The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1897-03-19


The WATERFOWL, Mass, arsenal is also
remembered For labor and material in
caring for, preserving and operating the
United States testing machine, including
such new tools and appliances as may
he required, $4,000 is appropriated. And
the appropriation of $4,000 for an impact
testing machine, made in the sundry
civil bill of the first session of the last
congress, is continued and made avail
able until expended.
The next New England items of inter-
est in this bill are the large approprla-
lions for rivers and harbors in that sec
ton of the country, which have been
given Congressman Barrett's especial
attention, in view of the fact that he is
the only New England man on the COM
mittee on rivers and harbors
Port Judith, r. l., for the completion
of it's harbor of refuge, walks away with
100000.
Portland, Me-, for continuing the i'm
provement there, smiles when 1T sees
$500, 900 coming it's way.
Rockland, Me-, for the same purpose.
receives a similar amount as it's sister
city, 100000
For beginning the great Improvement
at Boston, which will be of tremendous
advantage to the whole country in time,
which project Mr.. Barrett has espe-
cially had charge of, 100000 10 appro-
priated. The law Is that the secretary
of war shall not obligate the government
on any one continuous contract for more
than 100000, so 1t will be seen that the
Hub of the Universe gets the maximum
amount now Similar amounts will fol-
low right along in the regular sundry
civil and harbor appropriation bills, I'M
til the whole project, aggregating cost
Of some $10,000000 is completed.
For improving the Providence river
and Narragansett bay, $125,OOO is tackled
on to the bill under discussion.
A senate amendment to the bill is as
follows, which will doubtless be read
with considerable amusement by the
citizens of New Hampshire.
"That the secretary of war be, and he
hereby is, authorized and directed to
submit estimates of the cost of removing
the ledge at Pulling point, in Portsmouth
harbor, New Hampshire, so far as the
same is an obstruction to navigation of
large vessels going to the navy yard"
The joke is in the fact that Pulling
point" has always been known as pull
and-be-Damned Point" Congressman
Henry NJ. Baker of Bow introduced a
bill in the house to make this needed i'm
provement, and he plainly specified
"Pull-and- be Damned Point" but when
the senate amendment was placed on
the sundry civil bill, Senator Chandler
had the name changed to Pulling
Point" which is causing a good deal of |
merriment here among New Hampshire
people. The probability is that the angry
waters in the vicinity of what Senator
Chandler desires to be called Pulling
Point" will always be known by their
former designation of "Pull-and-be- |
Damned Point" despite the genial SEN
ator's wishes to stamp out profanity as
much as possible in the premises.
Under the appropriations for the main
tenance of soldiers homes in this bill,
TOgus, Me, comes in for a good sum-
For current expenses, including the same
objects specified under this head for the
support of other homes in the country,
$4,000 is set apart. For subsistence,
Sill 900 is appropriated; for household,
SJ2, 900; for hospital, $500; for trans
portation, $500; for repairs, $1S 500; for
new mess hall and refrigerator, 5000;
for reimbursement for amount advanced
for rebuilding coal shed and wharf,
$4,000 for farm $4,000; in ALL 1865 800
This completes the list of New England
TENS, aggregating 1858, 720. OF course
as matters stand now, none of the ap-
have been made, as the bill
'ailed to become a law. The expecta-
ton is however, that the coming extra
session of congress will pass the bills
which failed in about the same form as
they now stand, in which New England
and the other portions of the country
will get the appropriations
set apart for their particular benefit.
A good deal has of late been said about
the so-called Alabama claims, a MEM
Der of the British parliament having said
hat there is some $4,000, 900 of the Ala
oama fund now intact.
The treaty of Washington of May 8,
81 az statutes at large page S63), be-
ween Great Britain and the United
States authorized a tribunal of arbitra-
ion, to which should be referred all the
claims growing out of the acts com
nitted by the Confederate cruisers Ala
)ama and Florida, and known by the
generic term of Alabama claims
BY the treaty of Washington it was pro-
Tided that the claims growing out of the
by the Alabama and other
'essels from British ports should be re-
erred to a tribunal of arbitration, who
we're to be governed by certain rules con-
aimed in the treaty and whose award
vas to be final.
This tribunal met at Geneva, and upon
Tune 10, 1872, declared that the claims
If the United States for losses ~ by the
ransfer of the United States CONNER
.ial marine to the British flag; ~ by
var premiums, or enhanced payments
# insurance; and 80 by the prolonga-
ion and increased cost of the war con-
tituted no good foundation for a recov-
ry, and these claims were thencefor-
ward to be wholly excluded from con-
liberation by the tribunal"
The government, after paying the Hail.
AK award, proceeded to distribute what
t had left of the Alabama fund All
'essels belonging to loyal Americans
hat had suffered from Confederate
ruisers on the high seas were permitted
o come in and prove damages. What
vas left after their claims were settled
vas distributed on a ratio of 80 cents to
he dollar among those American ship
'wners who had paid what were called
war DremiI1p1S" or enhanced ra teS Of