Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-10-03
WASHINGTON LETTER
ESPECIAL CoRREsPoNpRNcR.

MANY DYING OFF - Commissi TONER
OF pensions Murphy, in his annual re-
port, shows that 40, 374 new pension
ers were added during the year to the
roll and 1878 restored who had been
previously dropped, making total Of
Al, PAT. The losses for various reasons
aggregate A, 093. The whole num-
Der of pensioners on the rolls June
30, 1895, WAS 97O,677. The commits
sioner states that it may now safely
be assumed that the roll from this
time on will show a steady diminution
unless Congress should enact still more
liberal provisions. The rate of NOR
tallty of the pensioners, particularly
who served through the war OF the re-
bclion, is rapidly increasing. Disal-
lowances of pensions during the year
amounted to 81, $50, most of them be-
ing applications for increase. The
amount disbursed WAS $l3S, q 4, 900, II
decrease Of 81 ,592, 900. The amount
appropriated for pension payments,
$40, 900, 900, was found to be more
than sufficient There was at the close
Of the fiscal year an uneXpended bal
ance of 81, 100, 900. The commissioner
adopts the estimates OF his predecess-
or, Judge Lockren. for 1898, namely,
$40, O0O,O for pensions and 81, $685.
900 for other expenses.
CLAIMS AGAINST SPAIN - United
States treasurer Morgan has mailed
to ninety.one citizens of the United
States, checks aggregating $2S, 500,
being the fifty-sixth annual payment
OF interest at about .0475 percent on
allowed claims against the government
OF Spain, originating prior to 1884,
the payment of which is provided by
the treaty of that year. The amount
OF the claims allowed by Spain was
$500, $50, which the Spanish govern
ment has 50 far failed to pay, although
repeatedly urged to do SO by this
government. The interest, however,
is paid regularly each September.
CUSTOMS OFFIoEs-Owing to the in.
adequacy OF the present appropria-
ton for the collection of customs, the
secretary of the treasury has been
compelled to order a reduction OF
STAG, 500 in the expenses during the
balance of the fiscal year in nineteen
customs offices. The secretary has
ordered q reduction of the force, a
reduction of salaries, or sufficient
number of furloughs.
ALASKA Go1D-General Duffield,
superintendent of the coast and geo.
detic survey, has just returned to his
duties in Washington after an ex-
tended trip along the Pacific coast and
through parts of Alaska. While. his
visit was in no way connected with the
determination of the boundary line
between Alaska and the Brit
ish dominion, he devoted part of
his time to visits to the sections OF
Alaska in which are located some of
the most important points in conten.
ton. He also made hurried study
of the location of the Alaskan gold
fields. He stated that he had good
reasons to believe all the gold at
present located is on the American
side of the 141st meridian, which forms
the true boundary line.
RUSSIANS STOLE SEoRETs-Russian
representatives sent out by the govern
ment of the car have st olen American
armor plate secrets and propose to
turn their acquisition to profit by
furnishing information by means Of
which Russia may make her own
sheaths for battleships. This in brief
is the discovery which has been kept
quiet for some months by the officials
of the Carnegie steel company and
which has worried American naval
authorities at Washington, in try
ing to get into the graces OF the st.
Petersburg government in order to
get contracts by allowing Russian rep
resentatives access to the works, and
before the company realized it the
secret OF the steel process became the
property OF the czar. Later it became
known that n special courier of the
czar travelled day and night between
Homestead and st. Petersburg until
he had safely deposited at the Russian
capital voluminous information con-
corning the manufacture of American
armor plate.
MORE TROOPS FOR CUBA-Repre-
sentatives of the Spanish legation in
this city say that additional troops
have recently arrived in Cuba, and
that others are en- route to begin active
military operations as soon as the
rainy season is over. 1t was origin
ally intended to send 40, 1000 addition
al troops, but it is understood
that general Weyler is now so con-
fident OF the weakness of the insur-
gents that he considers 20, 900 addi-
tional men sufficient for the purpose
he has in view. Spanish officials here
confidently predict that the war will
end within a month after military
operations can be actually resumed.
The 20, 600 additional men are to be
distributed in Pinar del Rio. Imme-
diately upon the arrival Of all these
men it is the intention of general
Weyler to strike the final blow to the
insurgents. The Spanish Cortes, which
adjourned few days ago, having
VOL0u Ill auNuuCCV NY GuO
ministry, the purpose is to put them
into effect in each province as rapidly
as peace is restored.
LIGHT KEEPERS APPoINTED-May.
nard F. Rush has been promoted to
keeper of the light house station at
Dumping rock, Massachusetts vice
William H. Doane, resigned; and
Roscoe g. Lopans has been appointed
second assistant keeper lof the light
station at Minot's ledge, Massachu-
sets, vice Rush.
NANTUCKET SHOALS LIaHTsH1P-The
new South shoal light vessel is to be
placed on its station about Oct. 15. It
will be numbered 66, and +willsbe per-
manently established at new moor
.ings, about Is miles southensterly
from her present station and about IA
- II III, 81, IL