzzle Of
the gun being as cold as before the ball had
been placed in 1t. There was no smoke.
There was very little recoil. The projectile
was sent to distance of SEQ yards, the ele-
walton used having been 20 degrees. Fully
dozen other shots were sent In rapid sue
cession to show that the power in the re-
ceiver was by no means exhausted. The
| time of flight of the second shot was found
to be 50 seconds. One shot was found to be
projected at the rate of 4s9 feet per second;
the next at 4s2 feet per second: another at
523 feet per second, or at about one-third
the velocity obtained by the Springfield rife.
INDIANS COLLECTING TOLL
The hostility shown by Indians in Mon
| tana toward Canadian ranchmen In extort-
ing money from them is likely to be the
subject OF correspondence between the
United States and the Canadian govern
ment A large number Of cattle are pur-
chased In Montana by Canadian ranchmen
and are driven across the line into the
Northwest Territory. On bringing them
into Canada 1t IS necessary to cross South
Piegan reserve, and before the chiefs allow
this to be done, demand OF 10 cents head
has to be paid by the ranchmen. II the de.
mand be refused q sufficient number of cat
tie out of the herd are shot by the Indians
to pay the amount claimed. No notice ap-
pears to have been taken Of the matter by
the United States Indian agent at that
point, although he Is said to be aware of all
that Is being done by the Indians. Advices
from Fort Mcleod report that the South
Piegan Indians are in very destitute crcum-
stances, and, as they are closely allied to
the Piegans on the Canadian side, it is
feared that forced by starvation, they may
cross over into Canadian territory in search
of food.
CONDITION OF THE TREASURY.
The excess of assets over demand labili-
ties in the United States treasury Is $780,
OOO, 600, or S12, 600, 600 above the customary
40 per cent. kept on hand as reserve.
There are no very heavy demands ap-
preaching to cut the excess down before
Oct i. That date the quarterly interest on
the per cents, amounting to.s7 500, 600 will
be paid, and the last call for $40, 600, 600 will
have matured, making it necessary to set
aside that sum for purposes OF redemption.
In the meanwhile the excess will keep on
increasing daily until at the end of the
month 1t will reach probably Sl57, 000, 900.
The interest and bond call out of this will
cave about $40, 000, 600, which will again
are to be paid for the quarter ending in De-
cember. 1t is estimated that SIS, 000, 900 will
be needed for this purpose in November, or
$4,000, OOOmOre than the estimate for the
last quarter, which fell somewhat below the
amount actually required, and will have to
be made up before the middle of November.
Therefore there will be enough money to
pay another bond call, which the secretary
may now announce any day.
ALASKA TERRITORY.
Gov. John III. Kinkead, Ex-Governor of
Nevada and the newly-appointed head of
sailed for Sitka. He is accompanied by the
following members of his official staff: M.
c. Hillyer, of Nevada, United States Mar
shall and eX-OfficiO Surveyor-General; A. Il.
Lewis, of Illinois, Clerk of the United
Treasurer of Alaska Territory; Z. w. Has
kett, of Iowa, United States Dlstrict-Attor-
ney; Col. J. II. Thrie and Henry Slater,
United States commissioners; G. w. Gar
side E. Deputy Marshal and Civil Engineer;
-
Capt. ii. L. Nichols, of the United States
navy, also left with the party. He goes to
assume command of the maIi-of-war Pinta.
There are now twenty-five United States
marines stationed at Sitka. The Pinta car
ries two twelve-pOund howitzers and q Cat
ling gun, has five officers and forty-twO men.
1t Is expected that term Of court will be
held at Wrangel next month, and there are
already eight cases awaiting trial. But lit
tie can be accomplished the present year by
the new Government. Some months will
be required to perfect Territorial organi-
cation and get the departments in active
service.
FIXING THE PRICE of LANDS ALONG THE
NORTHERN PACIFIC.
The secretary of the interior has rendered
the following decision in regard to the land
within the granted limits of the Northern
Pacific railroad released from the reserva-
ton of the Crow Indians: First, that the
even sections within this released reserva-
ton shall be sold at double the minimum
price (S2.50 per acre.. With regard to the
odd sections it is held that although the
legislative intent in this case may not be
entirely free from doubt, in that It was one
of the sole purposes of the agreement to af-
ford an opportunity for the speedy location
and construction of the railroad without