The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-07-26

WASHINGTON NOTES.
THE NEW GUNS.


ton navy yard the ordnance officials
report very gratifying progress on the
guns for the new vessels of war. There
are now thirty-fve 6-inch breach-load-
ing rifles under way, and some of these
are we'll advanced toward complention
Fourteen are complete in all their parts.
and will probably reach the proving
grounds within few weeks. Two
Gin oh guns for the Chicago are practically
finished. One 10-Inch gun is ready except
ing the breeoh plug, and that is in for
ward state. One 10-inch gun has already
been completed and is now at the proving
grounds awaiting arcival of some special
grades of powder before being subject to
the statutory test. The third 10-inch
gun is within three months of com pletion.
Work upon the gun carriage is also
being actively pushed. Of twenty
6-inch central pivot carriages for the ships
six will be ready by September 1. The
remainder are in process of const ustion.
Two of the four inch carriages for
the Chicago are nearly finished. One is
promised August 1, and the other a
month later. The other two are in
an advanced stage. Sufficient and
8-inch projectiles are on hand to
supply the first three ships, including the
Chicago. All for the Boston are ready for
delivery. Turret mounts for ln-inch guns
and mounts for the Hotchkiss rapid fire
and machine guns are in a very satisfao-
tory state. The entire working force of the
yard now comprises 555 men. Over 200
men are employed on the new gun shops,
work upon which ia progressing satisfac-
torily since the trouble with the quick
sand in the shrinking pits has been over
come.
TAXING TRUSTS.
WASHINGTON, July 23.-Representative
Springer, of Illinois, introduced to-day in
the house a bill to tax the products OF
trusts. 1t provides that in addition to
taxes already imposed upon any product
manufactured by trusts there shall be i'm
posed an internal revenue tax of 40 per
cent, an that no drawback shall be al
lowed on such goods when exported.
REFUNDING THE DIRECT TAX.
WASHINGTON July Ex-senator Sherman,
from the finance committee, to-day re-
ported favorably an amendment proposed
by Senator Spooner to the sundry civil
bill for refunding the direct tax paid by
several states and territories under the act
of August 5, 1861, and for the remission Of
all money still due the United States on
account of this tax. Thie amendment is
substantially identical with the bill for
refunding the direct tax which caused a
prolonged deadlock in the house of repre-
sentatives this session.
THE USUAL DENIAL.
WASHINGTON, July 24.-Surgeon-gen
Hamilton has received a telegram from
Dr.. Fall, at Tampa, Fla, saying that
Tampa is healthy. But two cases of the
disease have appeared in the plant city,
and that there was one doubtful case at
Manates yesterday.
PHELAN's BILL.
WASHINGTON, July 24.-Representativ
Phelan, of Tennessee, has been authorized
by the house committee on commerce to
report favorabIy his bill to prevent dis
elimination in the selling of literary
matters, newspapers and magazines on
railway trains, or steamships and in
stations. The bill makes it unlawful for
any interstate carrier to discriminate in
tine sale of such publications, to exclude,
by direct or indirect prohibition, from
sale on its trains, steamboats,, docks or
stations, provided other periodicals are
customarily sold there. 1t also makes IL
an offense for any such carrier to
grant any lease or privilege to persons OF
corporations under which discrimination
might be practiced in the sale of publica-
tions which it has refused to sell. 1t is to
be deemed discrimination if carrier OF
its lessee, habitually fails to keep an ade-
qu4te supply of any publication to meet
the public demand, or to expose it or
favorable terms for sale. A violation OF
the provisions of the act is declared to BIZ
misdemeanor punishable by fine of moi
more thar $500 nor less than 800.
INTERNAL REVENUE COLLECTIONS.
WASHINGTON, July 24.-HoD. Joseph
Miller, commissioner of internal revenue,
bas made preliminary report of the OPP
erations of the internal revenue bureau for
the fiscal year ended June 30, 1883.
Total collections for the year were
1924 1885, 74, as against $l1S,S37,301 for
the previous fiscal year, being an increase
of $5,489,173. The cost of collection for
the year was $3,9S3,OO0, exclusive of the
amount expended for printing of internal
revenue stamps. In case this amount Is
not increased by debts yet to be settled,
the per centage of cost of collection will