The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-08-10

Washington Special to Boston journal.
A bill granting a pension to the widow OF Gen.
Sheridan was introduced in the Senate imme.
diately after the announcement of his death was
made. The taste Of introducing a bill at that
time has been somewhat criticised, but, uuaues-
tionably. a serious effort will be made by the
friends of the late General Sheridan to secure
the passage of this bill. There are abundant
presidents in recent years for such q pension.
and it would be very difficult for most members
of Congress in either party to vote against a bill
to pension the widow of the late General of the
army, the last of his rank. With the widows of
Generals Grant, Logan. Hancock. Blair and
others on the pension list, il may be doubted
whether it will be possible to defeat the motion
thus early begun TO pension the widow of Sher
idan. &
That the pension will be welcomed and will be
needed there can be 90 doubt 1t is true that
the salary of General of the army is a very large
one, but it Is also true that the social demands
upon that officer are very great, and that his
family is large. Army officers of high rank,
with a fixed income while on the active list and
the certainty of retired pay. generally consume
all their income in satisfying the social require
ments of that station and in providing for the
immediate wants Of their family, and it may be
doubted whether General Sheridan has left any
considerable property. 1t is said to be a fact. by
those who are IN position to know the most
about his estate. that whatever property he has
left yields practically no income. General
Sheridan has a house in this city
which he has occupied for some years,
the cottage at Nonquitt, which was only
completed this year, and he did have a house at
Chicago, in which he lived when he was sta
toned there. The house In this city was a gift
TO him from citizens of Chicago when ne re-
moved to this city to take charge of army head
quarters. The price paid for the house a. the
time was $50. 000. a price which was very much
above its market value. Residents in the same
block say that the property is not worthto-day
what the Chicago donors gave for it. Tie Chi
cago home, If it has not been sold, is not as val
liable. it is said, as the one at Washington. and
these. with the little cottage at Nonouit, friends
OF the family state. comprise the whole IA sub
stance of the Generals estate. His household
establishment was not large, and a con-
siderable portion of it. like the horses and
carriage, were q part of the belonfngs of
the General of the army, and are
government property. Mrs. General Sheridan
is said to have had no estate of her owu; she is
the daughter Of an army officer. aud her parents
still survive; 90 that, If all of the estate that
General Sheridan is supposed to have could be
converted into money yielding asset. it would
furnish very scanty support to lis LANCE family
of children.
A fev men in Congress have been crying halt
to the increase of the civil pension list neverthe-
less it is probable that the Nation will not per-
nit the widows of the few remainiue survivors
of the war Of the rebellion TO suffer want The
list OF the survivors is not q very loog one. Ii
has been rapidly cut down In recent years. and,
before many CONGRESSES shall hays come and
gone. the last name upon it wilt have been
erased. Whatever may be thooeht at the
White House. the men in Congress will not
weigh the rewards due General Sheridan ia an
spothecaryi . scale