The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-31
ATTORNEYS URGE SUITS.
TELL Ol.D-TlME POsTNASTERs COW
ERNMENF UNDERPAiD THEN.
Reepening Of Claias Axgregatiag
Millions May he Ask<d-lndiaA
War Peaslons nill Bleckea-ses-


circulars TO those who were possmaSters
during the period between July. 1854. and
June, 1874, telling them and their heirs
that the government did not pay them IN
fun fer their services wTaen they held
Office and are urging the postTsaasters and
Their heirs 10 bring suit against the sov-
eminent. One of these cases IS that or
Mrs Ellen S. poo.i;fie. OF Lake View.
Wash. widow OF Henry pooiittle. who
was postmaster a; Happy Camp. Cal.
during the period mentioned. According
to these attorneys. MIS-. Doolitue Is en-
titled 10 about SO back gay.
The first assistant postma ster general.
who has charge OF salaries and allow
ances. stairs tat there Is no truth Ia
the asser.!csp:, made by these attorneys
The law disih,sjy provided that the post
master geHs "a, should adjust salaries
every two .rc's tDr the next two years
on the be.ss =. receipts for the preced-
ing two years .appened in many cases
in the West that the receipts kept n
creasing. hence the claim Is made that
the postmasiers did not receive all they
were entitled to.
The law. however. has been upheld by
successive Encouragement. and there
can be no money paid out 10 any OF these
old postmasters, or their heirs, unless
congress should authorize the department
to reopen the eases and compute percent
ages on the bass of the postal receipts
during the period for which additional
compensation Is Gained.
1t is estimated that the reopening OF the
claims on the basis of the claimants con-
tenton would involve an expenditure OF
from two 10 four million dollars. Any
different representation OF the status or
claims for readjns;ment Of salaries Is
false and misleading and based upon dis
torted facts.
One of the most persistently pushed bills
that has come before each succeeding con-
gress for many years Is that granting PEN
sions to the Indian war veterans OF The
Pacific coast. Every western senator and
member IL pronouncediy In favor OF IL. but
Il does not meet with the same ready re-
Spouse in the eastern members. The Dill
passed the senate In the last congress and
has received the promise OF q majority or
the votes in the house but Speaker Reed
refused to recognize any OF the western
members or permit them to call II M IN the
closing DAYS OF the session. Other import
ant measures were pending and the speak
err told the delegation. comprising nearly
every representative from the Pacific coast
states that the bill would cause great
deal Of debate and would occupy more time
than could be given TO II. As IL was. IT
will be remembered that congress failed
TO pass ali of the appropriation bills N time
e ssal1Es sss 1870 s e IS 3 <sss saI
1 The TN has again passed the senate IN
the present congress. and again It meets
with the game snag TN the horseback OF
time for Its consideration. IL ss not con-
sideress In the house az an important meas
ure by the great majority. and where all
bills require unanimous consent for con-
sideration 1t IL next 20 an impossabiiity TO
get the bill UP.
n ever men merited pensions. 1t is
claimed By friends of the bill. those do
who pioneered the Pacific coast, saving
q vast empire 10 the United States Many
lives were sacrificed In crossing the plains
by these hardy frontiersmen and the vet
Grams assneia lions of Washington and Ore
gon already have upon their lists. II IL al
legged. the names OF over 500 who were
mastered or slain in battle by the Indians
Ont OF about 900 who were regularly en-
gagged volunteers In suppres<ng hostiiities
with the Indians In California Oregon.
washington and Idaho from 1s4s 20 1857.
fully $50 have died unpaid. unpessioned
and unrecognIzed.
Some time ago ffollon Parker. OF Wal.a
Walla county Wash. wrote an open let
ter 10 the secretary of the treasury. which
he caused 20 be printed and sent out TO
various members OF eon@ress md other
public men In the East. He asked The sec-
rotary 10 tell him and other farmers ana
lanorers how they were 10 De benefited by
the iszu!ng OF intsrsst-bearing gold bonds
for the paper money In circulation and
other questions OF q similar nature. The
circular ia an appeal for free silver coin-
age and an assertion that this will he
brought about at the next presidential cleo
ZION. TIE secretary OF the treasury has
not. as yet. made any reply to the open
letter.
E,wts nF rtat
com. Wash, Is endeayoing to have
charge Of desertion standing against him
removed Smith enlisted IN Bracketts
battalion of Minnesota. in 1851. and claims
TO have done faithful service. During his
service he says ne MAS Disabled and IL
now confined most or the time TO hts
r,sor,1. Prior TO his erliisternnf In 1854.
smith had enlisted In q wisconsin reg
;rnent. aud after thirty days OF service
went home and did net return TO his reg
iueai Three OF his children died and IT
was nscessarr for hiu, so he states. 10
remain nj home 80 support the remaining
members of his family by his labor. He
says he never regarded his first enlist
rnsnt as regular or complete and that as
saor as his family was restored TO health
he again enlisted.
Eddy, Of Minnesota. has introduced a
hsIl 10 amend the international commerce
act requiring the railways to EQUIP their
cars with automatic coupiers ard con-
sfnuous brakes. This bill liz sssd TO be in
the Interest Of certain automatic car
coupler invented by q. e. Harlan. fer
merry OF Seattle. 1t provides that all rail-
ways, which after January !. 1901. shall
use any coupler which VIII not unconpie
isse.f en- the oyerturning OF the car. shall
be held for exemplary and cumulative
damages.
This In o1e CT the particular features
Of Hariin's inyeGfion. Another provision
of the ball La that railroads from the time
Of adoption and during the USE OF a coup
Ter which can be only operated from the
side. top or platform OF cars si1ali not be
held for damages to any empioye. This
mode of operation u also . feature Of
the Hariin coupler.
All members OF the wcmen's Relief
Corps OF y. A. Russell Post No Is. Of
Mount Vernon. Wash. have signed a Pc
sssfon which hss been presented to cam
grsss for a private pension bill sor The
relief OF Mrs. Mary f. Barney. widow OF
Alien II. Barney. rho died al Mount
Vernon IA lsA The petition has been