Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-12-16
f0-day'S Proceedings of Congress
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 1856.

WASHINGTON, Dec 16, 1856.
SENATE
The Committee on Appropriations re.
ported back a joint resolution for the pay
ment of the Decemb ar salaries of the officers
and employees of Congress on the Goth of
December, which wac passed.
Among the bills introduced and referred
was one proposing au amendment to the
constitution in relation to the election of
United State Senators.
Mr. Plumb introduced bill concerning
the transfer Of the stock ofrailroads engaged
in inter state commerce which was referred.
The calendar was then taken up, under
the rule thata single objection is sufficient
to have the bill set aside, and number OF
bills thus objected to were set aside.
HOUSE.
The Senate bill was passed amending sec
ton 4. TAG and 4,747 R. S. These sections
provide for the payment of q pension out Of
the naval pension fund to every person who
Served as an enlisted person in the navy or
marine corps" and the bill is designed to
cover the cases of those who actually rcn.
dered the same services appointed petty
officers, although not actually enlisted. 1t
applies to about 100 men, who have acted as
yeomen, engineers, apothecaries and mas
ters at arms.)
On mosion of Mr.. Wise, of Virginia. Senate
bill was passed providing that Admirals
Rowan and Warden may, after 40 years SER
vice, be retired from active service or their
own application, with the highest pay Of
the grade to which they belong.
The House in the morning hour, resumed,
in the committee OF the whole, the cousidera,
ton of the Senate bill for the allotment of
lands in severalty to Indians.
The mississippi River Disaster.
CHICAGO, Dec. 16.-A Daily Ne,rs special
from New Orleans says: Fully forty-five Of
the passengers and crew of the i'll fated
steamer John NJ. White, are still missing.
Ofthese thirty are negro aborers, who took
passage on the boat at the landing lust
above the point where the disaster occurred
1t ia believed that at least twenty of them
persisted. Capt. Musey, the commander of
the steamer, was i'll in his room at the time
the steamer was discovered to be on fire,
He was awake ned by the alarm aud ran from
his room to the upper deck to find that re.
treat to the deck below was already cut off
by flames. He swung out from the upper
deck on chain and in this way reached
the bank. Afterward he tried to return and
assist those still on board, but discovered
that he would lose HE own life if he persist.
cd. He then organized relief force from
the bank and superintendent the sailor.
Pierson, in the yawl, to rescue those struy.
Cling in the water. Persons conduct dur.
ing the confusion was most heroic. Push.
ing bis way through the crowd of shriekinr
passengers at the steamers stem, he cut
the yawl loose from its fastenings, and after
desperate struggle lowered it to tie wa.
ter. Four negroes jumped into the boat and
cut the painter, but the sailor forced them
back and taking twenty human beings into
theyawl, landed them safe on shore. Then
rowing quickly back he saved twenty more.
On the third trip he rescued niue, and on the
fourth trip three. By the time he reached
shore on the last trip all that remained of
the steamer was her hull. Capt. Musey
said, last night, that he did not think that
more than five of the cabin passengers and
ten of the deck hands had persisted. His
estimate is regarded as very low.
The New York Stock Exchange.
NEW YORK Dec 16-Tha onan;,n ,f,l