The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-12
MUST WAIT FOR THEIR MONEY.
The Department Taking Their Time With
The TObaCCO-Rebate Claims.
IMPORTANT RAILROAD DECISION.
The Virginia Midland Responsible for the
Injury OF PostaI-Clerk Gleason-The
Opinion Washington Notes.

under tne Mckinney law may make up tneH
minds to possess their souls in patience for
months at least. The number of claims which
up to date have been fled with the Commis-
sioner Of Internal Revenue is 30 992 aggregat-
ing in amount claimed t1,203.20S. These
claims have all been sent forward to the Fifth
Auditor, and after examination by his office
they will go to the Comptroller Commissioner
Mason. of the Internal Revenue Bureau who
says that before the close of the month, ms
Office will have finished its work with THESE
claims, but it is estimated that 1t Will require
at least six months 10 reach final adjustment.
The Fourth National Bank Of New YORK
has been approved by the Treasury Depart
ment as reserve agent for the Farmers Ma
tional Bank of Salem. Va, and the Hanover
National Bank of New York for the Second
National Bank of Baltimore.
IMPORTANT RAILWAY DECISION.
In the United States Supreme Court to-day
an opinion was rendered by Justice Lamar IN
the case of James NJ. II. Gleason, of Virginia.
against the Virginia Midland railway, which
has very important bearing upon the ones
ton of responsibility of railroads in the mat
ter of damages 10 United States postal clerks
who suffer injury in railroad accidents. Glea-
son was a postal clerk between Washington
and Danville, Va On January Is. 1882, the
train on which Gleason was working while
en- route from Washington met with an accl-
dent. A landslide occurred IN Nelson county,
Va. between Faber's Mills (alias Orlando)
and Rockfish station. Gleason was diligently
at his work. He was thrCwn violently against
the stove and with another Jerk was Jammed
against the letter case He was severely
burned had two ribs broken, and suffered
other injuries. He was confined to his bed
for month or two, but upon getting out,
though still disabled resumed, his duties; In
May, 1888 he was discharged from the railway
mail service on the ground that he was inca
pacitated for duty.
Gleason instituted suit against the Virginia
Midland for SIS, 900 damages. The case was
tried in the Supreme Court of the District or
Columbia. The defense of the railroad was
that the accident was due 20 the providence OF
God; that it could not be anticipated or pre-
vented.
THE RAILROAD RESPONSIBLE.
The Supreme Court through Justice Lamar
to-day decided that the railway company was
responsible; that the accident could not
properly be charged 10 the prominence of
God; that it was caused by the washing OF
high banks Of cut, which caused the banks
10 slide upon the railway track and thus OBJ
stIuct.
In his opinion' Justice Lamar holds that it
is as much the duty of railroad company 10
watch its cuts as It's bridges: that the accident
in question was not caused by any sudden
storm or unusual rains, and that the railroad
officials should have guarded against II. 1his
opinion Is the most definite yet rendered by
the Supreme Court III favor OF rights or
United States postal clerks to have recourse
against railroads, and it seems to apply 70 all
railroads.
In effect it declares that injuries sustained
by any railroad accident must be paid for by
the railroad company, even 70 Government
postal clerks, unless it can be clearly estab-
GabaA that tba Nf the accident
really due to the providence OF God and could
not have been prevented by human agency
FOREIGN NATIONAL DEBTS
Superintendent Porter. of the Census
Office, has issued advance copies Of an impor-
tant bulletin on foreign national, State and
county Indebtedness The information con-
cerning the Indebtedness of foreign countries
was furnished TO the Census Office by the
proper administrative officers Of the several
nations. Only the totals OF foreign indebted
ness are given, but great amount of inter-
esting details concerning the dates of issue
and maturity of the several loans,
the purposes and rates for which
they were issued, their present commercial
value. and the kind and value of money
in which they were negotiated had
been compiled and will be published in the
final reports of the eleventh census. The in
debtnass for the world for 1890 and 1880 as far
as il has been possible 20 collect the data for
the present bulletin. with the amount of in
crease and decrease, is as follows: Total,
S26, ,9l7 096 $50 in 1890 in 1880, S25, SlS52l2 2l9
increase, 81, 098.5 5,46l. Foreign nations ID
1890 S25 696 .075, $40; in 1885, s23, 49,, ,572 1856
increase, 81, ,154, ,5O3, $50. The United States in
1890 1915 962 112: in 1880. 81, ,922. .517 364; de-
crease, 800. $50 252. States and Territories In
1890 1928 OIL sS3 in 1880 $3.50 1926, ,643; decrease
$67, ,218. 760. Counties in 1890 S141. $50, ,S45
in 1880, 1924, ,105,027: increase SIT. .S45,Sl8.
t9roro bo curor,oarv ,,1bliQbad II will he oeap
that relatively the burden of the debt falls
far heavier upon the inhabitants of the prin-
cipal foreign countries, except those Of Ger
many, than upon those or this country.
France in 1889 had a debt per capita of S116.35,
and IL is understood that this does not include
certain annuities but large amounts.
Great Britain, though slowly decreasing its
debt, had burden at that time of SS779 per
capita Russia, S30.79; Austria-Hungary,
$70.64: Italy, s7606; Belgium, SOS 10 the
Netherlands, 1856, while that of the United
States will be but Sl4.63, and its indebted
ness nearly one-half was made up OF nom
interest bearing notes. While individual
fluctuations in the amounts of the indebted
ness of seventy-nne foreign nations have
been considerable during the decade. the ag-
gregated Indebtedness shows relatively but
little change, especially II compared with the
increase of population.
UNITED STATES PUBLIC DEBT.
The public debt of the United States shows
decrease in the last ten years. the burden
per capita having been reduced from 1888 in
1880 10 S1463 in 1890 The Indebtedness Of
the States and Territories has also decreased
S67, ,2ls, ,760 during the decade, reducing the
per capita from 1919 in 1S80to $3.50 in 1890 1t
should be remembered, however, that of the
total decrease of State debts. as reported,
there has been called byrefunding in some of
the Southern States about S28, 500, 900. The
indebted of the counties. though increasing
somewhat within the decade has not kept
pace with the increase OF population, and the
per capita has been reduced from S2.47 in 1880
Ia S2.27 in 1890.
Ageregating the national. State and county
Indebtedness the per capita shows q decrease
from $40 SO in 1880 TO S20.46 in 1890, or more
than one-haf, and this decrease has been
brought about mainly by voluntary taxation.
The aggregate surplus receipts OF another de
cade like the one just passed would
relieve the county from nearly national.
State and county indebtedness could they be
distributed for the purpose.
DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION.
The census Office has issued advance copies
of bulletin on the distribution of population
in accordance with latitude and longitude in
1880, 1890 and 1870 Mr.. Porter says: "Natur-
ally the greater density of population in
square degree is governed by the location of
larger cities. Thus the two square degrees
between latitude forty to forty-one,
and lOnOifu6a savapfv tbraa 10 cavoptv-