The Mena star. (Mena, Ark.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-09
A BUILDING OF JUSTICE.
Justice McKenna Interviews the
President Concerning a Loca-
tion for the Supreme Court.
REPORT ON PRIVATE LAND CLAIMS.
The Total Area Claim I'd Was 5.55s,G0s
Acres. hut Oniy J,fOO Acres Were Com
Hrm~d. the Baiance, 5.5io.:04 Acres,
Being Rej.cted-Tsvo Vssse Sent Ous
TO Lpok for the Maria Teresa.

TO Lpok for the Maria Teresa.
Washington, Nov s. s.--Justice Nc
kenna, of the supreme court, called at
the white house yesterday aud had an
interview with President Mckinley
relative TO the destruction of the SUI
preme court room and offices by an ex-
plosion, and the advisablitv in con-
sequence of this disaster OF carving
out the project, so often heretofore
broached, of erecting supreme court
building of magnificent proportions
across the street from the site OF the
congressional library. and directly OPP
posite the capitol building. Justice
McKenna said he thought the time
and circumstances were now most
favorable to the carving ont OF
the plan inau gurated by Senator Nor
rill, of Vermont, in iSy0 Senator
MorrilPs plan contemplated the pur-
chase Of the entire block adioining the
congressional library on the north and
the erection thereon of building
which would be sufficient to accommo-
date the supreme court of the ted
States, the court OF claims. the attor-
ney generals Office, the appellate conrt
of the District of Columbia and the
law library. At the present time the
various courts ANA Offices, when may
be said to form a part of the legal
branch Of the government, are so wide
ly separated as to be the cause of con-
siderable inconvenience.
Senator MorrilPs plan was received
by the senate with favor from the
first, bill having passed that body In
the Fifty-first congress which appro-
priated SSo0,0O0, or so much thereof as
mi ht hss.. f.5cessary. for the purchase
Of the square next north of the con-
gressional library as site for the
proposed building Of Justice as il
was to be called. The house, however.
refused to sanction the legislation
and the project failed Tor the time
being. Senator Morrill, has renewed
his efforts to secure the building
in each congress since 1890, and
there is now pending before
the senate a bill making an APP
preparation for this purpose. The
parcels of land described in the bil9
lie directly east of the senate wing OF
the capitol, and are required in order
to give due proportion and symmetry
to the ground, or IA straight boundary
line on the east Senator Morrill, has
persstently contended that the ground
described should be secured by the
government for the purpose of e1ciusi-
ing an excre scence, If for no other rea-
son. The ere ction on this site OF such
structure as the building of JUS
tice" is planned to be would make the
great Capitol square one of the most,
If not the most, magnificent squares
| in the world.
Kerora ON Private Land Claims
Washington, Nov s.-The annual
report of Matt g. Reynolds, United
States attorney for the court of private
land claims has been received by the
attorney general. Mr.. Reynolds re-
port shows that a very marked progress
has been made during the past year
toward completion OF the trial Of
causes on the docket of the court Ia
the New Mexico district wherein
grants located in New Mexico and Colo
RADIO are tried, the cour I has during the
past year decided 81 cases, involving 5Z
grants. Among the cases disposed of is
! the Vigil and St Vrain, or Las AnimaS
grant, ia Colorado, with an area OF
! 1000, SAG acres. This case was dismissed
by the court for want of jurisdiction
the court holding the gra Mt as one the
right to which has hitherto been law
fully acted upon and decided by COR
gress, and therefore not within the
Jurisdiction OF the court OF private
land claims. The total area claimed
in the grauts disposed Of during the
year was 5,556,G94 acres. OF this
amount there have been re jected claims
to the amount of 5,549. 294 acres, and
confirmed Z, 400 acres. The percentage
of confirmation has thus been little
over 1-10th of one per cent. The great
disparity between the amount claimed.
and the amount confirmed is to very
large extent ascribable. Mr.. Reynolds.
says, to the extravaganza OF many of
the claims presented.
To Look for the Maria Teresa.
Washington, Nov. s-The navy de-
partment is without advices concern
ing the Maria Teresa, but acting on.
newspaper statements OF her reported
stranding on Cat island, in the Wat
tling group, has sent orders to the
Vulcan at Norfolk and the Potomac al
Santiago to leave immediately for Cat
island and If the vessel Is found to do
verything possible TO save her The
expedition will be under command Of
Capt Mccalla - ~