The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-02
PENSIONS AND THE CANAL
THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR DIS
CUssEs CLAIMS AGAINST
Nicaragua Cnnnf Company, Its
Liabilities aud Assets.

! Washington. December 1.-The annual re-
port OF the secretary OF the interior. made
public tonight, while summing up the work
4 In all the bureaus, Is Of special interest by
reason OF its statements regarding pension
policies. At the close Of the f.icsl year there
were 9si.5l9 pensioners. decrease of 2la5
during the year The average annual value
Of all pensions was stS27i The Spanish war
probably will increase the pension roll during
the present fiscal year, The secretary acqui-
esces In the accommodations for legislation
providing that no pension be granted 10 COM
mence prior 10 the date OF ttng The claims
fcr an enriy revision and modification of the
pension laws, as tue numerous aIuendatory
Jaws ana decisions nave mate the wnoie sss-
TEN iapgrnln OF laws aud legal opiuiuns.
The report also recommends legislative au-
thorlty Tor biennial cXsnuuauous OF psnsion-
ers; legislation promoting the payment OF
any compensation Whatever 10 pension at
torneys and esents Tor any service con-
heGtion with any claim or proceeding under
the pension laws, except suCh as may 20
within certain limits hSed ny congress, he
allowed 10y the commissioner of pensions and
pad from the pehslun money AS now provided
with respect to claims Tor pension" and FOR
the delivery tree OF any part paid letter or
packet addressed 10 pension agencies,
secretary Hitchcock makes an advance re-
port Of the Maritime Canal company OF NJ
araEua, dated December next, setting forth
iu,ibp shares OF capital stock have been sub
scribed AZ par. amounting in the aggreghte
to the sum OF Sl,eli,ooV, OF whlrh amount 81
uVS,S3O has been paid into the treasury IN
cash that there has been paid into the
treasury from other sources $50. 7l6.5i, max.
ing the total amount of cash received $l,l6s,-
tO4-hl. The company has paid for properly,
work and labor done and materials furnished
IN the execution OF the work OF construction
OF tho canal. and In adm .nistratiOu expenses
the sum OF 81 ltl, az. ~ in cash 81 99J shares
STOCK
or the par value OF S8, l9g, 900; Sl50000 OF it's
hrst mortgage bonds and its Obligations for
$H,IoS,ou0 OF the sal. first mortgage bonds. IT
mas also issued 10000 shares oil It's capital
stock OF the par value OF $4,000. 900 in pay
nent Tor concess. onary rights, privileges.
franchises aud other property The liaD :
duo under tho concession granted to the COM
pany OF the $1,000 900 OF bonds before men,
( Toned, the said bonds being due to the as
sgnees OF tho Nicaragua Canal Construction
! company for work ard labor done aud ma
leriAls furnished In the execution of the work
I or constructing the !nteroceanc canal ana
OF cash liabilities outstanding unpaid to au
aluount not exceeding 5000 600, The assets
4 81 the company consist of its unused capital
/ stocS OF the s5iS,500 first mortgage bonds.
nud tho 2i2J shares OF capital stock received
IN liquidation az aforesaid. the concession
Eghts, privileges and franchises which II
now owns and OF the plant equipments and
other property In Central America.
! The congressional assertion OF its right to
determine the line OF canal through Nicaragua
sHh NpsNa hiVa unnor tne concession or the
company according 10 the company, caused
uncertainty as to hnal location OF the route,
and with other causes. has made the resump-
ton OF the work OF construction impossible.
The company incloses two formal protests.
one dated December . 1895 and the other
September ;. 1889 to Secretary Hay against
the agreement by the Nlcaraguap govern
nlent for another canal concession in violation
Of the right Of not only tho company but OF
the United States and Costa Rica
The report estimates the irrigable area Of
at fata
oOC000 acres, capable OF comfortably support.
Ing under proper irrigation system 80. 900 900
people Reasonable expenditures both by the
Federal and State governments looking to
well defined irrigation system are urged,
The Dawes commission reports the time has
not yet Arrived for installation of terri
torial or State government In the indian Ter
rtory owing mainly to lack OF uniform land
tenuros.