Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1888-09-14
WASHINGTON NEWS.

company of New Mexico Qimited), against
Stephen B. Elkins, S. S. Smoot e. N. OAR
ling. B. F. Butler, Paul Butler, Thomas B.
Catron and Bronson Murray, for the con-
veyauce by Elkins OF one-tifth interest in the
Mora land grant, and enjoining Smoot and
Paul Butler from setting up the title thereto.
The supervising architect Of the treasury
will open bids for the construction of the
New Bedford custom house on the 18th. Bids
for completing the interior of the Augusta,
Me-, public building will be opened on the
I'd of October. The contract for the Spring
field public building, for which bids were
opened few days ago, will not be awarded
until after the passage of the sundry civil
bill, which is now in conference between the
two houses.
Conjectures are expressed at the navy de-
partment as to how long the Columbia iron
works will continue on the work of construct
ing the gunboat Petrol. The sixth payment
on the boat has just been made. 1t amounted
to S24, 700 The penalty was $4,000. This
makes in all over $4,000 the company has
paid in penalties. The contractors are now
working along under penalty of $50 per
diem, and at the present rate of progress it
is supposed the 800 per diem penalty will be
reached before the boat is completed Unless
Secretary Whitney comes to their relief, it
is considered certain that the company will
be obliged to abandon the contract.
The secretary of the treasury has accepted
the following bonds Registered per cents,
$40, 900 at 1881, 81, 800 at 129, Sl,500 at 129;
coupon per cents, 81 500 at l29, 5000 at
l29; registered ~ per cents, S4, 500 at 1861,
$4,000 at 106%; coupon Az per cents, 81, 900
at 1861, $1,000 at 1861.
After the passage of the river and harbor
bill, General Casey, the chief of engineers,
sent to every Office in charge of improve
ments copy of that portion of the bill re-
lating to the works in their district, and
| directed them to forward at the earliest op-
portunity an outline of the work they pro-
posed to do this year.
The following projects have been received
from Lieutenant. Colonel Gillespie, who has
charge of the Massachusetts Improvement,
and have been duly approved.
One of the most important works in the
district is the improvement OF Boston har-
bor for which S125,0O was appropriated.
The object of the improvement, Colonel Gil
| lespie says, Is to preserve the harbor by pro-
tecting the islands and headlands and to i'm
prove it by widening, deepening and
strengthening the channels. The work of
preservation consists of sea walls, aprons,
| jetties, ETC., and such have been built at
| Point Allerton and the islands of Great
Brewster, Lovell's, Galloupes, Long, Deer,
Rainsford, Georges and Castle.
For improving the national harbor OF
refuge at Sandy bay, Cape Ann, 800, 900
was appropriated. In connection with this
work, Colonel Gillespie says:
81 recommend that the funds now made
available by the act be expended in leveling
up the present submerged mound, If found
necessary, by a survey now eing made, and
! in extending the mound northw rd for dis
I tance of 800 feet approximately, the distance
! being dependent upon the price bid for ma
terial" The work will be done by contract
For continuing the Improvement of the
| harbor at Newburyport, S25, 900 was appro-
priated. Colonel Gillespie thinks the best
use to which the money can be put is to eX-
| tend the north ietty eastward about 300 feet
which will require 10000 tons Of stone.
Ten thousand dollars was appropriated for
| improving Gloucester harbor. This sum will
| be used in removing certain lodges and
boulders from the inner harbor.
For continuing the improvement of Scit-
uate harbor $1,000 was appropriated. In
view of the small sum made available, Col.
| Gillespie recommends that it be used in
dredging 10000 cubic yards of material,
making a channel 25 feet wide and three feat
deep from the anchorage basin to the lower
wharves, a distance of 2l00 feet.
Seven thousand dollars was appropriated
| for the improvement of Provincetown har-
| bor Col. Gillespie recommends that 81, 900
| of this amount be retained for the repair of
probable storm damages to the existing
works and the balance be used in levelling
up and backing the long point breakweter.
The work will be uone by hired labor.
The navy department has received a cable
gram stating that the United States steamer
Brooklyn has started for home from Naga--
saki, Japan, under sail.
It is stated that Secretary of the NAVY
| Whitney intends to resign Immediately after
| he submits his annual message. He recently
told friend that he was heartily tired of
| office, not because the work was too labori-
Gus, or because of his health. "But to tell
the truth, said the secretary, II have no
political ambition. Public office is not profit
able, and it has no attractions for me. l
| have great many private interests and in
vestments in a good many enterprises which
require looking after, AMI which, owing to
my public duties, have had to be more or
less neglected.
N. H. r. Dawson, United States commits
sioner of education, in his annual report to
the secretary Of the interior, says that more
than IL, 100000 of children attended public
school some part of the last fiscal year, and of
| those nearly 5000, 900 were in average daily
attendance. In both respects the southern
states have made greater progress than other
parts of the country. The private and in
corporated schools. colleges and universities
show, in general, marked advance in pros
perity.
The disbursing officer of the interior de-
| partment still holds balance to the ere dit
of Mr. Justice Lamar Mr.. Lamar's resig-
nation as secretary Of the interior was ac-
cepted by the president at noon one day.
The treasury department recognizes all frac-
| tions of day, and so Mr.. Lamar was cred
tied with full days pay for the day on
which the resignation was accepted. He
drew his pay as secretary up to IL o'clock
that day, but would not take another cent.
Acting Secretary Harmony has received a
telegram from Capt Chester, commanding
| u. S. S. Galena which was ordered to Port
au Prince, Hayti, for the protection of
American interests, saying that the troubles
in that country were at an end for the pres
ent.
Maj. J. W. Powell director of the geo.
logical survey, in his annual report to the
secretary of the interior, states that the area
surveyed during the year was 80, 062 square
miles. The survey of Massachusetts, the
district of Columbia and New Jersey has
been completed. Work has also been done
in II other states and territories The aggre-
| gate Of all surveys to date is BOG, 900 square
miles The object of the surveys is the pro-
duction of a Typographical map of the
country.
DIR. David T. Day, In charge of the division
! of mining statistics, estimates that for the
calendar year of 1887 the total value of
metals, minerals, stones, coal, petroleum,
and natural gas was S5SS, ,056 345, being