Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-04
CAPITOL TOPICS.

and grounds has authorized favorable reports
on the Senate bills increasing the limit Of cost
Of the Detroit (Mich.) public building from
S1.1OO,0OO to 81 500 600; and of the public
buildings at Greensboro, N. c., from $50, 900
to $4,000.
OBJECTS TO oNE-MAN POWER.
H. B. Ledyard president of the Michigan
Central railroad, has written a letter to Sena-
tor Stockbridge, which that gentleman laid be-
fore the Senate to-day and had referred to the
committee on commerce. In it the writer
criticises, as carrying the policy of centraliza.
ton too far, the provision in the river and
harbor bill which forbids the erection of any
bridge over any navigable stream unless it
meets with the approval Of the Secretary of
War. Mr.. Ledyard thinks this is too much
power to put in one mans hand.
FORA SOLDIERS HOME.
The Senate committee ON public lands has
ordered favorable report on the House bill
authorizing the sale Of what is left of the Fort
Dodge military reservation to the state of
Kansas for a soldiers home. There are 147
acres in the tract.
THE NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL
was passed by the House Saturday, as reported
by the committee, except that it was amended
80 as to carry an appropriation of 800, 900 for
coaling station at Pago-Pago, Samoa.
THE DEFICIENCY BILL.
Representative Sayers. of Texas, chairman of
the subcommittee of the House committee on
appropriations in charge Of the fortifcation
BILL has also resumed the direction Of the de-
ficiency appropriation bill, duty which for
merly devolved upon the late Representative
Burnes, of Missouri. The subcommittee is now
hard at work upon the deficiency bill.
MRS. RossEAUs PENSION.
The House committee on invalid pensions to-
day authorized favorable report on the Sem
ate bill increasing the pensions of Mrs. Maria
A. Rosseau. widow of the late Brig.-Gen. Ros-
seau, from $50 to 800 per month.
SARCASM FROM WASHINGTON TERRITORY.
President Protein. Ingalls, to-day laid before
the Senate the following petition:
To the Honorable Senate and House of Repre-
seratdtices:
Your humble petitioner would respectfully
beg that your honorable body pass the bill in
trOduced by Senator Butler, of the South Sea
Islands, empowering the commissioners of
Whitman county, Washington territory. to is
sue bonds not to exceed 100000 to build
courthouse and Jail in the town Of Colfax.
Now, your petitioner most honorably prays
that you double the dose and give them privi-
lege to raise 800. 900. 1t will take this amount
to keep the county seat down in this hole,
and while you are about it give us $50 900 more
to build balloon to get down to the county
seat. And your petitioner will ever pray.
QSigneO JOHN SMITH
The petition was duly referred to the COM
mittee on territories.
AMERICAN INTERESTS IN SAMOA.
The House committee on foreign affairs to-
day decided to recommend non-concurrence in
and conference on the Senate amendments to
the diplomatic and consular appropriation bill.
number OF these amendments met with favor,
but the committee resolved to adopt the course
above outlined as best calculated to secure
speedy action upon the bill.
The amendment appropriating $5OO0OO for
the protection OF American interests III Samoa
met with unanimous approval, but will be
allowed to go with the other amendments into
conference. In the case of the amendment ap-
propriating 800. 900 for the establishment of a
naval station at Pago-Pago, Samoa, it was held
that the paragraph in the naval appropriation
bill relating to the same subject (and much
broader in its terms) was better framed than
the Senate amendment, and in addition was
placed in the bill where it properly belonged,
so it is likely that it will be dropped in confer
ence if early action on the part of the Senate
upon the naval appropriation bill is assured.
LIGHTHOUSE APPROPRIATION.
The Senate committee on commerce TO-DAY
reported, as an amendment to the Sundry civil
appropriation bill, the bills recently passed on
by the committee, for the erection of light
houses and beacon lights at various points on
the ocean and lake coasts. The amendment
also includes $50, 900 to complete the pedestal
Of the statue Of Liberty in New York harbor,
and $40 900 to build a sea wall around the light
at Tompkinsville, Staten Island, N. Y.
FLORIDA LAND GRANTS.
After listening to an argument by Senator
Call upon the subject this morning the House
committee on public lands directed favorable
report to be made upon the Senate bill to pro-
vide for the judicial determination Of the
rights Of the United States in certain lands
granted to the state of Florida in 1856 to aid in
the construction Of railroads. The probabili-
ties are strong that in the event Of the failure
Of the conference to agree upon the general
land grant forfeiture bill the committee will
make q determined action to secure the pass-
age of some of the specific forfeiture bills that
have been introduced.