Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-09-14
GREAT GUNS!
Status Sf the Historic Find at AIbuquer-
que--secretary Of Wars Letter.

Those historic rebel canon recently dul
E up at Albuquerque are in demand. TIL,
{ latest to claim them "by right of discov
3 cry" is Capt. Jack Crawford and the st
Joe Exposition association, and applica
! ton has been made to the secretary o.
war to permit Capt. Jack to carry the guns
| off as an attraction at his wild west ex.
hibit at st. Joe. albuquerque is afraid
the plan will work and wants the owner
of the land. upon which they were discoy-
cred to set up claim Of ownership.
| Gov. Prince has written the authorities
at Washington asking that Albuquerque
shall retain the custody Of five of the
guns, the other three to be turned over
to the Historical society and the terri
tory. The governors idea is that one of
| these historic pieces may form part of
the Historical society's collection, while
the other shall be the property OF the
territory, and shall be kept stationed. in
the Santa Fe plaza, on either side OF Hle
monument erected by the people of the
territory to the memory OF New Mexico's
volunteers in the late war. This would
seem to be very just distribution of the
guns.
Replying to the governors letter, the
secretary of war writes:
''The present disposal OF these guns
rests whit the secretary Of the treasury
under section 1856 of the Revised Stat
utes of the United States, which provides
for the preservation, sale, etc., of aband-
oned property formerly belonging to the
so-called confederate states which may
come into the possession of the United
States, and have therefore referred your
letter to the treasury department. l may
add that should the canon be transferred
to this (the war; department they would
acquire q status, under which, following
the usual course of procedure, an act OF
congress would be necessary in order to
dispose Of the three guns as requested i'll
your letter"
Accompanying the letter from the Sec
retary OF war is the following extract from
the =. S. Revised Statutes
Section 3755.-The secretary OF the |
treasury is authorized to make such con-
tracts and provisions as he may deem for
the interest of the government, for. the
preservation, sale, or collection of any
property, or the proceeds thereof, which
may have been wrecked, abandoned or
become derelict, being within the juris-
diction OF the United States, and which
ought to come to the United States, or of
any money, dues, and other interest late.
ly In the possession Of or due to the So
called confederate states, or their agents,
and now belonging to the United States,
which are now withheld or retained by
any person, corporation, or municipality
whatever, and which ought to have come
into the possession and custody Of, or
been collected or received by the United
States; and in such contracts to allow
such compensation to any person giving
thereof, or who shall actually
preserve, collect, surrender, or pay over
the same, as the secretary of the treasury
may deem just and reasonable. No costs
or claim, shall, however, become charge
able to the United States in SO obtaining,
preserving, collecting, receiving, or MAX
ing available property, debts, dues, or in
terests, which shall not be paid from such
as shall be realized and received
from the property 30 collected, under
each specific agreement.