Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-01-22
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gszette.]
WASHINGTON. Jan. %.

equator CuilOm tl-Jay lutlOuuCcu q
new bill for the amendment OF the in
terstate commerce law. The bill is
intended to cover the defects of the
present law as indicated by the courts.
II gives the interstate commerce
commission authority TO prohibit any
railroad company or other common
carrier from charging more for long
than short haul over the same line.
The President to-day sent these nomi-
tons to the Senate: John W. Griggs, of
New Jersey, to be attorney general;
Selah Merrill, of Massachusetts,, Ito be
consul at Jerusalem, Syria. Mr.. Griggs
il at present governor Of New Jersey.
Last evening Consul General Lee
cabled the State Department that tran
quillity prevailed in Havana, but he
made no mention Of the important en-
gagement reported to have taken place
in the Cubitas mountains resulting in
the capture of the insurgent capital.
The only reports of an official character
on that point that have come to the no.
tice of the department are those re-
ceived by the Spanish minister here.
A bill to authorize the coinage OF
subsidiary silver coin from silver bullion
purchased under the act of July IA,
1890 and the recoinage OF uncurrent
subsidiary silver coin in the treasury
WAS introduced in the House by Mr..
Stone, Of Pennsylvania.
On the 18th of March, asstated in the
Gazette of that date, Mr.. Otey of Vir-
ginia introduced in the House a bill
providing that the Secretary CT the
Treasury be directed to pay to Job G.
McVeigh, Edgar I. McVeigh, Newton
McVeigh, 4. E. McVeigb, Louisa N.
McVeigb, Isabel McVeigh, the heirs of
Cytha A. McVeigh, deceased, aud the
children of Warren McVeieh and the
children Of Elizabeth Hutchinson, de-
ceased, all heirs of the late ]. II. Nc
Weigh, of Alexandria, Virginis, the
sum Of nineteen thousand dollars, said
amount being due for rents, furniture
and occupation CT property at Alexan-
dria from eighteen hundred end sixty.
two to eighteen hundred and sixty five.
1t was referred to the committee on
war claims, which yesterday reported
on it as follows The evidence offered
in support of this claim is in the form
Of expsrte aliidavits, and your commit
tee has no opportunity of subjecting
the witnesses 10 a cross examination
and are therefore of the opinion that
this claim should be referred to the
Court Of Claims, where dispositions can
be taken in the usual manner prescribed
by law, counsel for the government and
for the claims ant having the right to
cross examine the witnesses making
such dispositions; end when the facts
shall have been determined By the court
upon the legal testimony thus taken
and submitted, said facts to be reported
to Congress for it's consideration; and
your committee report herewith reso
luton referring the claim to the Court
of Claims for a fading of facts under
the terms of the act of March 8, 1887,
and generally known as the Tucker act.
Mr.. Frank Hume of Alexandria
county, who attended the beet sugar
convention at Fredericksburg yester-
day, has returned. He says the only
practical thing that was done at it was
n recommendation to the effect that if
Northern capitalists should establish
beet sugar plant at or near Richmond,
they should be allowed to hire the con-
victs in the penitentisry, es such work
would not compete with that of honest
Virginia labor Mr.. Hume says be is
receiving letters every Gay from the
land owners in Alexandria county ask
ing him to do what be can to prevent
the passage by the Virginia legislature
of the proposed bill to change the pres
ent road system in that county and re-
vert to the old system by which bad
work was done and was paid for at
high rates.
The impression az the Senate in
reference to the confirmation of MIR.
Brown Allen as marshal of the western
district of Virginia has changed, and
now is that his nomination will be con-
frmed. 1t could be defeated, it is said,
if Mr.. Yost had any assistance in his
fight against it, but that so far be has had
little or none. 1t is also supposed that
though the Hawaiian treaty will f,il, the
pull Of the administration is still suffi-
Gent TO effect the desired object, and
that it will also secure the election OF
Mr.. McComas to the U. S. Senate in
Mary land, as it did that of Mr.. Hanna
in Ohio.
Collector Agnew, Referee Bowden ex Con-
gresham Brown, General Groner and some
other Virginia republicans are here to-day,
and their whole executive committee are OK
pected here next week to try to induce the
administration to hurry up thu distribution
of federal patronage in their State, as they IS
we'll as it are being injutiously affected by
the prolonged delay. Several of tho.e atove
mentioned were at the Hotel Johnson this
morning. Judge Riley of Accomsc county
was also there. he says a man met him or
the street the other day and said II hear
that Colonel Ashby has been drown ded at
Colon" aud that his reply was as follows
"You must be thinking of semicolon, and ri
bet you twenty dollars that Colonel Ashby
has not been drown.ded at Colon, and prove
it by both Webster and Worcester" The
man, he says, stared at him and moved Oh
muttering. 1t is reported that there are "a
ready sixty applicants for the Colon consu.
late Mr.. Samuel Lewis has been recoll-
mended for it by several members of the
republican committee of his Stlte.
The legislative, executive and judicial ap.
preparation bill, as reported to the Senate to-
day, carries an aggregate appropriation of
S21 500 800, net increase over the amount
appropriated in the House bill of $153, 055.
One OF the amendments adopted is u provis.
ion for opening the Congressional library ct
night, and FIR this purpose twenty additional
clerks are allowed st an aggregate cost of
OIL d-G NOR raor