The herald., 1896-12-19
The Day Devoted to Private
Pension Bills
AND THlRTY.SEvEN PEOPLE
Made Happy by the Allowance Of Their
Claims
Senator Perkins Gives California Pro-
ducers Notice That They Will Be
Heard on Tariff Topics.
Associated Press Special Wire

private bill day in the house, but most
of the session was devoted to the pass
age of the thirty-seven pension and re-
lief bills favorably acted upon by the
committee of the whole on last Friday.
The bill to pay Flora A. Darling, the wife
of confederate general, $56S3 for Ten
nessee and Louisiana bank notes taken
from her in 1864 ur der a flag of truce
which was attacked by Dalzell last FRI
day was laid on the table. Only five
bills were acted upon today. One of
them, bill to refer to the court of
claims claim of Thos. 3. Reed, d Penn
sylvania soldier during the war, for bal
ance of unpaid salary, created some
merriment, owing to the fact that his
name was identical with that of the
speaker of the house. The other bills
We're to pay the officers and crew of the
United States gunboats Kineo and Cho-
curas $2474 prize money: to pay William
B. Isaacs & Co. $16,9S7, the finding of the
court of claims; to pay George McAlpin,
the sutler of the Eleventh Pennsylvania
cavalry, $6906 illegally collected from
him, and to repay Matthias Peterson of
Spring valley, Wis, $500 paid by him for
a substitute during the war, Peterson
not at that time being citizen of the
United States.
At the opening session of the house
there was pretty piece of byplay grow
ing out of the presentation of a resolu-
ton for additional employees of the house
The house was in a state of confusion,
and Dingley, the leader of the majority,
was catechising Odell as to the necessity
for the increase. When they finished
their dialogue, Richardson of Tennes-
see, Democrat, complained he had not
been able to hear what had been said
and he inquired suggestively if the dis
tinguished leader of the house" had Of
ficially announced that the increase was
necessary before the approaching extra
session. Dingley parried the thrust and
replied blandly that he was sorry the
confusion had rendered it impossible for
the gentleman from Tennessee to under
stand what he had said. The resolution
was defeated.
In the course of the debate on the
claims bill, Dingley made few remarks
protesting against opening the door to
old claims This drew from Mahon
chairman of the war claims committee
an ardent defense of claims unpaid by
the government devoting most Of his at
tention to the ustice of French spolia-
ton and Pennsylvania border war
claims. He insisted that the claims
should be met and decided on their mer-
its, and that it was dishonest to plead the
statute of limitation against them.
At o'clock the house took a recess un-
til o'clock
At the evening session fourteen pri-
vate pension bills were favorably passed
upon. OF these one grants pension of
$100 per month to the widow of the late
General John Gibbon and another $50
per month to the widow of the late Gen.
w. A. Nichols. A large part of the even
ing was devoted to an effort to defeat the
consideration of bill giving pension
able status to the survivors of Gray's
battalion of Arkansas volunteers of the
Mexican war. The bill was opposed by
Chairman Pickler of the pension COM
mittee, and others, on the ground that
it was a general, rather than a private
bill.
1t was, however. voted upon and laid
aside by the committee with a favora BILE
recommended ton.
IN COMMITTEE.
WASHINGTON Dec. 1S-The house
committee on public buildings voted to-
day to report and place on the house cal
endar a large number of public building
bills which it had practically agreed last
session to report. The list includes bills
providing for buildings for the follow
ing cities: Boise City Idaho; Reno. Ne
vada; Santa Rosa. CAL; Salt Lake City,
Utah; Alameda, CAL: Tacoma. Wash.
Stockton, Cal. Woodland Cal. Chey-
enne, Wyo.; San Diego, Cal: Fresno,
CAL; Deadwooo. S. d.; Butte Montana.
TARIFF TOPICS.
SAN FRANCISCO. Dec. 1S.-The
chamber of commerce has been inform
ed by Senator Perkins that the following
producing and manufacturing interests
of California will be heard personally or
written communication by the commit
tee on ways and means of the Fifty
fourth congress on the dates named: De-
cember 2S, California wines and bran
dies; December 80, beet sugar; Decem-
ber 81, lumber; January 2, jute manu-
factures; January 5. agricultural and
horticultural schedule; January S, wool
growers and manufacturers.
The California delega ton will present
to the best of its ability all arguments
furnished f)r the protection Of the sbove
interests, and also invites personal at
tendance of anyone VINO may be select
ed to represent them.
The chamber of commerce urges
prompt action to protect the local indus
tries. and signifies its willingness to for
ward to Washington all documents pre-
pared for this purpose. Communications
may also be directed to Sens tor Perkins
at Washington.
CALIFORNIA; CHANCES