Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-01-07
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
CONGRESS IN SESSION AGAIN.
The Senate.

SAaA pICSSuGtu d lStteE lTGW Gnc POSUIuaSI6r JtQ-
eral transmitting the report OF the commission ap-
pointed to investigate the railway mail service.
number OF petitions were presented asking for
appropriations to pay the tobacco rebate provided
by Law, and a petition from American artists in
Rome asking for repeal OF the duties on works Of
art.
The House.
ALLEGED VIOLATION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW
MI. Reed, Of Maine, offered the following resolu-
ton, which was adopted: Whereas, it has been
alleged that circulars have been distributed in
some OF the departments, asking contributions for
political purposes In violation OF the 18th section of
the civil service law:
ReSotced, That the he ls Of the departments in
Wncn such distribution, II any, has take place, be
requested to inform the House OF the facts con-
nected with such distribution.
M; IoWnshend, OF Illinois. offered q resolution,
t,rn;H MrGn was adopted requesting the President to
the exclusion OF American hog products from Ger
many and France.
THE RULES OF THE HOUSE.
MI. Randall, under instructions from the COM
mttee on rules offered resolution adopting, for 20
days, the rules OF the Forty Congress as
the rules OF the present Congress Adopted.
Mr.. Cox, of North Carolina asked leave to offer a
resolution directing the committee on accounts to
INQUIRE whether the number Of employees should be
increased or diminished. Objected to.
Under the call OF states a number Of bills, etc.,
were introduced and referred.
The District i'm Congress.
THE RIVER FRONT IMPROVEMENT
MI. Willis said to a STAR reporter to-day that,
while, OF course the matter had not yet been consd
ered In general way he could say that the question
OF the Potomac front Improvements would be favor
aoy CONSIDERED In his committee on rivers and har-
DOrs He said he was in favor Of all desirable
tension OF the work.
The Keassembling of Congress-.
LIVELY SCENE AT THE CAPIToL-PRosPECTs-A
PROLONGED FIGHT OVER THE TARIFF IN PROS
PECT
The Capitol presented lively scene this morning.
The floor of the House was crowded with Wis
1tors, and there was general handshaktng on the
part of the members returning from their holiday.
Many OF the members were at their desks at an
early hour busily engaged In preparing bills to be
presented on the call OF states-a general activity
suggestive Of the commencement in earnest of the
work Of lively session Upon the very start it is
evident that there Will not be perfect harmony in
the ranks of either party upon the important ques
uons which will call for their consideration during
the session. 1t seems quite certain that the demo-
Gratis OF the ways and means will not act in perfect
accord for any one policy concerning the tariff
question: and the result will be prolonged fight on
will maintain his views to the last and will have
enough followers In the committee to hold the bal
ance OF power which, 1t Is thought will operate as
q check to Mr. Morrison and Mr. Hurd Should
these gentlemen declare in favor of a sweeping re-
ductfon OF the tariff it is thought that the hight Will
be prolonged to the end OF the session, without any,
thing being done In view of this 1t is the desire OF
Mr. Randall to get all the appropriation bills before
the House, and TO dispose OF other important mat
terS as speedily as possible, and he will probably
use the privilege OF the appropriations committee
to interrupt prolonged discussion. This and many
session, though it will probably be cut short by the
anxiety OF the various members concerning their
campaign interests
Capitol TOpics.
HOUSE APPOINTMENTS.
Daniel P. Bailey, Of Missouri, was yesterday sworn
In as clerk to the House committee on coinage
weights and measures. j. P. Hume was to-day ap-
pointed messenger in the House post Office. The
following appointments We're also made in the
House to-day: j. L. Graves, clerk to the committee
on agriculture +. c. MCGEE, clerk to the committee
on the library J. NJ. Wright, clerk to the commit
tee on the revision OF the laws; J. Peoples folder;
j. c. Brown, page.
FITZ JOHN PORTER CASE.
The House committee on military affairs at a
meeting this morning considered the bill for the
relief OF FitZ John Porter, and Gen. Slocum was au-
tn0riZed to report 1t to the House tomorrow. The
bill is the same as passed by the Senate at the last
Congress.
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER COMMITTEE.
The House committee on Mississippi river i'm
prOvement held It's first meeting this morning. and
after organizing in an informal way, mapped out
It's work OF the session.
THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
propriations this morning the resignation, on ac-
count Of Ill health OF r. j. Stevens, who has been
clerk OF the committee since It's organization in the
Thirty-ninth Congress, was accepted, and J. c.
Courts of Tennessee, was appointed his successor
MI Stevens Is an applicant for coDsuship in
South America. Mr.. Randall. being called 10 at
tend meeting OF the committee on rules, ad-
jOurned the appropriations committee. For this
reason the subcommittee having In charge the
pension, fortitcltionS and military academy ap-
preparations bills did not report They will. how
inHn G1oH- HAD
the committee, and it Is expected that the reports
will be submitted to the House on that day.
PUBLIC LAND BUSINESS.
At a meeting OF the Senate committee on public
lands this morning the following bills were con-
sIdered and ordered to be reported back to the
Senate: a bill TO enable the state OF Colorado to
take lands. IN lieu Of sections 16 and 50. found be
mineral lands. bill to donate Il part OF Fort
smith, Ark, for the support OF free public schools.
The committee Was SubdiVided into the following
sub u6-comnitiees: Railroad Land Grants--Plumb,
Hill and Walker. Swamp Lands-Van Wyck
Blair and Morgan. Private Bilis-H1,l, Van Wyck
and Slater. Modification OF Land Laws-Dolph,
Plumb and Slater.
SENATE OFFICES.
Gen. McCook, secretary OF the Senate, has made
no removals and but one appointment, that OF Col.
H. A. Pierce of Rhode Island be assistant finan-
cial clerk. Col. Canaday, sergeant-at-erms of the
Senate, has made no removals Both gentlemen
say that q few removals will necessarily be made in
upon. and in event changes iii the present force
will be made very gradually.
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A Convent Burned.
TwENTY-SEvEN OF THE INMATES PERISH IN THE
FIAMES-A ERIGHTECL HOLOCAUST In AN ILLINOIS
TOWN.
The convent known as the Institute of the I'M
maculate Conception, conducted by the Sisters of
Notre Dame, ut Belleviiie, Illinois, was destroyed
by fire Saturday night. There were sixty female
nlpiiS between and twenty n apa nd a
number OF other inmates, besides the Sisters An
attempt was made by the Sisters to extingush the
flameS but this failing, efforts made to save
the pupils The fire spread SO rapidly that order
could not be preserved, and panic seized both the
children and Sisters, all making wild. confused
rush to escape. Miss Mary Campbell, Of East st.
Louis, teacher, leaped from the third story,
and died in a few minutes. Another climbed
to the root Portico and either fell or
When the ruins were sufficiently cooled volunteer
corps went to work to bring out the bodies 1t was
terrible sight. At times the SearcherS would find
two or three charred masses huddled close together
as If the victims had sought protection from one
another from the advancing flames Two bodies
were found in the rear part OF the building burned
into an unacceptable mass, but the majority
were found beneath where the dOrmitOry was Situ-
ated. They seemed to have sought shelter in this
room too late to recognize that tt was mpOS1bie -
escape from II. The flames beneath, eating away
the supports, let down the floor into the Seeth1ng
vortex OF lre and smoke. The loss OF life is much
greater than at flrst estimated The total known
i've Sisters. Among the latter is the Sister snpe-
ror. The IRE originated In the furnace In the base
ment and spread with great rapidity, and there
being no fire escapes the inmates were helpless