The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-13

the United States Treasury has been CON.
pleted. Everything was found in satisfsc-
tory condition, and the reports of ex-Treas-
urer Wyman were proved in every instance.
Even the alleged discrepancy OF two cents
reported in the account OF the cash room
was shown on recount to be incorrect, the
pennies missing having been found.
Professor @. N. Riley, the Entomologist of
the Agricultural Department, says that the
country will soon be visited by two great
broods of locusts, OF the seventeen and
thirteen year varieties, and that this will be
the first time in 22l years that they have ap.
peared in conjunction. They will not prove
greatly destructive. and the iBiary they will
inh.c: gill probably be confined to fruit
trees. The visitation will be prolonged until
late IL July.
The Snperintendents of the United States
miDts at San Francisco. New Orleans and
Philadelphia have been authorized to pur-
chafe mutilated United States silver coin OF
standard ineness at the rate of ninety-eight
cents per ounce troy weight when presented
in sums of three dollars and upward.
George V. N. Lothrop, the new Minister
to Russia, arrived here this morning and
called on Secretary Bsysrd at the State
Department and atter.ara accompanied by
Mr.. Bayard, went to the White HOUSE and
called upon the President. Mr.. Lothrop
will sail for ST. Petersburg about June 15.
As measure OF relief for the courts of the
District of Columbia, the business of which has
been interrupted becsuse OF the exhaustion
of the appropriation for payment of Jurors
and witnesses, il is understood plan has
been agreed upon to give certificates instead
OF laying cash TO Jurors and witnesses and
trust to Congress for sn appropriation to re.
deem them.
Com missioner CoIeman's Report of the
Condition of the Agricultural Depart
ment.
WAsHINGToN. May II 2-Commissioner Cole.
man Gays Of the condition of affairs in the
Department OF Agriculture that soon after
he entered upon his duties his attention was
called to the fact that the laboratory fund
was nearly exhausted. In order to avoid
making deficiency he was compelled to
furlough ,everal employees until the
end of the fiscal year without pay.
Now it appears that several other specific
haustion, and many minor branches of work
must be temporarily suspendad. The statis-
tical division suffers the loss of all its Stats
sgents. and other SUSPENSIONS must necessa-
rlly be made. In the seed division the ao.
Dlopriation for the current fiical year was
$4,000 short on the first OF the present
month, and there remained only S32 of this
fund in the treasury. An estimate made in
detail by the head of this division, and
approved by the Commissioner for the pur.
chase Of the Seeds called for the expenditure
Of so 600, which would Leave $50 900 to pay
the expenses of packing and distribution
The am cunt actually expended for seed FROM
this fuso seems to have been been $50, 900
AS result there are several kinds OF seeds
on hand in large quantities with no money
to pay the expenses OF packing and distribu.
tion. There are thus in excess 13 00o pounds
OF beet sugar seed, between 700 ani 500
bushels of peas, and between 600 and 700
bushels of sorghum seed. There has been
distributed the past year about 5000
pounds of best sugar seed, and the supply
on hand is sufficient to last nearly three
years at that rate. Some peas on hand cost
81 bushel; part of the sorghum seeds have
been emptied from sacks upon the fl Dor, and
two boys are employed to stir them around
to Keep them from spelling. wide variety
OF prices was paid for seed; for exam pie,
100 bushels Of sorghum seed were pur.
chased from New York firm at prices rang
ing from 50 So TO 50 % bushel. while 500
bushels of the same variety were obtained
from q Western man for 81 bushel
TIE attention of q chemist OF the depart
ment was called to this fact to day, an he
wss asked, as an expert what would have
been fair price for seed at the Il lme the
stock was purchased He said IL sold as low
as twenty five cents per bushei in Nebraska
but that one dollar bushel would be an ex.
traordinary good price for the very bsst
quality, ready prepared for planting. He
was asked how large quantity OF sorghum
seed he would have purchased had the mat
ter been left TO him. mot pound"
lie replied There was no reason for pur-
chase OF either sorghum oT beet. There was
no purpose in view. There was no new
vsriety to be tried. There was &C.
casion for distributing en- old variety than
for sending out white wheat"
The Chief OF the Seed Division once last
summer called the attention of the Chiei
CLERK OF the Department to the fact that be
had more than 200 ladies employed 10 the
seed room, and protested this force could
not be economically used but there seems TO
have been no efficient reform. There seems
to have been q very liberal distribution of
turnip seed so far this year. The amount
purchased was stated at 10 IG5 bushels, get
the amount on hand WAS not reported in ex-
cess The largest amount previously pur.
chased within five years was :, 500 bushels
These discoveries have been made inc-
dentally. No formal investigation was un-
dertaken.
Com mmissisner Sparks rriai-The Case Dis
missed.
WAsnINeToN, Msy l2-In the Police Court
this morning the case OF Commissioner
Sparkle, of the General Land Office, charged
with q personal assault upon Colonel Dea-
hama, timber inspector of TINT office, came
up for trial. The Commissioners was present
with his counsel, w. w. Wiltshire. Colonel
Deshsna was the first witness and repeated
on the stand substantially the account OF the
assault already published as coming from
him. lie said the Commissioner twisted his
fingers in his (Deshana's) collar and tried to
strapgle him. He offered no resistance. On
being asked II he had not been violent In his
conduct, the witness impetuously exclaimed:
twenty minutes. ! am not such fool as to
fight my superior officer, when want him
to fix up my accounts"