Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-09
AT THE NATIONS CAPITAL
THE SAVANNAH AND ALBANY
ROADS LAND FORFEITURE.


ative-Mr. Springer to Lose no Time in
Getting to Work.
WASHINGTON, Jan. s.-Among the
roads which the House Committee on
Public Lands to-day decided to report in
favor Of a forfeiture of their land grants
is the Savannah and Albany. In the
report to Congress the Secretary of the
Interior says of this road: 'The seventh
section of the act of March 3, 1857, granted
to the State of Alabama, for the purposes
Of aiding in the construction Of a railroad
from the line of Georgia on the Chatta-
boOchee river to the city of Mobile, alter
nate sections of public lands. Under the
act Of June ), 1856, the lands falling with
in the probable lines Of the road were
Withdrawn from sale or location. No
such map was filed, and no portion of the
road was ever constructed. The reserva-
tion of the lands for said road ceased
March 3, 1861"
The House Committee on Public Lands
this morning acted fayorably upon the
report from the subcommittee on Land
Grant FOrfeitures declaring forfeited the
grants of the seven roads named yester-
day. 1t was determined to hear the at
tOrneys of the Texas Pacific Road at
special meeting to be held Thursday morn
ing. On the following day the committee
will consider the forfeiture of the land
grant Of that railroad company. Parties
desirOus of appearing before the commit
tee on any question pending will be re-
quired to file notice with the clerk. No
person who does not file such notice will
be heard.
THE PTTPITC DFRT
The Secretary of the Treasury to-day
furnished the Senate an answer to its
resolution of inquiry, adopted, on motion
of Senator Beck, December u, ultimO,
concerning the sinking fund. Dividing
the resolution into several points of in
quiry, and replying to them seriatim, the
Secretary shows that the total amount
required by law for the sinking fund, in
Guiding the year 1888, was $3.50, ,225, ,030.
The total debt of the United States, less
the cash in the treasury at its maximum
point, August 81, 1865, was $2656, ,43l OIL:
on June 30, 1888, it was 81 SOL 90, ,207
The Secretary says that this shows re-
ductiOn of the debt, including interest,
less the cash in the treasury, of 81, ,205,-
340,363 %, or S455, 1888 80 more than
would have been supplied by the sinking
tiOns 1894 and 1896 of the Re
vised Statutes had the requirement
of the sinking fund act embodied in those
sections been strictly complied with. It
is to be remembered, however, that for a
time the state of Tie public Treasury was
such that no payments could be made.
and it was not until the year 1869 that the
first supply to the sinking fund was
effected. Il use the phrase above, sin
Guiding accrued interest," 1t is we'll to
state that the principal Of the public debt
has been decreased during the same period
$3.50, 1913 40, or $210, ,252, ,S6S O6 beyond
the amount herein stated as required for
the sinking fund. In reply to the
question, what sums will hereafter be
required annually until the maturity of
the per cent. bonds in 1907, in order to
comply with the provisions of said Sec
tiOns as now construed in the Treasury
Department, the Secretary names sums
ranging by successive increase from
S45, &c., 74l in 1881 to $7S,9S9, 106 in 1904
and for the following year $29, ,575
As to the question how the amounts so
required can be applied to the sinking
fund prior to 1907 the Secretary saws:
Il read this inquiry as seeking my opinion
of what may lawfully be done in that re-
gard, and not my judgment of what it
may be eXpedient to do. l think that the
acts of Congress authorize SUPPLIES to
the sinking fund in the following
ways BY calling in the per cent. bonds:
by purchase of the AZ per cent. bonds:
by the application of the terms of the
sinking fund to the purchase of these
bonds. 1t is estimated that the whole
issue Will be exhausted prior to July 1.
1905. | do not mean by the foregoing that
the AZ and 4 per cent. bonds must be
purchased in that order. That is the or
der in which, by their terms, they are re-
deemable. They may be purchased with
out regard to that order.''
ARTHUR AND THE MISSISSIPPI.
The message Of the President transmit
ting to Congress the report of the Missis-
sippi River Commission says:
Il take this occasion to invite the early
attention Of Congress to the continuation
of the work on the Mississippi river.
which has been carried on under the
plans OF the commission. Ny sense of
the Importance of the Improvement of
this river, not only to the people of the
West, but especially to the inhabitants
Of the Lower Mississippi river valley.
has already been expressed in a special
communication to the last Congress, The
harvests of grain and cotton produced in
the region bordering on the Mississippi
are so vast as to be Of national importance.
and the project now being executed for
their cheap transportation should be
sufficiently provided for. The commission
reports that the results due to the still
uncOmpleted works have been remarkable
and gives the highest encouragement
for expecting ultimate success of
the improvement. The act of August ,,
1882, appropriated 81, 123, 600 for the work
on that part of the river below Cairo.
The estimates of the commission already
transmitted to Congress call for $3, 900, 600
for the continuation of the work below
Cairo, and it appears from their report
that all of the last appropriation available
for active operations has been exhausted.
and that there is urgent need of an imme-
diate appropriation of $1,0000O0 to con-
tinue the work without loss of time in
view Of the approach of the flood season
with its attendant dangers, | therefore
recommend to Congress the early passage
of a separate bill on this subject"
BREwsTER's ExTRAvAGANCEs.
In response to a resolution offered in
the Senate by Mr.. Van Wyck on Decem-
Der Is last, calling on the Secretary of the
Treasury to furnish to the Senate copies
of the vouchers and items audited bv the
First Auditor OF the Treasury on account
Of the expenses incurred by the Depart
ment of Justice since March l. 1881, with
the names of the special or assistant
attorneys, and the names of detectives
employed, Secretary FOlger sent to the
Senate to-day transcript of the eXpendi-
lures by the Department of Justice on
these accounts, which covers several
hundred pages of foolscap. Included in
the mass of vouchers are those for
payment on account of the services of
special attorneys, detectives, etc., en-
gagged in the star route cases, which are
the vouchers Senator Van Wyck wished
to obtain. The items aggregate as fol-
lows: To George Bliss $31.107, W. w.
Ker S3l ,S77, r. T. Merrick SIT 800, B. H.
Brewster, before he became Attorney
General, $4,000, PinkertOn's detective
agency $S,449, A. NJ. Gibson S., 900. vari-
Gus detectives 81, 170, VIM. A. Cook s., ,440,
leaving still due Cook $5,25O; total paid
$103,552.
BANK CIRCULATION.
At meeting of the Senate Committee
on Finance this morning, Senator Sher-
mans bill to authorize national banks to
issue circulation up to 80 per cent. of the
market value OF the bonds deposited, was
under discussion, but no conclusion was
reached. Senators Alduch, Allison and
voorhees, were absent. 1t was urged in
support of the measure that il would ena-
bic banks to use bonds Of long time bear
ing rate Of interest higher than per
cent. Its passage was objected to on the
ground that it would be dangerous to
make the amount of the circulating me-
dunn subject in any way to fiuctuating
standard. 1t is probable that the bill in
some form will be reported by the COM
poff anH 40 l,o