St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-01-29

The inauguration pail VIII ne neld,
as usual, in the pension building. a
strong movement was on foot to have
1t held this year in the new congression-
al library building, the finest structure of
the kind in the world, which Is now
nearly finished, and which would have
been pushed to a more speedy compile
ton had the plan TO have the ball held
there been adopted. The discussion as
to whether it would he proper TO hold
the ball In such an elegantly appointed
building waXed warm for several weeks
Senator Morrill, Of Vermont led the
movement in opposition to it. The claim
was that the expensive frescoing and
other delicate works of arts and paint
lngs In the new building would be ruined
by allowing the functions of the inaugu-
ration ball to be carried on there, and so
Chairman Hanna of the Republican ma
tional committee, speaking for Major
Mckinley, said he had no desire to have
the new building utilized for the purpose
of holding the Inauguration ball. II there
was the slightest objection to it. So the
pension building will again witness this
brilliant event.
The Inauguration committee Is rapid
ly pushing ali arrangements for the en-
tire celebration, and, as have said, Nc
Kinley's Inauguration will, beyond
doubt, be the most brilliant affair of its
kind ever attempted
The present house of representatives
has placed its stamp of dlsapproval on
the scheme looking to refund the debts
of the Pacific railroad companies. The
foundation of the funding bill was laid
when, on July 1, 1862, the president
signed the act to promote the building
Of transcontnental railroad from the
Missouri river to the Pacific ocean.
The total advanced for all the roads
was S6i,623,5l2. BY decision of the SUI
preme court, payment of interest on
these bonds was not required of the COM
panies until the bonds fell due, and the
government has had to pay the per
cent for the so years, with only such re-
payments as it could secure from the
transportation charges and the 5 per cent
of the net earnings, The debts of the Cen
trail Pacific and Western Pacific to the
government are now, In round numbers,
poV'NuV'NVV' iiiN ibuhc ptbBOScu III TIE
funding bill that the government should
redeem the 6 per cent bonds as they
fall due, and accept from the companies
q new second mortgage bond, covering
the principal and interest due and to fall
due in the next two or three weeks.
General Draper of Massachusetts
who hopes to he ambassador to France
under the Mckinley administration, has
introduced bill in the house, by re-
quest, to incorporate the Abraham Lin
coin, Ulysses S, Grant and David G,
Farragut Memorial Building associa.
ton, The preamble to the bill recites
that 1.-The time Is not far distant wheu
the several organizations of men who
served in the Union army and navy dur.
ing the late war of the rebellion vii
cease to exist, terminating with the
death of the men who compose thei,
J membership; and these organization.
have accumulated records. books, pa
rers, relics, works of art and other prop
erty of great historic interest, which ar,
: likely to be dispersed and lost unless
some provision Is made for their preser
l walton. 1t is desirable to perpetuate h,
: suitable memorial the memory of tn
! three great leaders, one in civil one II