Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-13
IN CONGRESS.
Senate Puts in Time Passing
Appropriation Bills.
Army and River and Harbor Bills Dis
posed Of As Amended.
House Refuses 10 agree 10 Serste Amendments
on Several Bills.


Hale offered resolution and preamble, re-
citing the facts of the passage of the tariff
bill and appointment of conferees on the
part of the two houses declaring the legiti
mate object of such action as 1.-The immedi-
ate, full and free conference of all the
managers of the conference" and directing
the chairman of the Senate conferees to In
form the Senate whether full and free
conference is being held, and, if SO, at what
time such a conference was called. He
said he would not ask action on the resolu
ton at present but would ask that it lie
over, under the rule, till tomorrow. ltwas
30 ordered.
The District of Columbia appropriation
bill was reported and placed ON the calen-
dar. The army appropriation bill was
taken up for action. The committee
amendments were acted upon as the bill was
read. The first was one striking out of the
House bill 1852 900 for general service of
clerks and messengers" 1t repeats the
law Of 1886, authorizing their employment.
Agreed to.
The next was one including adjutant-
generals and inspector-generai's depart
ments among those where vacancies are to
be filed from the next lowest grade in the
line of the army. Mills moved to strike
out the paragraph referring to the pay de-
partment on the ground that appointments
should be made from civil life, and after
discussion Mills amendment Striking out
the pay Department. was agreed to. The
effect is to leave the appointments to pay
the department open to civilians.
The next amendment was in the para
graph as to the signal service. 1t was to
strike out the words 'tChef signal officer
of the army shall have the rank, pay and
allowances of a colonel only. The office
OF chief signal officer of the army shall be
filled by selection and to insert in lieu the
words THE signal corps shall consist Of
one colonel who shall be the chief signal
officer Of the army selected from the corps
and one Lieutenant colonel, one ma jor, four
captains (monnted) to be appointed from
the corps according to seniority, and three
first lieutenants (mounted), to be appointed
as now provided by law, who shall each
receive the pay and allowances of like
grades in the army.
Bate moved to add to The committee
amendment: "Oficers Of the 'gnal corps
TO retain their present commissions until
regularly promoted in compliance with law,
for the grades below colonel the reorgoniz-
alton herein provided for may be made
be made upon the passage of this act"
After discussion Bates amendment was re
jected and the committee amendment
agreed to.
The amendment appropriating 1852 600
for clerks and messengers for headquarters
and so forth in the place of the paragraph
in the bill struck out was agreed to. the
committee amendment reducing the appro
priation for machine guns from $50 900 to
$4,000 was modified by making the amend
ment $40 900 and agreed to. The appro-
priaton for the recruiting service reduced
from 1920, 900 to 500, 900, and for the sig
nal service increased from Sll 800 to ST.
000 The bill was passed.
A conference was ordered on the pension
appropriation bill and Senators Brice, Cor
man and Cnllom appointed conferees on the
part of the Senate. The river and hsrbor
appropriation bill was reported and placed
on the calendar. The fertilization appro-
priation bill was taken up. The amount it
appropriated as passed by the House, is
80 ,225 900; the additions recommended by
the Senate committee on appropriations,
S554 900, making n total of S2,779 600.
The amendments sgteed to, first, increased
the item for gun and mortar platforms,
500, 900 to $500 900. The item for the
protection and repair Of Notifications was
increased from S20C0) to $4,000; for
armament Notifications, 1925 900 to Sl75,
600; for sights for cannon ana fuses, $4,000
to $3.50; for steel plates for test of deck
piercing shells. $500 to SS000 for armor
plates for testing armor piercing shot, Sl0,-
900 to $4,000.
The appropriation for machine tools and
fixtures TO complete the equipment of the
South Wings army gun factory. Watervliet
arsenal, Troy, N. T., was increased from
$500, 900 to 1926, 600. The appropriation
for oil-tempered and annealed steel for
coast defences was increased from 1925 900
to $500 900. The item SIS 900 for car
riages for breach-loading rliled mortars was
struck out; for carriages for mounting
steel breach-loadipg sea coast cannon of
s, 10 and IL inch calibre was increased
from S75, 900 to 500 900.
New items of $3.50 for brick shed at
Watertown, Mass, arsenal, $500 for a sea
wall on the northern shore of Sandy Hook,
+. S., were inserted. The Appropriation of
SIS 900 to enable the board of ordnance
to make needful and proper purchases and
experiments was increased TO Sl25 COO.
An appropriation of $50 900 was inserted
for testing the pneumatic disappearing gun
power carriage manufactured by the pneu-
matte Gun Carrisge and Power Company of
Washington, d. c., ana the bill passed.
Henderson presented an amendment to
the sundry civil appropriation bill, and had
it referred to the committee on sppropris-
tons. He said it proposed an appropria-
ton of Sl0o,000 for the widows and heirs
of the 20 men killed at the Ford's Theatre
disaster. Conferences were ordered on the
military acade my, diplomatic and consular
bill. the conferees on the first being Sena-
tors Brice, Call and Teller, and on the sec
ond, Senators Blackburn, Bfice and Hale.
The river and harbor bill was taken up
and committee amendment acted on as the
bill was read. The committee amendment
appropria,iog $50 600 to pay c. 7. Good
year tor improving The harbor OF Brun