Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-05-22
THE NATIONS CAPITOL
Money for Names RiYers and
HarbOrS.
''Old Prob" Liable to be Transferred to
the Agricultural Department.
The Republican Senators in Caucus Dis
cuss the Consideration of the
Fisheries Treaty


W -Aa'
Senate.
Among the bills Introduced and referred
was one by MIR. BLAIR. TO secure to the peo
pie the enjoyment of the first day of til.
week as a day of rest and TO permit its OBJ
servance as a day of religious worship.
He explained that the bill was furnishe
accordance with the views of representative,
of signers of the numerous petitions which
have been presented to the Senate, and to
whom the committee on education and labor
had given several hearings.
The bill for the erection post office build.
ings in small places after considerable dis
cusson went over without final action. Frye
from the committee on commerce reported
back the river and harbor bill with amend.
ments Ordered printed and recommitted.
The Senate then adjourned.
House.
The Presidents message returning without
his approval, the joint resolution authorizig
the use and improvement of Castle Island,
Boston harbor, was referred to the commit
tee on military affairs.
The Senate amendments to the pension
appropriation bill were noncOncurred in and
conference ordered.
A resolution was adopted directing the
committee on the merchant marine and fish
cries to investigate the fur seal fishery of
Alaska.
A resolution was adopted setting apart
Tuesday for the consideration of the bills re-
ported by the committee on labor.
The House passed the department of agri-
culture bill, yeas 233, nays l3.
After the call of the States. during which
a large number of unimportant bills were in
troduced and referred, the House discussed
the bill to enlarge the powers of the agrcult-
ural department, aud voted to suspend the
rules and pass the bill by vote of 233 to
10. The bill creates an executive depart
ment known as the Department of Agricult-
ure, under the supervision and control of the
Secretary of Agriculture. 1t provides also
for the appointment of a first assistant Sec
retary of Agriculture. 1t also transfers the
weather service of the U. S. signal service
bureau from the War Department to the
Department of Agriculture. The House
then went into the committee of the whole
on the diplomatic and consular bill.
No amendment of consequence was offered to
the bill After short time spent in cOnsid-
eration the committee rose, the bill passed.
The District of Columbia appropriation bill
was also considered in committee of the
whole, and was passed by the House. House
at six o'clock.
General Congressional News
The river and harbor bill, as amended by
the Senate committee, approprates for the
Penobscot river, Me-, $4,000; kennebec,
Me-, S75 900; Thames river, Ct, S60,O 900 !;
Portland harbor Me-, $4,000; Mt. Desert
Me, $50 900; Back Cove, Portland, Me-,
S25. 900; Little Harbor, N. H., S25 600 !;
Block Island, X. L., $4,000; Norwalk, CT,
SIS, 900; Milford, Ct, So 900; Lubec Chan
mel, Maine, 10000; Bellamy river, New
Hampshire, $4,000; Pawtucket river, Rhode
Island, $50 900; Green Jacket Shoal, Provi-
dence river, SOS, 900; Pawkatuc river, Rhode
Island, so 900; Housatonic river Connecti-
cut, $35 900; breakwater at Mt. Desert,
NJ, $50, 900; Moosabec Bar, Me, $4,000.
The following is the Hennepn canal provis-
ion: For the purpose of securing a continu-
ous and navigable water way between Lake
Michigan and the Mississippi river, having
capacity and facilities adequate for the pas
sage of the largest Mississippi river steam
boats and naval vessels suitable for defence
in time of war, the Secretary of War is au-
thorized and directed to cause to be made
proper surveys, plans and estimates for chan
nel improvements, locks and dams in the
beds of the Illinois and Desplaines rivers,
from La Sale to Lockport, so as to provide
a navigable water way not less than fourteen
feet deep, and have the surveys locate the
channel from Lockport, Lake Michigan, at
or near Chicago, such channel to be suitable
for the purposes aforesaid and capable of
carrying not less than six hundred thousand
cubic feet of water per minute and flowing
at the rate of two miles per hour, the neces-
sarv expenses of such surveys, plans, etc,
to be paid out of the sum appropriated for
the improvement of the Illinois river. The
Secretary is further directed to have located
on such line as he may approve, canal from
the Illinois river, at or near Hennepn, to
the Mississippi river, at or above the mouth
of Rock river, with the necessary feeder fol
same, said canal to be known as the lllinol:
and Mississippi canal, to be eighty feet wide
at the water line and have depth of no
less than seven feet of water, with locks l7t
feet long and thirty wide.
A caucus of the republican senators, thi
afternoon, a continuation of that of last Fri
day, was called to formulate basis for thu
united action already agreed upon and give
the senators that are not members of the for
eign relations committee, further opportunit,
to get posted upon the points to be mad'
against the fisheries treaty. No action wa
taken and the time was spent in talk.
The Seuate committee on judiciary toda.
considered the nomination of Melville W
Fuller for Chief Justice. A member of th'
committee is authority for the statement tina
the present status of the case warrants th'
belief that Fuller will be confirmed at al
early day.
Representative Springer of Illinois, toda.
introduced a bill 'to provide for placing O
the free list articles of merchandise the pro
duction of which may be controlled by trust
or combinations
The Senate Military Committee, througl
Sanator Manderson. reported adversely tn
petition of ID. ID Dana of Massachusetts fol
services rendered at time of the assassinatio
of Pres. Lincoln, and aiding in the scaptur
of the assassin. The adverse report is base
upon the fact that Dana was Lieutenar
and only doing his duty. Dana states tha
on the night of Lincoln's assassination, h
went to the Surratt mansion and found a
old man and an old woman who would te
nothing. Dana took the old man and put
rope around his neck and hauled him up t
the limb of tree. When nearly strangle
he confessed that two men stopped at th
Surratt mansion, one very lame, and tol
which way they went. Dana followed an
he claims that through the information h
obtained, the assassin was killed.
METHODIST CONFERENCE