The Portland daily press., 1886-12-31
FROM WASHINGTON.
Distinguished Men Whose Funerals
Were Held in the Senate Chamber.
Recent Pensions Granted to People
In Maine.
Changes Announced In the Star
Service In Maine.
President Cleveland Gradually I'm.
proving In His Health.
Especial to The Press. j

proving In His Health.
| Especial to the Pressl
| WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.-The funeral of
Senator Logan which occurs Friday at noon
in the Senate Chamber will be the sixth
which has taken place there. The fist was
that of Thomas II. Hicks, Senator from
Maryland, who was buried from the cham
Der in February, 1866. Senator Solomon
Foote of Vermont was the second in March,
1866, Charles Sumner, March 18th, 1874, was
the third. The fourth was Vice President
Wilson in November, 1875, and Senator
Miller of California whose funeral occurred
on the 18th Of last March completes the list.
| Senator Logan's funeral as it occurs during
| the recess of Congress will not be an official
| one although held in the Senate Chamber.
Vice President Wilson's was also held dur
| ing the recess and was unofficial Captain
Isaac Bassett, the venerable doorkeeper of
the Senate, who has taken part in all the
notable funerals for the past fifteen years,
says the custom of holding official funerals
| in the Senate Chamber is dying out I'm
| the old time, when the Senate met in the
room now occupied by the Supreme Court"
Doe9Nset
in office was given an official funeral from
the chamber. aud very many were held there,
but Of late years they have been few. Only
four Senators and Vice President Wilson
have been buried from the present chamber
since its first occupancy in 1s6i.' The cata-
falque upon which his remains have lain in
state to-day l saw yesterday. in the place
where it is kept, directly under the dome, in
the crypt where it remains except when
wanted on such occasions as the present. As
it stood then, it was rough looking thing
made of unplaned boards and covered with
dust, but it is doubtful if there is another in
existence which has bourne as many honored
and renowned dead. Originally built for the
martyred Lincoln, ii has been used for every
public man since then who has lain in state
in the rotunda. Chief Justice Chase, Thad-
deus Stevens, Vice President Wilson and
last the murdered Garfield have all rested
upon it. When wanted for use it is covered
with cloth and bound with silver and is
made worthy of the honored burden it
receives, but after the ceremonies are over
it is usually stripped piecemeal of its
draperies by relic hunters, and bare and des-
olate is again returned to its resting place
underground until again wanted for use
The funeral draperies of the desks and doors
of the chamber usually fall a prey to the
relic hunters and rarely are the same ones
used twice. The Grape upon Senator Logan's
chair, however, is the same previously used
for the seat Of the late Senator Anthony of
Rhode Island.
Pensions Granted.
Pensions have been granted to Maine
claimants as follows: N. W., father of JAS
w. Bennett, Dennysville; Mary j., widow
Of Watson b. Frazer, Amherst; Emma B.,
widow of w. II. Guilford, South Penobscot
Emerson chatham, Bangor; Josiah @. Baker,
West Freeman.
The following have been granted increase
OF pension: Arthur Donahue. Soldiers
Home, Togus; Thos. Rainey, Wateryille;
Willard r. Hurd, Knox; Warren S. Voter,
Richmond; w. II. Kelley, Togus; Lucius
Davis, Minot; Patrick Moran. Togus; B. F.
Jones, Damariscosta Mills; G. X. Hinckley,
Gardiner; Simeon II. Kinney, Lagrange; j.
II, Thurston, Montville.
Postal Matters.
Thirty-fve cities have made application to
have the free delivery system established
under the new free delivery law. In order
to become entitled to the benefits of the law,
all towns desiring the free delivery system
must make application to the department
either through its postmaster or by direct
petition Otherwise the department can
take no action in the matter
The following changes are announced in
the Star service in Maine:
Route 442.-Northeast Harbor to Mount
Desert Increase service to six times a
week, from November 1st to April Both in
each year. To take effect January g. 1887.
Among the fourth class post Offices to be
raised to Presidential class on January 1st
is Hancock, N. III.
The Postmaster General has appointed the
following fourth class postmasters: Mrs
Amanda t. Norw ood, Seal Cove, Me-; Mrs.
A. NJ. Bowie, South Danville, Me.
A Cabinet Meeting.
All of the members of the Cabinet except
Mr.. Lamar attended the meeting to-day,
which lasted for nearly two hours.
The President improving In Health.
The Presidents health is improving daily,
de sat In his private room this morning and
Dusled himself with some matters of legisla-
tlon ana executive papers In the afternoon
cabinet meeting was held during which the
President occupied an easy chair. Colonel
Lamont has no doubt Of the Presidents
ability to hold the usual New Year recep-
tl0n and says that it is his desire to attend
Gen.. Logan's funeral tomorrow, if the
weather Is propitious and his ailment does
not increase In severity.
Customs Decision.
The following customs decisions have been
announced: Fish caught on the coast of
| Newfoundland by the crews Of American
| vessels licensed to engage in fisheries, as
sisted by men. hired in Newfoundland for
Hc lrfY 4IA1 -.
upon Importation. Charges for freight and
wharfage incurred before the voyage of i'm
| portation commences on imported merchan-
| disc cannot be included in lien for freight
| hled. Lumber from logs owned and cut by
| citizens of Maine in that state, sawn in the
| Province of New Brunswick in mill leased
1 by American citizens is entitled upon inn
| Importation into the United States to the
privileges of free entry.
In Honor of the Late Senator Logan.
| The President has directed that while the
remains OF Logan are lying in state at the
capitol, the flags, ON the public buildings Of
| this city be displayed at half mast and that
| they so remain until after the ceremony.
A Scheme for Reducing the Revenues
to be Produced.
The Protection Democrats, who have done
| very little since the adjournment of Con-
gress, VIII commence their work again this
afternoon by meeting at the residence of
Mr.. Randall. Only four or five of them are
| expected to be in attendance, but tbey will
discuss the subject of surplus reduction
pretty fully, and, If possible, arrange sore
plan to be submitted to larger meeting
about the time Of the assembling of Congress-.
| A proposition will be made, either in the
shape of a new measure of internal revenue
reduction or in asreduction of tie tariff in
certain specified articles There will be
some opposition to either plan. and the con-
| ference will try to determine which is most
satisfactory to the party and most likely to
get fair hearing in the House. Mr.. Me
Adoo, who was asked about the matter. said
that it was hardly possible that the confer
ence would indorse any of the propositions
for coast defence as means for reducing the
surplus. MANY of us may be in favor of
such plans" said he, ''in their legitimate
place, but we hardly think it is the proper
nues by advocating plans of spending the ex-
ira annunts We MT No 70 r.aal-loa - -