New-York tribune., 1894-10-22
GRAND ARMY BUGLE NOTES.
CORPORATION COUNSEL CLARK's COMING
OPINION.
TIE PREFERENCE OF VETERANS FOR PUBLIC
OFFICES-GENERAL HOWARDS RETIRE
MENT-JOHN JEROLOMANS FIDEIITY

Old soldiers generally boxing for an impor-
tant decision this week from Corporation Counsel
Clark under the recent acts of the New-Iork Leg
slature relative TO the employment. retention pro-
motion and reinstatement Of veterans OF the war
in the State and municipal servico. one OF these
acts amends the State Civil Service laws and pro-
vides that 'in grateful recognition of the services
sacrifices and sufferings Of persons who served IN
the Army and Navy of the United States in the late
war and have been honorably discharged there
FROM they shall be certified by the civil service
Boards TO the appointing power and shall be pre-
ferred for appointment in the State and munic-
pal service all other persons tnough gTadeu
lower than others. provided their qualifcatlons
and fitness shall have been ascertained according
| 70 law The person so preferred shall not be dis
qualified from holding any position In the civil
service on account of age physical disability
q these do render him incompetent to discharge
the duties of the place applied Tor a specai pro-
vision follows which entirely exempts the war vet
eran from the operation of the Clrl service laws
and regulation where the compensation ol 'he
place he seeks does exceed 81 per day
Another act amending Chapter 464 Laws OF lSss
takes from the Governor, Mayor and all heads OF
departments the power TO remove honorao! u's-
charged soldiers and sailors Of the Union Army
except for incompetency and conduct inconsistent
with the position held The act further provides
that If 1t should be disregarded the Union soldier
sailor or marine discharged for partisan political
personal or any other cause except incompetency
the right TO bring an action for damages in any
court Of competent Jurisdiction against the officer
violating the law cited. The only places 10 which
this act does not apply are those Of private secre
tary or deputy or other strictly conhdentai posi-
ton.
These are the acts which Corporation Counse
Clark is TO construe this week, and a nnmoer OF
cases IN point are awaiting his action. That his
opinion will conform in all respects to the spirit
and evident intentions of the law-nlaking power Is
not doubted by those who have seen MN on 'he
subject
In a few days the familiar face OF General .. -
Howard will pass out of official life ana ano'her
General will take his place Governors Island
as commander Of the Department OF the A'ahuc
His comrades of the Grand Army. especially oi |.
s Grant Post No $27. 10 which he belongs ana
his companions Of the Loyal Legion VIII regret the
execution of the imperative rule when taxes an
officer off the active list and retires hin the re-
n,ainder of his life when he reaches the age OF
sixty-four Who will succeed him as MaJor-"ehe'h
is a question which is agitating military circles
Brlgadier- Generals Thomas II. RuGer. Johh IL
| Brooke Wesley Merritt Alexander Med Mc'ook
Frank Wheaton and Elmer \. OTIS are all Wiling
"a be promoted and the President is being delugei
with letters and messages from the frlehdS oi can
didaes for the place The choice Is SAID 10 lie JUST
now between General Ruger, the senior brsader-
genera, and General McCook. The latter belongs
TO the lighting McCooks." Of Ohio, and during the
war commanded a corps in the Army Of the cum
berland His command took part in the patucs
of Perryvie. Shiloh. Stone River Chickamausa
and other fights and he received high commehda-
ton from the commanding generals lie Is
brother of Colonel John j. McCook. and j. cousin
of General Arson G. McCook Generals BROOKE
and Merritt also have urgent advocates OF their
promotion 10 succeed General Howard. Inc sue
cessful man may succeed General Howard IN COM
r1and of this military department at Governor
Island or there may be a shift about which VIII
Chicago. his present station.
The site for the new home. where not only IN"
veteran himself but his wife. mother or the vet
eran's widow and army nurses may live. has been
selected at last. 1t is to be established at OXFORD
rhenango County The citizens there offer I'm,
eita consisting of 100 acres In beautiful location
healthy easy Of drainage and bountifu supply
Of the spring water There is also an immense
stone quarry OF the best stone. from which can 30
taken free Of cost. all the material necessary FOR
the erection Of the proposed buildings, which is
big item OF Itself 1t is to be called the Depart
ment of New-York Womans Relief Corps Home"
/ and is the only one which woman relatives Of
| the veteran go. over year ago Governor
| Flower. under act Of the Legislature providing
| for such soldiers home appointed Board OF
/ Managers. consisting Of the following: Mrs Ellen
/ NJ Putnam Edward ]. Mitchell Richard Curran.
Mrs Annie Cieary Mrs Kate f.. Jones. Mrs. Sarah
! c. Mink Mrs. Ada q. Mohr Mrs Sarah 9. Nichols
and Major George II. Treadwel. This board visited
over twenty proposed sites In every part OF the
| State notably at Cold Spring Osweso Batavia.
| Medina. Fair Haven Cooperstown. Deposit, Sidney.
Uradila, Peru. Pottsville. Roxbury and oxford.
Each of the above places offered extra inducements
OF free sites and cash in order 10 obtain the home
The committee made careful and exhaustive eN-
animation Of each plan. and at meeting held In
the city Of Buffalo this week decided upon oxford.
There have been thousands Of heart-rending cases
where old couples have lived together forty years
or moro and reared families and have been obliged
| to separate account Of poverty and old age
one to go the soldiers home and the other to the
/ poorhouse. There have been many when such
old couples TO part It proved too much for
them, and they unitedly refused to be separated.
and concluded 10 live out their lives together. even
/ I'm poverty and distress 1t IL intended that this
home shall be built at once, and to this end the
noble members Of the Momans Relief corps arr; are
aid from every post in the state and from all char
The nomination Of ex-Civr Justice John Jeroo-
man for president of the Board Of Aldermen on the
who knows the ex-Judge or who has information
of the sturdy and uniinching way in which he has
sought to drive them from their places under the
city and State governments As member o. ne me
TO employ his legal ability and personal influence
behalf Of comrades ate % Hh Snh OF f9r
and with almost unyarying success success & F0r many many
Of of his old comrades in the Army Of the rnlon
when i the Rebellion broke out; He feIt It to be his
paramount duty TO maintain the honor OF the
| President Iincolns first call for troops; He was
| mustered in as a private in Company f. ID New
! Jersev Volunteer cavalry. He served to the end
/ Of the war; was wounded twice and for gallant and
| meritorious conduct promoted step by step un-
/ If, he became the captain OF Company G. 80 New
Jersey Cavalry. Since his return TO civil NE his
record as a man and a citizen has been an enviable
| one His fellow members Of James G. Rice Post.
No 49, are unit for him II fraternity means
ANYTHING every other comrade in New-fork Will
feel IL his duty cast his vote for Conrade John
Jeroloman. . -, 49,. ,,..,.,
Al meeting Of the members OF the Nosburgh
Veterans held at their headquarters, No l62 East
Fifty-ffth-st. at Third-ave.. on last "Wednesday
evening Colonel H. +. Liebnau presiding. Lieuten
ant Richard Sterling. the financial secretary. was
relieved from his duties by his own request. as
thev nterfered with his private business Lieuten-
ant Harry j. Moore was unanimousiy elected as
Gnancisi secretary Lieutenant Moore Is an active
-.n"..ah"r - 81 ~ Nnshmrgh Neterans and served In