Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-02
FEWER DESERTIoNS
Condition Of the Army According to.
Three Reports.
SOME IMPROVEMENTS RECOMMENDED
Need Of a Good Road to Airing
ton.
HALL OF RECORDS WANTED

The annual reports OF the quartermaster
judge advocate general of the army were
made public today.
Judge Advocate General Lieber reports
that there were 1884 trials by court-mar-
tial during the past fiscal year, being a de-
crease of 1O2 as compared with the pre-
vious year. The number Of convictions
Of desertion was pa. a decrease of twelve
under the preceding year and of 274 as
compared with the year ended June 80,
1894. General Lieber recommends the en-
actment of legislation for the establishment
OF proper system of ordinary criminal
jurisdiction in military reservations and
other places held by the United States, and
to extend the jurisdiction of the articles
or war over discharged soldiers held as
prisoners under sentence of court-martial
He also recommends an increase In the
present reward for the apprehension of de-
serters.
Quartcrmnster Generals Report.
The report of Quartermaster General
Weeks shows that the appropriations for
that department for the year were over
$S.OOO.OOO, of which about s2,OO0.OO0 remain
ed unexpended at the close Of the year.
The cost Of sending troops to the in
auguration on March 4, to New York city
to participate in the Grant monument cere-
monies and several other movements cost
$1S2, $4,000. By an act of Congress approved
March 16, 1896, $3.50, 900 was appropriated
Tor barracks and quarters, and under the
act approved June, 1896. 500. GOO .wds appro-
priated for the construction of necessary
buildings connected with Notifications.
Gen. Weeks makes the following refer
ences to local institutions:
A Good Roasl to ArJfur<n-
Several years past this department has
called attention to the Importance Of i'm
proving the public roads from the Aqueduct
bridge, near Georgetown. to the Arlington
National cemetery and park, and it Is
earnestly recommended that this subject
may receive the favorable action of Con-
gress at its next session. The estimated
cost for construction of a good macadam-
lied road Of a substantial and durable
character is fixed by the engineers of this
department at $4,000.
This cemetery has become an historical
spot, where many of the nations heroes
most beautiful parks in the country The
condition of the approaches thereto should
be improved as early as possible with q
view to making this cemetery and park
ton and to the thousands of visitors TO-
the national capital from all parts of the
country. "a
Hall Of Records. a-s
Attention is again called to the necessity
OF suitable fire-proof building to contain
the records of all the executive depart
ments. The cengested condition of the
space for storage Of valuable papers In
the War Department calls for early action.
This subject was considered at the secoHd
session of the Fifty-fourth Congress- but
no legislation resulted. 1t is earnestly
hoped that Congress will give further con-
sideration to this important matter, at its
coming session. ~ ...,.s 80 sisooG,.t |
The location of this building. isyef great
ent access TO all the executive departments.
Paymaster Generals Rc4Ierf!aiia .
Paymaster General Stanton reports a de-
ficiency of $95. 927.4 and urges Congress- to
make immediate provision to meet It. He
also points out that there will be a de-
f1ciency of 100000 July l, 1898, unless Con-
gress increases the appropriation to that
extent during it's next session. s.<ir1c |
A large increase is reported in the num-
Der and amount of soldiers deposits The
private soldiers deposits amounted to $32S,
go in 1871: The sum now on deposit
amounts to 1892 in round numbers. In
1877 there were 1924 depositors. There are
now 1873 depositors. 1850
Gen. Stanton recommends the abolition of
the present check and envelope system of
army payments and recommends the es-
tablishment Of bureau Of disbursements
having corps of officers commissioned and
bonded. whose duties 1t will be to disburse
all moneys appropriated for the army.