The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-10-27
FROM WASHINGTON CITY.

Senator nolph believes that silver may
be maintained, but not by the Sherman
law or free coinage.
Cummings from the Committee ON
Naval Affairs presented to the House
and had passed resolution calling on
the Secretary of the Navy for iniorma-
tion as to the amount OF premiums paid
contractors for the construction OF war
ships developing speed in excess Of re-
Quirements, etc, After this the bill to
remit the penalties on the dynamite
cruiser Vesuvius came up, and Savers Of
Texas vigorously opposed it, claiming
the Vesuvius was worthless for the pur-
poses for which she was built. Talbot
of Maryland read letter from Secre-
tary Herbert declaring the claim an
equitable one and saving il the dyna-
mite guns did not show improvement
the Vesuvius would be fitted with other
armament. The amount involved 10 $780,
600. The bill went over without action.
In the Supreme Court Of the United
States ex-Attorney-General Garland
asked the court to advance for hearing
the appeal OF the Northern Pacific Rail-
road Company ys. ]. l.. Patterson, Treas
urer OF Gsllatin county, Mont, from the
Montana Supreme Court. The PROPOSE
tions contained in this case involve nlti-
mately the question OF the taxability Of
all the unpatents<l surveyed lands within
the limits OF the Northern Pacific, South
ern Pacific, Union Pacific, Central Pa
citic, California and Oregon, Oregon and
California, Atlantic and Pacific, Texas
Pacific and all other various land grants
made by Congress to aid in the construc-
tion OF railroads. These lands now
amount in the case Of the Northern Pa
cifiC grant alone to over II, 600 900 acres,
an area rapidly increasing as the surveys
are farther extended. The area Of lands
in the same condition included in SINH
lar grants will more than double this.
These lands are TO be found in almost
every State west OF the Mississippi, and
their taxability has been one Of the great
sources Of revenue in those States. The
Southern Pacific Company, controlling
the land grants Of that road, OF the Gem
tral Pacific, Oregon and California and
California and Oregon, refuses to pay
taxes upon unpatented portions Of those
grants. The States along the line Of the
Northern Pacific have sustained the
claims OF the County Treasurers. and tax
the lands within their jurisdiction and
the railroad company comes to the Su-
preme Court for relief.
The report Of Brigadier- General Will
lam P. Carlin, commanding the military
department Of the Columbia, which in
cludes the States Of Oregon, Washington
and q part Of Idaho and the Territory
OF Alaska, has been received at the War
Department. The General devotes
large part Of his report to urging the
necessity for the abandonment Of some
small posts in the department because
of their inaccessibility and the estab-
liahment OF larger posts in place Of them
at points near the railroad and the large
cities and towns, General Carlin re-
commends the discontinnance Of Fort
Spokane, Wash, and the construction
Of post near Spokane. Fort Town
send, he saws, is useless to protect the
cities and harbors Of Puget Sound, and
he thinks the garrison should be re-
moved to some important point. One,
il not two, points in addition to these
named could, in General Carlin's opin-
ion, be abandoned with advantage TO the
government. Fort Candy, at the
mouth Of the Columbia river, would be
Of great Importance in time OF war with
q naval power, but it is inaccessible in
winter, and only small garrison is re-
quired there in time Of peace. Fort
Stevens, on the opposite or southern
side Of the river, il also point Of great
importance, and General Carlin urges
that it be strongly fortified. General
Carlin reports that desertions in the de
partment Of the Columbia showed an in
crease during the year. He says that
the attempt TO enlist company Of In
dians resulted in failure.