Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-02-12
FROM WASHINGTON.


WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. -, 1856.
The House Coinage Committee this morn
ing met and took up the silver coinage ques'
ton, but while no member agreed with the
views of any other, none apparently had any
very definite views of his own. One of the
members, Mr. James, of New York, finally
offered resolution that silver ought to be
restored to its old position Of equality with
gold, which could, however, only be done ny
an international agreement, and while dis
cussng that, the hour Of adjournment ar
rived The Naval Com had Secretary
whitney and Admiral Porter before them
with references to the reconstruction Of the
NAVY. but not the reorganization OF the Navy
department. The sist of Mr.. Whitney's re-
Communications was that six cruisers OF the
size of the new Chicago should be built at
once. and provision made for building 9th
ers as soon as possible, and that all should be
built by contract at private ship yards and not
at the Government navy yards. The House
Labor Committee agreed to report faVora-
biz 81 bill providing that for all claims for
labor or service in the District Of Columbia
for a less sum than one hundred dollars
no property should be exempt from attach
ment. The Military Committee agreed to
report in favor of au appropriation of $50
OGO for the enlargement of the barracks at
Hampton, Va, and for making good the
loss sustained by the soldiers home at
Hampton by the failure OF the Norfolk
bank. The Senate Committee on Educa-
ton and Labor this morning heard q dele
CATION. of the Woman's League on the sub
iect of taking away from women positions
in the departments and giving them to men.
It also examined the officials of the street
railroads here respecting the number OF
hours they work their employees.
Reports here to-day from Harper'5 Ferry
saw that a rise of eight feet of water has &C.
Cured, and that the leo had broken in the
Shenandoah, and flood was also coming
down that river. There is some dread off,
flood here, and the citizens association were
negotiating with the Washington Steamboat
Company this morning for opening chan
mel with their boats.
The only nomination confirmed during
tho executive session Of the Senate yester-
day was that of Peter Gallagher, of Wythe-
vile, Va, to DO agent for the Indians at
Fort Hall, idaho.
Referring to the report telegraphed from
Richmond last night to the Baltimore Sun,
that Mr.. Barbour would not be candidate
for reelection, Mr. Barbours friends here
say that no body at this time would obtrude
such a question upon him. and that while
no one can deny the report authoritatively
it is equally obvious that no one was author
lied to start it.
The action Of the House Public Lands
Committee yesterday evening in deciding
to report in favor of the forfeiture Of thirty
seven million acres of land granted to the
Northern Pacific Railroad, beyond Bis.
marck, for non fulfilment of contract, is
looked upon as so much poppy cock, and as
only intended TO delude the public with the
idea that the committee is really intent on
reform. The railroad men laugh at it, and
say it amounts to nothing.
Mr.. GoSs, of the Potomac Manufacturing
Company, Of Alexandria, is here to-day. He
says that company has engaged the services
of competent and efficient superintendent,
manufacture of iron blooms from both scrap
iron and iron ore. 1t is also reported here
that large machine shop will be started in
Alexandria early in the spring.
Senate bills for public buildings at Nor
folk, Petersburg aud Fortress Monroe were
reported to the House to day.
The House Committee on Claims yester.
day afternoon agreed to report in favor of
returning to Maryland and Virginia the
money advanced by them to the Govern
ment with which to build the Capitol. The
amount due Virginia on this claim is over
half million dollars. But rs an Offset
against both this claim and Virgiuia's claim
for the advance she made the Government
during the war Of 1912, also reported favor
ably, the Government holds Virginia bonds
to almost an equal amount for money bor-
rowed from the Indian trust fund before the
war. Mr.. Trigg tried to report both these
bills to-day, but was ruled out as they were
not of private character.
Among the strangers at the Capitol to day
was Col Edward Daniels, of Gunston, Fair
fax county, Virginia, now editing silver
paper in New York The Colonel is as
much of silver man now as he was a green
hacker some years ago.
Mr.. Steel, republican, of Indiana, made speech
in the House yesterday evening against the Fitz
John Porter bill. He used large map to illus |
trate his statements. The most remarkable thing
about his speech was that though he was not in
nor any where the battle he was describing, |
and was surrounded by gentlemen who WERE re-
publicaus as well democrats, who contin- |
ually interrupted him to correct his gross errors,
he needed them not, and went on with his speech |
rs though he knew infinitely moro about the bat |
tic than they did
PErEDTIoN Cow