New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-04
WASHINGTON NEWS NOTES.
WIDENING or ERIE CANAL LOCKS PRO
POSED.

POSED
Mr.. RULE HELD FOR THE GRAND JuRY-EsTAB-
LrsIMENT OF \ RACING COMMISSION DIS
Cj'SsED- FRANKLIN's NOMINATION
FAvoRABrY REFoRTED-vEs-
Sells BUILT IN THE LAST
THREE MONTHS
Washington. April 3.-Representative Mahany Of
New York, has introduced bill in the House appro-
priating 100000 10 widen the locks OF the Erie
Canal to permit the passage OF modern tor
prdo-boais. Speaking Of the bill to-day. he said:
This scheme. in my oplion furnishes the mos
practicable means ye suggested for the protection
Of tire Lake ports IN of Thee cities
without for;incatons. ana the treaty between this
Government ard Great Britain prohibits vessels
Of either nation cruising the Great Lakes In time
Of peace Il i proposed therefore. by utilizing the
frie Canal to make 1t possible at the very COM
menccment OF hosti,itles. and a great deal sooner
Tran eunboats could get into Lake Ontario. TO move
warm Of torpsdo-boats into Lake Ontario. via the
Oswego Canal and into Lake Erie and the upper
lakes via Buffalo I, viii be possible render the
clna.s fully available for rapidly concentrating n
torpedo fleet Lake Ontario or Lake EVE sufficient
70 proven: British guaboats from troubling any OF
the lake ports TIE anal IS wide enough al present
TO pormi M passage OF the torpedo-boats. but o:
course they cannot pas through the locks The
canals could accommodate but to simply increase
the With a1out five feet rhc Erie Canal locks ara
This viii make the expense Comparatively light, Al
the last lection the state OF New forM voted TO
eNpend NWlWD - inproV' our canaf. rms work.
1t Is eXnected will BE- completed in two three
depth of eight feet three inches throughout their
ire length and VIII contain LOCKS capable OF t%R akin
by undertaking the additional improvement of fur
tier widening The locks for the torpedo boats At the
expense to The Federal Government, oud be greatly
reduced It is. therefore. important thai imme-
ecuted after ne present improvements are made. the
expense would probably be qutdruplei Aside from
value from commercial point OF view. beneit.nS
a waterway fcr the shipping Of rs products in their
course TO the sea. matter Of this kind contain
ing political capital for either party. ought to
celve the support Of the entire country. The bill
has excited much enthusiasm IN the lake cities.
and il adopted. promises 10 make NETWORKS great
waterway a splendid arm OF war and commerce"
James = Rule. Washington correspondent Of The
Knoxville Journal and private secretary 10 Repre-
sentative Henry r. Gibson. OF Tennessee. was held
for the action of the Grand Jury in $500 bonds by
Judge Miller in the police court to-day. The charge
against Mr.. Rule was criminal libel. preferred by
Repre- sentative Franklin Bartlett Of New-York.
Representative" Gibson signed his bond
\ subcommittee # the House District Committee.
Of which Mr. OdeIl Is chairman. to-day gave hear
Ing 10 those lnterestc! In the establishment OF
Racing Commission In this city. After some open
ing remarks by Nj Craft. in opposition to the prop
osition. Anthony C0mstOck spoke az length agains;
the bill under consideration. Tn" bN. MIR CobiStock
said. should b. cJnde mined by the COMMITTEE" on tn"
tio', 81, VI NV iii o. ., 81, ' "a, Ia. 80 a.
based MS plea re couid inrnish a long ~ o. de-
falcatiOns. entertainments. lives blightrd and homes
New-York SPOKE IN favor Of the biii Throush per
nicious practices he said se-racins In New-fork
tory clause in the state Constitution. NV York now
had law in force after which the one introduced
hay. u me- TOLL FlV mon IL
tended to forbid legitimate racing. Among. Hose
present besides the persons already named were
Rev. n chapman, % the founs Men christian
Associations Mrs Walcoit and Mrs. smith. OF The
Mcdowell. Newarth and Talmage. ~ Washington
Acting Secretary Reynolds. Of the Interior Depart
met has decided that the Government cannot with
hold a pension granted under the act of June ..
1870 T. reimburse Itself FOR moneys enormously paid
as pension under he general law when such pension
was no, procured through fraud Another ruling
concerning attorneys j. that Where an attorney. Ia
his appeal with View TO showing night 10 zee.
cannot be considered In determining the merits OF
The appeal and the appeal iseli WI be diTmisr'd
the presumption from the fact that soldier. Will,
IN a rebel prison. nlstrd In the rebel army j. that
he voluntarily aided and abet,ed the rebellion Bui
this presumption may b" set aside b, PROOF that u
was his intention by enIistng to escape 10 the
Posirnastcr-Gencral Wilson has issued a statement
showing large Increase In money -ordcr business
for the last quarter over that Of any preceding
quarter. the receipts agTegating No'.'''.s.I The
cept in the quarter ended December 81. leS The
asains, ;i4co in isa' and the receipts larger
s s1G those Of '"' corresponding quarter VI '' %
Secretary Herbert appeared before the Senate
Committee on Naval Anairs this morning. the
committee now having the Naval Appropriation
viii be reported by the middle OF next week. The
number OF battle ships provided Tor by the House.
II Is said. Will be left undisturbed
The Senate Committee Territories this morn
ing ordered a favorable report to be made on the
nomination OF Benjamin J. Franklin to be Cover
also favorably reported the bin heretofore passed
by the House amending the divorce laws 81 me
Territories ! require legal residence OF at
least year before proceedings In divorce can be
begun
The President has further amended the Civil Ser
vice rules by placing under the classified service
the assistant attorneys and law clerks Of the De
partment Of the Interior This order includes about
thirty persons, whose salaries range from Wv" to
g 7jD
An unknown man in Wes,ville. Conn. sent 30
cents In postage stamps to the Treasury Depart
meni to-day as a conscience contribution. lie
states that while guarding commissary stores dur
ing the var he took from sugar barrels 81 various
times many Jumps Of sugar the Nainr o. "li'n H.
with Interest since that time. he 'stlmAt-S III ~
During the Lass quarter the total number o. yes
sells built ard documented In The United siaies
was l2l Of . 10 tons compared with ~ vessels.
OF 295ai tons Tor the previous quarter or the yes
sells bull. during ihe last quarter slNty-hve were
sW and nfiy.,i,,e steam the s:e.l steamers built
49,. nine of y 40 tons Of which two % 1904 tons.
we're buN on the Great Lakes Forty eight wooden
sailing " ssels Of sos9 tons. built on the ~
lsnfir ana (;rlf coasts and twcnty-slN WOODEN
Team vessels Of 33l2 tons built on western
riNers
The House Committee on Public Lands today 10
..od ,ba si,,,ti,u of affairs N Greer County.
.rl,hom, In view Of the 'rocent decision OF the
srurs me- court Of ihc United States taking u ou'