The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-07
Wheeler TO Be Made Assayer and
Walker Postmaster in
Short Order.
Both Appointments win Probably
Be Sprung on the Same
Day.


WA11KNo1oN, Au&. 6-lSpoo1al.l- l-Tnero
is . delay in reaching an agreement ON the
amendments to the land grant forfeiture
bill. It comes from the position Of several
eouthern members who now take . position
directly the opposite from that laid down
in their campaign literature for the past
few years. They want action such - to al
low certain roads to acquire those portions
of the grants not yet earned, but which,
from present indications, may be earned in
the near future. The northwestern states,
which have been the ones chiefly intelested
are willing to declare the forfeiture, but
now that it ID their own that is getting hurt
the south objects. Mr.. Power said to-day
that the appointment Of Wheeler to be
chief Of the assay Office in Helena,
which ID expected at any time,
meant that Walker would be appointed
postmaster at that place. He said that
it was only question OF few days when
this last named official would be appointed
and the long drawn out fight ended. He
thought the two nominations might come
to the senate the Same day. Senator Teller
is expected to head that portion of the sen-
ate that wants the tariff ON lead ore allowed
to remain at cent and half, az the house
bill has it. When this schedule is reached
in the senate tariff bill Plumb will CROSS
swords with him on this point. and the
friends of reduced rate count Ingalls,,
Farwell, Cullom and possibly Manderson as
among the supporters Of this idea. Senator
Allen has secured an amendment to the sum
dry civil bill now in conference relating to
land surveys. It allows the 5000 to be
expended for surveys Of public lands
whicn may not be wholly agricultural
and which will allow the survey 81 lands
not settled upon in the new states to be
selected for the grants made in.the enabling
acts. The commissioner Of the general
land Office is empowered to let contracts at
the increased price of SIS, $15 and $12 per
mile when the lands are mountainous or
heavily timbered. All the members OF con-
gress from the new states have been asking
for these changes, go that grants may at
once be selected. Maj. VS.. Harlan, Of
Seattle, ia in Washington on business rela4-t
ing to the construction Of the government
building at Port Townsend. Wash. The
firm of which he is a member has the low
est bid for the construction of the brick
and stone work at $72,5OO. As the
bids were in excess Of the amount
appropriated, they were not seriously con-
sidered. Senators Allen and Squire to-day
went with Maj. Harlan and had consul
tation with the supervising architect Of the
treasury, with reference to the acceptance
of the bid and the carrying on Of the work
as rapidly as possible. The contract will be
awarded az soon as the treasury officials are
satisfied that the firm is able to carry out
the provisions. Senator Allen to-day pre-
sented memorial from the national bank
ers of Washington state, adopted at the
convention recently held in Spokane Falls,
asking the enactment Of laws perpetuating
and strengthening the national banking
system.