The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-27
HOUSE INVESTIGATION.
P<NAMf RAfLWfF md THE WHTS-
NY TRUST INQUIRIES.
The Anti-Option Bill Further Discussed In
the Ssnate-Both Mills and His-
cock Opposing IL.


ter. with an amendment limiting the in
Quiry to the effect OF recent operations
on American commerce, and providing
for an examination of the traffic agree
meats made between the Pacific Mail
steamship Company and the Trans
Continental railroad and their bearing
upon the steamship subsidy act
All the papers relating TO the resolution
offered by Mr.. Burrows, proposing an in
vestigation OF the Whisky Trust have
been referred TO Mr. Reed, Of the Repub-
Leans OF the Committee on Rules. TO
look over. The Democratic members are
not inclined TO report a recommendation
for an investigation preferring simply 20
refer It 10 the judiciary Committee for
consideration, but If Mr.. Reed states
that he believes an investigation will be
ordered. II is likely that this course Will
be adopted.
II will be conducted by the Judiciary
Committee If ordered.
In response 10 a resolution the report
Of the Secretary of State, relative TO the
alleged killing of Frank 4. kiiey, an
American sailor Of the United States snip
Newark. IN Genoa, Italy, in September
last, was sent to the Senate to-day. The
rapers consist Of three letters-Mr: Aid
rich 10 Mr.. Foster, Mr.. Wharton to Mr.
Aldrich. and Mr.. Whtehouse OF the
United States legation at Rome, 20 Mr..
Wharton. II appears from this cores
pondence that Riley. early in the morning
of September 9Th was murdered by the
keeper Of a small hotel at Genoa, Italy,
where he and some shipmates OF the
Newark had applied for lodging. Riley's
mother fled claim for S250OO damages.
Afr Hrf.a lsr for
Mr.. Wharton replied that the facts of he
care, as stated by him, were not Of
character to warrant diplomatic interven-
u0n. The correspondence ends with the
letter OF Mr.. WhitehOuse, who simply
states that the King Of Italy expressed
deep regTeat that the visit of the shios
should have been marred by the murder
of 0ne OF the sailors Of the Newark.
The House Committee on Rules has
acreed 10 make the Andrew-Cate Silver
JiH a special order for February 9th and
10th. but no cloture provision is at
tached.
The exchange Of ratifcations Of the
Chilian claims convention, negotiated by
Minister Patrick Egan was perfected to-
day at the State Department by the rep
lresentatives of the United Sta.es of
Chit
The House Committee on Postoffices
and Post Roads has completed the Post
office Appropriation bill for the fiscal year
ending June 80 1894. The bill as agreed
upon carries an appropriation Of $S3, S69, ,S57,
an increase of 1888, ,0S1 over the appropria-
ton for the current fiscal year. The esti-
mates admitted by the FOstmaster-Gen-
eral were SIS. .203 243. not including an item
Of S196,6l4 for special facilities for trunk
lines, which was inserted in the bill for
which no estimate was submitted. This
item is for fast mail service between
Springfield. Mass, and New Orleans La,
via New York. Washington and Atlanta.
Heretofore this appropriation has gone TO
the Atlantic Coast Line below Washing
ton, and the route has been via Charleston
and Tamra. This year the Coasl Line
made no claim or bid for the service, and
IL will be awarded to other lines who
have pressed their claims before the COM
mittee.
The Legislative. Executive and Judicial
Appropriation bill for the fiscal year 1894
as reported 10 the House to-day makes
an aggregate appropriation Of S2l l,6Us9S
being $222 l34 less than the amount car
rled by the bill Of the current fiscal year,
and 81 9f7. 81 less than the estimates. The
bill specifically provides for lO6l6 salaries,
being 1ls less than the number provided
for in the law for the current year. De-
partment clerks who now work from
J. a.
a day. The old fight between the House
and the Senate over clerks TO Senators
al S6 a day is 10 be renewed, the commit
tee leaving this appropriation out or the
bin. a number of changes in salaries OF
clerks, nearly all in the line OF reductions
are made
Messrs. Linderman and Davenport, rep
Iesentatives Of the Bethlehem Iron and
steel Company, appeared before the sub
committee Of the House Naval Committee
charged with the preparation of the Naval
Appropriation bill in regard to the delay
in their firm furnishing armor and other
steel for naval purposes The long delay
they said. was occasioned by the delay
Of the English firm in supplying forgings'
delay Of six months was occasloned Dy
the necessity Of obtaining a suitable site
for their big hammer The foundations
for the hammer were completed In the
summer OF 1880 The first delivery OF
armor was seventeen tons. made In Au-
gust. 1891 Chairman Herbert asked why,
after that time, the company could not
deliver more as fast. as the contracts
called for three hundred tons month
The witness replied that ii was due 10
the novelty Of the work. They had ample
facilities for forging over three hundred
tons a month, and expect TO nave All tne
foreings completed by December, le95'
but delay had been occasioned by the diff
Guilty Of fitting the armor 10 the shapes
desired. The trouble was in the macnine'
and not in the forging work. The WORK
was novel. and experience had developer
The fact that the machinery they had
was insufficient TO shape the plates. inns
was I'm part due 10 the intricacy OF the
work, and partly 10 the use OF nlcKei
steel. which was harder TO cut. The tools
proved unequal to cutting nickel steel
These tools were imported, and When
found insufficient the company began
and was now, building several heavy tools
which they believed would do the work.
Altogether the company had delivered l,z9O
tons OF heavy armor and ll2 tons OF iight
arnor-that is, armor under five inches
Nickel armor comprised about LOO tons
Of the amount. The harveyizing OF the
plates had also caused delay In making
neatly-ftting barbette turrets, etc. III
should be understood that they had not
vet overcome ali the difficulties OF mar
veHzing plates. and new troubles might
occur.
The company had 2e59 tons OF armor
in course OF manufacture. OF which l.AOO
tons had passed through the various
stages Of manufacture. except as 10 M
ishing. machining and fitting, and were
three-fourths completed.
Two thousand eight hundred ana TWO
tons were ready for shipment, Dut were
delayed. awaiting ballisuc tests, which
could not now be made because OF the ice
az Indian Head II they made the same
progress in the future as they nad mace
during the past month the wnoie l4Vo
tons would be completed ana reauy ~.
delivery IN three or four months, eAeeDs D