The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-08-06
A NEW WHITE HOUSE NEEDED.


He rose to a commission in that regiment, and
to captaincy in the LIST Me. Sharpshooters.
He was wounded at the first battle of Bull Run,
and again at the second battle of the same
name, and third time in the Wilderness. He
entered the Government employ some 15 years
ago, and his efficiency was such that he speedily
rose to be q Chief of Division, which position
he has occupied for the last nine years. There
is no man in the Government service better
qualified for the work allotted to him than
Capt. Sawyer. and when he announced his res
ignatiOn Gen. Black expressed sincere regret
at his loss, and desired to have it distinctly
understood that there was no contemplation of
change that would affect him adversely.
Capt. Sawyer, however, thought he saw bust
ness opportunities in the West which offered
better promise than the Government service.
He will be associated with Col. John A. Bent
ley, late Commissioner of Pensions, in the prac-
tice of the law at Denver, Col. A wide circle
Of friends in this city will regret Capt. Saw
yer's departure.
"sICK LEAVE" CURrAILEp.
II has been rumored for long time back
that "sick leave" which could be obtained
without the least trouble, has been made use of
by many of the employees of the Government
Departments to extend their annual vacation to
almost one-quarter Of the year, and Secretary
Lamar has determined to put a stopto the prac-
tice as far as his Department is concerned.
Heretofore the practice has been to allow 60
days sick leave with pay in one year, and this
in addition to the annual allowance of 80 days
for holiday purposes. An order has now been
issued in the Interior Department curtailing
the sick leave to 80 days, and at the same time
making it obligatory on the invalid to fully
establish the fact of his indisposition by med
zeal evidence and also to the complete satisfac
ton of the officers Of the Department. This
order will not be hailed with delight by many
who have taken advantage of the generosity of
the Government to spend an almost indefinite
time at Summer resorts, and at the same time
draw their monthly pay from Uncle Sans
capacious pocket.
GEN. MCCLELLAN AS A MINER.
In 1852 Lieut.. Geo. B. Mcclellan was an off,
Ger in an expedition commanded by Capt. r. B.
Marcy and ordered by Secretary of War JEFF
Davis to explore the upper waters of the Red
River. May IL of that year the expedition
was near where the Wichita River enters the
Red. In cutting down the banks to allow the
wagons to cross the fords large quantities Of
very rich copper ore were found, which on
analysis by the Government chemists at Wash
ington showed SAT ounces of copper to the 100
of ore. Considerable quantities of gold were
also found. The find has remained undevel-
oped ever since, but now Gen. Mcclellan has
patented 10000 acres of the land in the neigh
borhood, has organized company, and will
shortly begin operations on large scale. AL
though the price of copper is away down, only
four cents pound now, he expects to make a
great deal of money by furnishing the world
cheaper copper than could be supplied any
where else.
MOUNT VERNON.
There is some hope now that those who desire
to visit the home and resting place of George
Washington may be able so to do without hav-
ing to pass through the grasping hands of the
corporation which now owns that historic spot
At present the sum of 81 is wrung from each
visitor to Mount Vernon of which sum 33 cents
goes into the Golfers of the Ladies' Association
of Mount Vernon-the corporation which owns
the place-and the balance is gObbled up by the
w. w. COrcoran, a steamer which enjoys the
monopoly of being the only vessel allowed to
land at that point. The plan of the present
movement is that Congress shall purchase the
Mount Vernon estate and make it q free place
The scheme seems to meet with universal ap-
probation, as it is the general opinion of all
that the Government should take charge of a
place which belongs so peculiarly to the Ma
ton, and thus take it out of the hands of mer-
cenary spectators, who are growing wealthy
by this traffic in the home of the Father of his
Country.
THE CATTLE ORDER.
The order of the President that the cattle
owners and occupants of Indian lands owned
by the Cheyennes and Arapahoes shall remove
their stock within 40 days has caused the ut
most excitement among those gentlemen. who
at once commenced praying for an extension of
time. This has been denied them, and they
have been told that the order will be enforced.
Driven desperate by the action of the Execu-
tive, large delegation of the cattle kings are
now in the city, in order to try the effect of
personal petition in regard to getting an extern
sion of time. They declare that the notice
given them is entirely too short to enable them
to get the cattle off the ranges, and that the
enforcement of the order will absolutely ruin
them. They will pray for an extension until
next Spring, at which time the cattle can be
disposed of to advantage. of this cannot be
obtained, 80 days grace will be prayed for 1t
is highly probable chat the request will be
granted, as to compel thosei men to suddenly
remove their vast herds without any provision
whatever for their keeping would cause fearful
loss. 81 dG
VALUE OF PUNCTUATION.
At the last session of Congress bill was
passed providing for the allowance of claims of
officers and soldiers for losses of personal prop
erty in the Government service, except in time
of war or hOstilities with Indians. The claim
ants, through whose efforts the bill was passed,
have presented arguments to the accounting
officers of the Treasury, in which they hold
that the terms war and !" hostilities" both
refer to Indian service There being no comma
between the words war" and cor, " and that
claims for losses during the civil war must be
allowed. This, the Treasury officials say,
would cost tho Government an enormous sum,
more than could well be estimated. A case in
volving q claim for losses for personal property
during the late war was submitted to Third
Auditor Williams, who decided against allow
ing the claim, and holding that the act does
not authorize compensation for any losses sus-
tanned in time of war.