The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1896-04-16

The population of st. Louis was in
1910, LOO; in 1915, (, 600 1S2, 4, sos;
$50, 451, no, while her estimated popula-
iton to-day is 800, 900. The assessed val.
uation of st. Louis in 1895 was 1910, 005,-
900. Bonded Indebtedness, $21, 1885,.
I'll. 55. November 0, 1909, is the date
of her incorporation as a town Decem-
Der 0, 1922. is the date Of her incor-
poration as a city.
Hardly a day passes but that some
one sends to Inc as state treasurer
some old war certificates of 1874, ask
ing whether or not said certificates are
valid claims against the state of Mis-
souri,, and if so to remit for same.
These certificates are of no value and
possibly it might be of interest for me
to recite in this paper the conditions
under which they were issued, and
their present status.
In 1874 the holders Of a large number
of wal claims invoked the aid of the
state government in securing settle
ment of said claims by the United
States. At the solicitation of these
claimants the legislature passed an act
entitled IAN act to audit and adjust
the war debt of the state" approved
March 10, 1874. Section 20 of said act
reads, Nothing in this act shall hold
the state of Missouri responsible for
the payment of certificates of indebt-
edness issued under the provisions of
this act, provided the government Of
the United States does not allow and
pay to the state of Missouri the claims
allowed under this act. As required
by this act, Governor Woodson ap-
pointed Clay Taylor and Abram W.
Meyers commissioners who with the
acting quartermaster general examined
and adjusted the claims then on file,
and such claims as were filed up to
August 1, 1874, known as irregular or
mixed claims (for supplies, etc. }. The
result was that certificates were issued
amounting to S967, S07. O2 as provided
in section eight of the act. By author
ity of section 10 of the same act, the
Paymaster General John d. Grafton
examined and allowed claims for ser
vices rendered during the war as soil
diers in the enrolled Missouri Militia
amounting to 81, Ala, 1926. 65 for which
certificates were issued.
Schedules of all claims for which
certificates were issued, were then
made out by the quartermaster and
acting paymaster general as required
by this act, and presented to the third
auditor Of the treasury at Washing
on City for allowance and payment ;
the papers are still on file there.
The United States treasury officials
refused, and still refuse to examine
these claims for the purpose of settle-
ment for the reason that under United
States laws the state cannot make de-
mand for payment of such claims until
they are first paid by the state. In
1870 A%djutant General Bingham Of
Missouri (the successor Of Adjutant
General Crafton) reported that he had
found a large proportion of these
claims to be fraudulent. Whereupon,
the constitutional convention, then in
session, inserted a provision in the or
ganic law of the state prohibiting the
legislature from providing for the pay
ment of these certificates until the
United States shall have paid the
money therefor to the state. Section
81, Article w., Constitution).
Hon. John T. Heard, the x-member
of congress from the Seventh Missouri
district, was appointed under an acs
approved March 10, 1881, to represent
the state in the prosecution of her
claims against the United States. He
made a report to the fund commission,
ers of this state in January, 1sS8.
] showing that he had secured payment