Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-04-28
WASHINGTON NEWS.
A Report OF the Committee on Expeudi.
lures in the War Department.

| AshiSGToN, April q.
Representative Anderson of Ohio. TO-DAY
submitted to the House report of the com.
mittee On expenditures in the war department
as 10 the alleged illegal and unauthorized ex-
pehditures OF money BY the chief signal off
GER Inc report says that the committee find
'uat "hiie the signal service was created for
certain purposes named, the Law has always
oeen silent as To the manner of conducting
tue "DETAILS OF operations in this branch of the
service, and legislation requiring the duties
named to be performed is and alwavs has
peen very meagre and embraced in such gen
erai terms that many disputes have risen in
cohstrulng them. The committee find that
III attempting 10 secure the object of the law
10 1urnlsh an accurate forecast of the
"pa'usr 1t became necessary tor the chief
signal officer 10 establish and put in motion
without prt cedent OF guide, a system that
involved no small labor. The committee are
OF the opinion that whatever construction
may have been given to the laws. that they
were made In good faith with view Of reach
ing the end intended bv Congress.
"hlle the committee do not concur in the
CONSTRUCTORS gwen TO many of the statutes
nor nnd In the letter of the law authority for
all the expenditures made, and while of the
! OPINION that proper economy has not always
been observed yet ii is unale to find any in
stance where there was corrupt or fraudulent
mlsappllcatlon of public money.
The Telephone Hearing.
Alexander Graham Bell, his father and
uncle William II. Forbes, president and W.
Il. Driver, treasurer of the Bell Tel, phone
Co., were in attendance when the telephone
investigating committee met this morning.
MIR. Forbes at Milton, Mass, was the first
witness. He told of the growth of the Amer
lcan Bell Co. and the consolidation of the
original New England and Bell companies
Gardiner Hubbard. Prof. Bell and Mr.
Saunders, he believed were the original asso-
crates who controlled the patents. He be-
lieved that Messrs. Hubbard and Bell held
two-thrds interest and Saunders one-third.
which he received for money advanced to de.
velope the invention. The witness didn't
know that any officer of the government or
member of Congress had been connected
with the original companies or hold stock in
the National Bell Co. at the present time
Secretary Manning, who held stock in the
Troy Co., was the only government officer he
knew of who held local stock Referring TO
the litigation in which the company had en-
gagged the witness said that the Drawbaugh
and Dolbear cases, involving all the material
points embracing all the interior department
proceeding, would come up for decision IN
the supreme court at the next fall term. To
Eden the witness said that material similar to
that which had appeared in the World had
been offered to the Bell Co. for use several
days before it had appeared. Gardiner Hub
bard had sent it from Washington and the
witness didn't know where he obtained it.
Tomorrow it is expected that Prof Bell
will be put on the stand.
64th Anniversary of Gen. Grants Birth.
dav.
birthday was celebrated this evening by ser
vices in the Metropolitan church in this city
under the auspices of the Grant Memorial
University of Athens, Tenn. Speakers of
eminence took part in the proceedings and
audience, composed of distinguished legs-
lators, diplomats and soldiers, filled every
seat. Chiet Justice Waite presided. Senator
Brown of Texas gave life sketch of Gen.
Grant. Senator Sherman spoke on "Grant
and the New South" Representative Long
OF Mass, spoke of "Grant as citizen" DR.
Spencer, president of the Grant Memorial
University, read an address giving a history
of the growth of the institution Speeches
were also made by Senator Evarts and Rev
DR.. Newman.
Combinations by the Senate.
The Senate has confirmed the following
nominations: c. w. West to be Governor
of Utah, }. c. Dearborn to be postmaster of
Manchester, N. H.. and Sanford Ii. Potter at
htt. T,,,, W.