The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1892-09-03
FROM WASHINGTON CITY.
Treasury officials Generally Observing
Unusual Retlcence About Recent
Gold Shipments.

The Land Department has notified
Representative Hermann that IL hopes
TO be able 10 allow Oregon t35, 900 ior
surveys Of public lands, and that direc.
tions have been sent to the Surveyor
General Of Oregon TO complete inspec-
tion OF all surveys not yet inspected.
Funds are now provided for that pur.
pose.
The sentence OF the court In the case
OF Commander McCurley OF the Alli-
ance, who was court-martialed for run.
ming his vessel ashore, was eighteen
months suspension, 10 retain his pres
ent number and 10 receive three.iourths
OF hia waiting-orders pay. The Admiral
OF the station has commuted the sen.
tence TO twelve months suspension, 10
retain his present number and 10 receive
full pay.
Supervising Architect Edbrooke says
regarding the new eighthour law that II
will increase the cost OF construction IL
per cent. The government spends about
t26, 900, 600 annually on public buildings,
and the additional expenditure under
the new law will be $3,00O,00O. lie says
vim INV may hlnD iuhht u ftIluuh uttltT-
once in the character OF the public build
ings to be erected in Washington, Omaha,
St. Paul, Milwaukee and San Francisco.
Treasury officials, while apparently
unconcerned over the recent gold ship
ments, are generally observing unusual
reticence In the matter. Acting Treas
urer Whelpley takes very philosophical
view OF the situation, and Gays he sees no
occasion for any excitement because the
Assistant Treasurer at New York recent.
ly paid out 81 ,000,0 in gold for export
in exchange for treasury notes. He says
that there Is nothing unusual in the
transaction beyond the fact that gold
shipments seem to have continued lit
tie later this year than heretofore. IL
was due, he thought, TO very heavy im-
ports Of late, payments for which must
be made In gold. Gold exports in his
opinion are practically at an end for this
season. and the usual reaction in favor
OF the United States will soon set in.
Representative Hermann wac in con-
sultation with the acting Secretary of
War, General Grant, the Other day, seek
ing TO expedite department action as TO
the contracting OF work at the Cascade
locks and the canal on the Columbia.
General Grant assured Mr.. Hermann
that the department itself is doing all
that is possible and allowing no unnec-
essary time TO elapse, and that Majo
Handbury, being the officer in charge,
has been directed to submit specifica-
tions upon the contract, which is 10 be
let. So many advantages are taken by
contractors in every way that the CHIEF
OF engineers is determined that when
the contract is entered into for this great
work, as Congress has directed, it must
be understood that no leniency will be
shown, and that every particle OF work
must be completed in the exact time
and order specified in the contract, and
the contract shall be so carefully pre-
pared that no advantage shall be had by
legal bubbles.
The Potomac river which is the only
waterway approach to the national capi
tai, after being practically unguarded for
many years is at last to be supplied with
modern defenses. The project contem
plates empalements for four twelve inch
modern guns on lifts, six ten.inch and
JnTee elKnU-lHCn guns on disappearing
carriage, eight twelve-inch mortars and
extensive submarine mines operated
from two mining easements. The tor
pedo arrangement will be one OF the
most complete and destructive in the
world. Immediately in front OF the fort
the Potomac curves gracefully in the
shape of half moon, and the guns
posted in the land batteries can deliver
a broadsde as well as "bow.on" fire
upon an advancing boat before the tor
pedo mines are reached. Plans have
also been perfected for effectually OBJ
structing the river at this point should
such step be necessary. The sum of
$l17, 100 from the general appropriation
OF February 81, 1891, is now being ex-
pended on this work, and should that
amount not prove sufficient, an allot-
ment will be made from the appropria-
ton passed at the session recently end
ed. Two hundred additional acres of
ground at Sheridan's Point on the Poto-
mac, contiguous to Fort Washington,
have also been acquired by the govern
ment 80 that there may be no lack of
room for the plant.