Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-12-09
IREVlSION OF PENSION
| LAWS RECOMMENDED
Secretary Hitchcock Pays Attention
to the Subject in His
Annual Report.
THE NICARAGUA CANAL PROJECT
Advance Report or the Special In
yestisating Committee Given
Out--.finaI Itoute Still
Uncertain.

Washington, Dec. 5.-The annual
report of Secretary of the Interior
Hitchcock, made public last night,
while summing up the work in all the
bufeaus, IL Of special interest by rea-
son OF its statements regarding pen
sion policies. At the close OF the fiscal
year there ssere 9o1 $40 pensioners,
decrease of 2,195 during the year. The
average annual value of all pensions
was S132.74. The Spanish war prob
ably will increase the pension roll
4ufihk the current fiscal year. The
secretary eoheafs in the recommended
tions for legislation providing that no
bensi6n granted shall commence prior
10 the date OF filing the claim; for
an early revision and modification OF
the pensions laws, as the numerous
lmcndatory laws and resolutions have
made the whole system labyrinth OF
laws and legal opinioIs.
Secretary Hitchcock urges lcgisla-
ton to definitely construe the act oi
June 27, 1890, relating to WIDOWS
pensions. Regarding this he says:
"In order to more exactly define the
words, means OF support approve
the recommendation OF the commits
sioner Of pensions that the act OF June
81. 1890, be so amended that pension
able status be granted to widows
whose income, Independent OF the pro-
teeds of their daily labor, is not In eX-
cess of $3.50 per annum."
The report also recommends legis-
lative authority for biennial eXamin-
ations Of pensioners; legislation pro-
hibiting the payment Of amy compen-
sation whatever to pension attorneys
and agents for any service in connecH
ton with any claim or proceeding un-
der the pension laws, except such as
may within certain limits, fixed by
congress, be allowed by the commits
sioner of pensions" and for delivery
free of any part paid letter or packet
addressed to pension agencies.
Secretary Hitchcock makes public
an advance report of the maritime
canal committee of Nicaragua, dated
December next, setting forth that
since the organization of the company
,l45 shares of the capital stock have
been subscribed for at par, amounting
in the aggregate to the sum of $l,Ol4.-
500, of when amount $1,00S,S3O has
been paid into the treasury in cash:
that there mas been paid into the treas
hry from other sources $50, 1851,
making the total amount of cash re-
ceived Sligo ,606.5t. The company has
paid for property, work and labor done
and materials furnished in the eNecu-
ton of the work of construction of the
canal and in administrative expenses
the sum of $1,t61 ,772.70 in cash, 31,900
shares of the full paid capital stock Of
the company of the par value of 3d.
190, 900, $15O,oOO of it's first mortgage
bonds. and its obligations for $6,f05,-
300 of the said first mortgage bonds.
1t has also issued 100000 shares Of its
capital stock of the par value of $751;
5000 in payment for concessionary
rights, privileges, franchises and other
property.
The liabilities Of the company con-
sist Of the amounts still due under the
concessions granted to the committee
IF Sc, ,7O5, 900 of bonds above mentioned,
The bonds being due TO assignees OF
the Nicaragua Canal Construction
company for work and labor done and
materials furnished in the execution
of the work of constructing the inter-
oceanic canal. and of cash liabilities
outstanding unpaid to an amount not
exceeding 100000. The assets of the
company consist of its unused capital
stocks OF $5l 800 first mortgage bonds
and the 2,420 shares of capital stocks
received in liquidation as aforesaid,
the concessions, rights, privileges and
franchises which it now owns, and OF
the plant, equipments and other prop
arty in Central America.
The congressional assertion OF its
right TO determine the line of canal
through Nicaragua and Costa Rica un-
der the concession of the company, ac-
rording to the company, cast uncer-
tainty as to the final location of the
route. and with other causes has made
The resumption of the work of con-
struction impossible. The company
incloses two formal protests, one dat
ID December 2, 1898, and the other
September s, 1899, to Secretary Hay
against the agreement by the Nicarag-
uan government for another canal
concession in violation of the rights
If not only the company, but of the
United States and Costa Rica.
The report estimates the irrigable
area of the arid region of the United
States at 74,OO0,O00 acres, capable of
comfortably supporting under a prop
II irrigation system 50,O00,OOO people.
Reasonable expenditures, both by the
federal and state governments. look
ing to a well defined irrigation sys-
en- are urged. Nearly fifty proposed
new forest reserves or additions to
those already established are under
consideration.
The Dawes commission reports the
time has not yet arrived for the in
,tallation of territorial or state gov
prnment in Indian Territory, owing
mainly to lack Of uniform land ten
ureS.
Attention is called to the phenome-
cal increase in railroad traffic in the
asst two years, amounting approxi-
nately in increased earnings in 1899
over 1898 to $9,OOO,000, and the previ-
,us year to S23 200. 900, the increase be-
ng only limited by the lack of cars
10 carry products.