Gilpin observer., 1899-05-04
WASHINGTON GOSSIP
AND DEPARTMENT NEWS.

"
Information has been received Mt
the War Department that the present
customs laws Of Porto Rico are to be
tested in the courts. 1t Is intended to
ship a cargo of goods from New York
to Porto Rico and refuse the payment
of the tariffs established by the gov
ernment. If payment is insisted upon
1t will be made under protest and suit
will be brought to recover the amount.
The claim will be set up that as Porto
Rico Is now part of the United States
1t is unconstitutional to charge GUS
toms duties for goods sent from one
portion of the country to another.
The Wade court Of inquiry to day
concluded its work in connection with
the allegations of General Miles con-
cerning the beef supplied to the army
during the war with Spain. The re-
port has been sent to the President and
will not be published for several days.
The verdict, however, Is known to be
that the charges which General Miles
made before the war investigating COM
mittee are not sustained in reference
to the refrigerated beef, although his
contention that the canned roast beef
was not n suitable continuous ration is
admitted. There is direct criticism of
General Miles for failing to promptly
bring to the attention of the War De-
partment the reports made to him con-
cerning bad beef, and several individ-
uals" are censured for failing to OBJ
serve the prOprieties of their positions
as commanding officers in this and
other respects.
American manufacturers made their
highest record in foreign markets last
month. The figures of the March ex-
portations, which the treasury bureau
of statistics issued this month earlier
than on any previous occasion, shows
! that the March expectations of manu-
factures were $36.025. 1888 or more than
% per cent. in excess of any preceding
month and so per cent. more than In
February, 1899 In March last year the
expectations of manufacturers We're
| SOS, ,214, ,450; in March, 1897, $25. &c.
S61, and in March, 1896, $40, ,125, I95.
On only two occasions, March and De-
cember, 1898, have the exports of IL
single month ever reached 2S,OOO,OOO.
Prior to 1897 exports of manufactures
never averaged in any month as much
as n million dollars for each business
day: in five months OF 1898 they aver
| aged million dollars for each busi-
ness day, and in March. 1899, 81 ,4O0,-
900 for each business day.
Captain w. E. Wilder, acting super
| intendent of Yellowstone National
park, has made special report upon
| the condition of the game in the park
to Secretary of the Interior Hitch
| cock. He sets forth that the snow Is
still deep in the interior of the park.
particularly so in the region inhabited
by the buffalo. The. game is in good
condition. The scout reported having
seen twenty-six buffalo, which became
so plnic-stricken when encountered
that they fed precipitately. About the
middle of May party will be sent to
capture some buffalo calves The deer,
elk and mountain sheep have pros
pered during the winter. The report
says there has been very little poach-
ing In the park during the winter, al
though some was practiced in the
northwest section of the park by
miners. Antelope have been more
seriously reduced than any other
game, some having been killed by
| coyotes and many We're killed outside
the limits of the park. If n fence
| along the northern line near Gardiner
is built, they can be protected. The
report was written only ten days ago.
Secretary Hitchcock of the Interior
Department has made an important
| ruling for the West In overruling the
commissioner general of the Land or
| flee in the case of the Stranger lode
claim, Cripple Greek district, Colorado.
In this case the Little Don Mining &
Tunnel appealed from the Pueblo land
| office. and made an application for
patent for n claim that was found to-.
| conflict with the adjacent claim. The
case was taken to the local courts. hut
n compromise was reached. and the
contestants asked that the Judgment
| by stipulation be entered. The Strang-
| er lode claimants applied to amend the
| description of their claim in accord
| ance with the judgment, but the COM
| missioner general of the land office
declined to accept II, and denied the ap-
plicatlon. The secretary declared that
the law required that judgments en-
| tered by the courts shall be recognized
by the department and are binding
upon II. In other words, the Interior
Department lays down the important
ruling that 1t will accept the decision
OF the courts in adverse claims filed In
the General Land Office, although 1t
rests upon n stipulation between the
parties. The land department. says
Secretary Hitchcock, IL not at liberty
to disregard this Judgment to any ex-
tent whatever. for any reason. which
Is now reversed. The decision will
form an important precedent In the de-
clslon of such cases, and operates to
bar consideration of the facts leading
up TO court awards and to require the
following of such awards. even II 1t
appears from the records to be contrary
to what would have been the decision
Of priority of possession Ind been
considered.
The arrival In Denver OF Mr.. Cop
pell OF New York, the big man OF the
Rio GYnnde railroad, has started anew