The Red Cloud chief., 1898-03-25
NEARLY HALF OF 1T SPENT
Navy Gets scvcnty-nve per ccnt--severai
Million Pounds of Powdc Contracted

WASHINGTON, March 90. -Nearly
half OF the $50, 900, 900 for the national
defense already has been appropriated
or spent on contracts entered into by
the War and Navy departments. o.
this the Navy department has spent
nearly Is per cent. The bureau o!
ordnance and the bureau OF equip
mcnt OF the navy have received
tho largest amounts of the up
preparation. The bureau Of ord
nance has received about $1,000. O0t
in AL thus far. This money Is being
expended in tho manufacture and
purchase Of large quantities OF shells
Of various calibers, brown prisnatic
and smokclcss powder torpedo tubes
and guns, and in meeting the expenses
of operating the big gun factory at
the Washington navy yard. At least
81, 900, 900 has been set aside for the
current expenses Of the high power
ordnance shop This, OF course, in
cludcs the cost OF material, extra
labor, fuel, shipping. etc.
Contracts for 100 G.poundcr and Ioc
%l.pouudcr rapid fire guns are not in.
cluded in the money set aside for the
gun factory. as they are being manu.
featured by private firms. Several
million pounds of brown %prismatic
powder have been contracted for.
The bureau OF equipment has ex.
pended about 1000, 0OJ in contracts
for coal and coal storage houses with
various points M for miscellaneous
equipments and stores for ship and
naval stations. These iiEurcs include
tho sums to be spent in the extensive
dredging operations now under way
ut Port Royal and Key West, but do
not include the 5000, 900 allotted last
week for dredging, construction, etc,
in connection with the establishment
Of the new naval station at the Dry
Tortugas.
a vast sum also has been expended
in getting the cruisers Minneapolis
and Columbia and the Miartonomah
and other monitors ready for sea
The purchase from the brazilian gov
eminent Of the Amazonas and the
Abrouall has involved the expenditure
of fully So, 900, 300. This includes not
only the actual purchase prizes of the
cruisers, but large incidental expenses
in the matter OF arrangements for the
contracts, the detail of naval officers
for negotiations and the cost of get.
ting the ships ready to sail for the
United States
About 81. 00O, 900 will be used by the
bureau of construction and repair III
of the national defense appropriation
in completing the repairs to the New
ark, Philadelphia, YORKTOWN, Charles.
ton, Chicago and Atlanta, Mt the Nor
folk. Mare Island and New York navy
yards.
Up to the present time ss.375, 00C
have been allotted to the War depart
mcnt. Two bureaus of the depart
ment only have been the recipients OF
this moncy-tho bureau OF ordnance
and the engineer department. Nearly
this cutire sun already has been used
in contracts now in the course OF ful'
tilllucnt. The ordnance department,
has been credited with 81, 800, 900.
Nearly n 100000 has been expended
for about 4, 900, OO) cartridges for the
Krar-Jorgcnscn and Springfield rifles
The department ha, under conSidcra
ton Il large purchase of Winchester
magazine rides, calibcr 80. These
small arms are now in the process Oh
manufacture and tho formal contrac'
fer their purchase probably will b,
made in a few days. The thirty.twC
. aud G.inch rapid firing guns
, with their carriages, and sup
ply Of ammunition for them,
. which were purchased abroad las
week, cost about 500, 600. The sea
. coast gun carriages OF s.inch, lO-iucl
/ and l2-inch caliber, proposals TO
!, which were considered yesterday, vii
, cost about 5000, 900. IL is the cxpecta
ton of the chief OF ordnance to Oh
tain an allotment of about s., 200, %
additional within the next few days
which will be expended in the pur
chase OF projectiles, powder and high
power guns.
Brigadicr General Wilson, chief O
the engineers, has contracted for tn
expenditure OF about So, 900, OrO in has
u tening the work on cmplacemcnts
magazines and the mounting OF gun
Z on the southern and Eastern coasts
y About 100000 is to be expended 70
the planting of torpedocs for harbo
{ de'enses The chief of engineers Ia
y at his dispo'al, it is understood, abou
d g., 1000, 900 set aside for his use, but nc
l. yet actually expended.
Noted Catholic Lay man Dead.
: LOUISVILLE, Ky, March 90. Graz
: sille w. Smith, one OF the best know
= lay in the Catholic church {
% America, died to-day at his home her
" of Bright's disease. He vas ii
y founder and at one time president
the Catholic Knights and Ladies
y America. He was n of the leadin
- members Of the Society of ST VinceI
, de Paul and was identified with oth'
y church work. Mr.. Smith was % yea
- old and had been an undertaken for
years
IN To Succeed H. X. Bruce.
WASHINGTON, March 81. 1T Is sa
m be that the President vi