Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-06-06
WASHINGTON.
MICHIGAN RIVER AND HARBOR
IMPROVEMENTS.
Mr.. Clarkson, 1t Is Said, Will Not
Resign.

Inquiries have been received here as to
the provision congress will make FOR carry
ing on the improvement at the ST. Clair
Flats canal and the channel across Lake
st. Clair. The river and harbor bill as il
came from the house apprpriates so, 900 for
the work on the canal, or IS, 900 more than
the appropriation in the previous bill. The
work on the canal itself is regarded both by
the engineers and the vesselmen of first
importance. The new appropriation will
enable the work of constructing the new
piling TO be completed, and will leave
about S41 900 TO begin the work of dredg-
ing the canal and its approaches to depth
OF Is feet, which is the depth the eugin-
GERS will first strive for. The entire cost
OF this dredging will De Sl650O0.
The Lime Kiln crossing, with depth Of
20 feet is finished, and when the canal is
dredged the next thing will be the channel
across Lake St Clair. This channel, Gen.
Poe reports, presents no engineering diff
culties, but IL involves an expenditure of
over half million dollars, and the first
necessity Is survey. The engineers have
asked for no appropriation for the st. Clair
channel, but have asked for 5000, 900 for the
canal. The house cut the appropriation
down TO $50, 900. II the vesselmen, on con-
sultation with Gen. Poe, are OF the opinion
that larger amount can proiitably be eX-
pended at this time, IL would be we'll for
them TO take steps TO present the case 10
the Michigan senator's.
Gen. Clarkson's denial that he has re-
signed or that he intends to do so has caused
good deal of surprise. 1t has been under
stood that he would retire about July /,
and the reasons for this action were excell-
emit: They were that life at the capital was
TOO expensive, and that his paper (the Des
Moines Register) needed him. Also Gen.
Clarkson is looking very tired and worn
out, as If his work here was too much for
him. The stories Of the difficulties between
the President and Gen. Clarkson were not
believed here, because both Gen. and Mrs.
Clarkson apparently have been on very in.
innate terms with the occupants of the
White House.
Supt. Porter has sent out an apology for
the impertinent questions which enumera-
tors have been instructed TO ask relative 70
acute and chronic diseases. Mr.. Porter
says: THE main point of such an inquiry
is 10 ascertain the number who are disabled
from their ordinary employment by reason
OF a acute diseases, such as malarial or
typhoid fevers, or by reason OF chronic
lung diseases, of consumption, of tumors,
OF various kinds, of chronic rheumatism,
or the results of injuries such as fractures,
because such Information is very valuS BILE
from many points of view" Mr.. Porter
said he thought no blunder had been made
in following the recommendations OF the
most eminent statist!cian OF this country
and Europe, and OF DIR. Billings, who is
nlulScll one Oh INC ulOSJ men
his profession in the United States. The
great mass of people in this country are
far too intelligent not to appreciate the
value OF information which would be de-
rived from comparison of answers given
and the importance OF making such answers
| as accurate as possible, especially when
they have the assurance that their answers
as regards each individual will be treated
as confidential, and all traces OF the name
destroyed as soon as the facts from the
schedule are noted on the tabulation cards.
Mr.. Mckinley of Ohio submitted the
| conference report upon the customs admin
istrative bill
The conference report was adopted-yeas
1877; nays 13; the speaker pro TEN counting
q quorum. The democrats as ruie re-
Trained from voting.
The house then went into a committee of
the whole MIR. Allen OF Michigan in the
chair on the river and harbor approp ria
| tion bill.
The rest Of the session was devoted TO
| the Mississippi river sections.
The superintendent OF census intimates
| that legal proceedings will be taken against
| all persons who refuse TO answer the enum-
orators questions regarding their mental
or physical disabilities on their homes,
| farms and mortgages. The census Office
| reports that the debts of the individual
states aggregate S22S, go, ST., net decrease
in ten years of $54 459,4e4. The aggregate
of county debts is Sl45, 693, SO, an increa Sc
OF SPA, 45i, 15G in 10 years.