Butte semi-weekly miner., 1886-04-24
General Washington News


Pending further action the committee rose
and the House adjourned.
General Washington News
WASHINGTON, April 21.-The considera-
ton of the Senate bill for the admission of
Dakota was resumed by the House Com
mittee on Territories. Representative
Baker, of New York, presented an amend.
ment proposing to name the northern hall
North Dakota" and to submit the ques-
tion Of division to the people OF the whole
Territory, and the question Of admitting
the southern half under the proposition
already fixed to thepeople OF that portion.
Representative Cooper, OF Ohio. said the
amendments seemed to meet all the objec-
tions which have been raised, and advo-
Gated their adoption. and that the bill
thus amended be reported favorably.
Pending action the committee adjourned.
MORE LAND TROUBLES.
Commissioner Sparks has made formal
demand on the St. Joseph & Denver City
Railroad Company for reconveyance to the
United States OF 10000 acres OF land
alleged to have been wrOngfully
patented by said company in 1874. The
tracts in question lay beyond the terminus
OF the constructed road between Hastings
and Kearney in Nebraska. An official
statement of the case says that the road
was authorized to connect with the Union
Pacific or any OF it's branches, and that
the connection was proposed to be made
at Kearney, on the main line OF the Union
Pacific, and the map of such location was
filed in the Land Office in 1870. Connec-
ton was made at Hastings, on the Burling-
ton & Missouri road, a distance Of about
forty miles less than Kearney, the COM
pany claiming that the Burlington & Mis-
souri, was one of the roads included in the
Un on Pacific granting act, and hence
branch OF the Union Pacific within mean
land between Hastings and X arney were
filed and patents issued therefor. The
Commissioner claims that inasmuch as the
company has no road between those points
the patents to the lands were wrongfully is
sued.
THE TELEPHONE SCANDAL.
The Telephone Investigating. Committee
resumed it's labors this morning with the
examination OF Mr.. D. Humphrey OF the
Globe Telephone Company, OF New York.
In September he called upon the Attorney
General, but Mr.. Garland had out him short
off and refused to hear him. II told him."
said the witness, "that di ! not come to
see Mr.. Garland but to see the Attorney
General and that he must not consider
himself individually in the case but as the
Attorney General. He told me positively
that he would have nothing to do with it.
l then asked him to whom could go, to
refer me to somebody but he said he could
not and would not refer me to anybody,
that he was stopped from any action. Fin
and it was referred to the Interior Depart
ment. was considerably worked up and
thought he sht uld have more nerve. How
ever, went away feeling much more re-
spect for Mr.. Garland than l had before.
He certainly convinced ME that he was in
corruptible."
did you 60 there to corrupt him." in
quired Mr.. Ranney.
II did not" responded the witness. II
may have had suspicion regarding the re-
form professions OF the Democratic Admin
istration."
Chairman Boyle-"But. do you think
Witness-I found that some Democrats
were honest. Tie committee then ad-
journed.
WAR DEPARTMENT EXPENDITURES.
The House Committee on the War De-
partment expenditures concluded the hear
ing of charges Of irregular;ty in the accounts
of the Signal Service Bureau and adopted
the resolu' ion declaring that the evidence
does not show the existence of any fraud or
corruption.
PRISONERS PENSIONS.
The bill reported by Mr.. Morrell, of Kan
sas, from the Committee on Invalid Pen
sions to-day to pension prisoners of war
provides that all disabled prisoners of war
shall be granted pensions at rate fixed for
similar disabilities in honorably di
charged soldiers, where the disability is
presumed to be the result of confine-
ment in Southern prisons. The committee
estimate that it will require 81, 100, 900
annually to meet the addition to the pen
sion rolls. The bill also provides that all
pensioners shall receive a per diem OF So
for each days confinement and to meet the
expenditure on this account it is estimated
to require an expenditure OF about
s.. .UOO, 900 from the best obtainable in
formation. The committee believe that
there arc about $500 ex-pensioners now
living, but a large number OF these persons
are already receiving pensions. The argu-
ment in favor OF the per diem payment for
the period OF confinement adduced il. the
report is that many OF the pensioners were
deprived OF an opportunity to re-enlist and
receive bounty therefor. They were also
out Of the line OF promotion and in addi-
tion sustained in many cases losses Of per
sonal property through con6scation by
their captOrs.
CONTRIBUTIONS.