San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-11-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent

WASHINGTON, d. G. Oct, 2s, 1889.
Daily LIGHT:
The President made the first draft
of his message to congress at the last
cabinet meeting, and several hours
were devoted to a discussion of IL.
There is no disagreement between the
President and his advisers as to the
matters to be discussed in the mes
sage. but of course each of the cabinet
has ideas as to the best manner or
presenting certain things.
Secretary Blaine has completed his
estimate of the funds needed to run
the Department of State for the
fiscal year beginning July Ist, 1871.
1t aggregates about IS, OOO, OOO.
M. M. Holland, colored lawyer, chief
of a division in the Second Auditors
office. Mr.. Holland took an active
part in the Presidential campaign.
Mr.. Window believes in recognizing
the men who devote their energies to
working for the party. SO much can
not be truthfully said of some OF our
prominent officials.
Secretary Tracy has received the
report of the board of naval officers
appointed to consider plans tor the
development of the League Island
Navy yard, should congress decide to
have it re-opened. The report strong
ly favors the equipment OF this yard
with modern facilities for building,
fitting and repairing vessels, and sub
mits plans for the purpose, with an
estimate of the cost, Sl4 ,565, 4SO. 1t
recommends that the appropriation
for the first year be 81 ,596, 900.
Secretary Blaine's family will this
week take possession of the historic
old mansion opposite the White
House, which has been entirely retit-
ted since Mr.. Blaine leased it last
spring. By the way, this seems a
good place to say that the sensational
accounts of trouble between Mrs.
Blaine and Mrs. Harrison, which have
several times recently been sent out
from Washington, have not the
slightest foundation. The two ladies
are, and have been ON the very best
terms for years.
Secretary Noble resents the impli-
cation that he removed G. +. Conrad,
a special agent of the general land
office, who Investigated the Benson
land survey frauds in California, to
please the men who had detrauded
the government. The man was re-
moved because of charges made
against him.
If one may be allowed to judge
from the mum Der of bidders and the
figures submitted at the opening of
proposals for building three cruisers
on Saturday last at the navy depart
ment, it looks very much as if the
charge made OF combination among
shipbuilders when bids were opened
several months ago for the building
of these same cruisers, was true. The
first time there were only two bids,
one $l75, 900 in excess of the money
appropriated for each of the cruisers,
and the other $4,000 in excess. This
time there are five bidders, all within
the appropriation. The contracts
have not yet been awarded, but it is
expected that the work will be divi-
ded, one of the cruisers being built by
each of the three lowest bidders.
The new Pension Commissioner is
| not making much noise, but he is
quietly and industriously striving
to obtain necessary knowledge of
the workings of his office. He has
done nothing toward deciding what
is to be done with the men in the
office who are charged with having
had their pensions illegally rerated
but when he takes up that matter he
will sift it thoroughly, and the gull
ty, if there be any such, will not
escape. R.