The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-09
Sessions in Both Houses Devoted to Reading
of Presidents Message.
GENERAL WHEELER IN HIS SEAT
He is the Most Popular Man IN the Floor.-Many Distinguished Persons
Witness the Opening OF the Observation-Disclosures for Investigation
OF the War Observation-Disclosures Gould to Have the Thanks
OF Congress and a Gold Medal Estimates for River
and Harbor improvements for the Next
Fiscal Year.

duced a resolution, authorizing and di-
recting the committee on military at
fairs to investigate the war department
and the conduct of the Spanish-Amer-
lean war. The resolution is as fol-
lows:
Resolved, That the committee on
military affairs be and the same hereby
is authorized and directed to investi-
gate the war department and the con-
duct of the recent var between Spain
and the United States, report all of said
proceedings with their findings, cOnclus-
ions and recommendations tt the
house of representatives with all CON
venient speed.
THAT said committee is hereby au-
thOrized and empowered to send for
books, documents, papers and persons.
examine persons under oath, sit in any
part of the United States, employ a ste
~nographer and hat the s~ergeant-at-
arms is hereby directed to attend said
committee and carry out its directions.
That the necessary expenses of the
investigation be paid out of the cOntin-
gent fund of the house"
The resolution was referred to the
committee VII HIl1JlClS dhdIlo
ESTIMATES FOR NEXT FISCAL
YEAR.
In conformity with the requirements
of law, the secretary of the treasury
today transmitted to congress the es-
Inmates Of appropriations required for
the service of the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1900, as furnished by the sew
eral executive departments. These
estimates, including permanent an
nual appropriations, aggregate $593,-
048,378, as against $500, 875,513,
the mount Of the a%pprOpria-
tiOns, including deficiencies and
miscellaneous, for the fiscal yea 1899,
and $46S, 678, 1915 the amount Of the es-
Inmates for 1899. The estimate for
military establishment amounts to
9l45,119,431; for the naval establish
ments 500, ia ,652; for the naval maya
zine at Norfolk, Va, $27,500. Following
are some of the important items sub
mitted by the light house service:
Light vessels for Cape Lookout Shoals,
n. c., 500, 900; light station, Cape Fear,
N. c., 1000; light depot at Charles
ton, S. c., $35, 900; for improvements
at Norfolk, CVa.), navy yard, including
concrete and granite dry dock $2,000,-
90; improvements at naval station,
Port Royal, S. c., $145, 900, at naval
station at Key West, including pur-
chase Of additional land SIP, $40. The
total amount asked for continuing or
completing improvements of rivers and
harbor is $2S, 523, IT'S. the larger items
being as follows: Harbor at Winyah
De- cam O0O. ~-Lou -
nah, Ga, 5000, 900; Cumberland sound,
Ga, and Florida, $500, 900; improving
James river, Virginia $3.50, 900; Cape
Fear river, near Wilmington, N. c.,
$3.50, 900; COosa river, Georgia, $780,
600; St. Johns river, Florida, 5000, 900;
entrance to harbOr at Key West, Fla,
$100, 900. The estimates for army and
navy pensions is $144, 600, 900; cost of
pension service $1,233,S $50.
A GOLD MEDAL FOR MISS GOULD.
General Wheeler, of Alabama, today
introduced in the house, through Rep
resentative Sailing, a resolution pro-
viding that in recognition of the pa
triotic devotion and bOunteOus benev-
! olence of Miss Helen Miller Gould tc
the soldiers of the army of the United
States during the war with Spain the
thanks of congress are hereby tender
ed her and congress hereby authorizes
and directs that a gold medal with
appropriate designs be prepared by
the director of the mint and that SAID
medal be presented to her by the
president of the United States at such
time and in such manner as he may
determine"
GENERAL WHEELER'S POPULAR.
Major General Wheeler was a center
Of attraction and cOngratulatiOn wher
he appeared in the house of represen'
tatives today to resume his congress
siOnal duties. He arrived last nigh
from the camp in Alabama where his
troops are stationed. General Wheel
+, err said he probably would resign from
the army, but his plans were NJ yet
definitely fixed. He expects TO con
fer with the president and secretary OF
! war and then will determine on his
course. If there is to be any more
fighting | want to stay in the army,
said the general, but if the fighting is
over, | prefer to return to civil life