The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-02
DECREASE IN PENSIONS
Recommendations of the Score.
tary Of the Interior.
MARITIME CANAL COMPANY
Assets and Liabilities OF the Corpora
Neutrality-suspicious. Action Has
Made the Resumption OF
Work Impossible.

Washington, Dec. 1.-The annual re-
port of Secretary of the Interior Hitch
cock, made public tonight, while sum
ming up the work in all the bureaus, is
of especial interest by reason of its
statements regarding pension policies.
At the close of the fiscal year there
were 991, 519 pensioners. a decrease of
2.195 during the year The average an
nual value of all pensions was S132.74.
The Spanish war probably will increase
the pension roll during the coming tis-
cal year. The secretary concurS IN the
recommendation providing that no
pensions be granted to commence prior
to the date of filing the claim, and
urges legislation to definitely construe
the act of June 81, 1890, relating to wild
oWs pensions. Regarding this he says:
I'm order to more exactly define the
words. means of support, l approve
the recommendation of the commits
sioner of pensions that the act of June
". 1890 be SO amended that a pension
able status be granted to widows
whose income, independent of the pro-
reeds of their daily labor, is not in eX-
cess of $3.50 per annum.'
The report also recommends legisla-
ton for authority for biennial inspec-
ton of pensioners and legislation pro-
hibiting the payment of any compen-
sation whatever to pension agents for
any service in connection with any
claim or proceeding under the pension
laws, except as such may be within
certain limits to be fixed by congress-
Secretary Hitchcock makes public an
advance report Of the Maritime Canal
company Of Nicaragua, dated Dec. 4.
next, setting forth that since the or
ganizat ton of the company 1915 shares
of the capital stock have been sub
scribed for at par, amounting in the as
gregate to the sum Of 81 800. 500, of which
amount $1.0S0S30 has been paid into
the treasury in cash: that there has
been paid into the treasury from other
sources s155, 1850, making the total
amount of cash received 81 ,164. 500. The
company has paid for property, work
and labor done and materials furnished
in the construction Of the canal and in
administration 81, 601, 772T0 in cash, 81
800 shares of the full paid capital stock
of the company of the par value OF
So, 1873, 900, $4,000 Of its first mortgage
bonds and its obligations for S67O5,oM
of the said first mortgage bonds. 1t
has also issued 10000 shares of it's cap
ital stock of the par value of S1S,000,00h
in payment for concessionary rights,
privileges, franchises and other prop
prty.
The liabilities of the company con-
sists of amounts still due under the
concessions granted to the company, of
the Sc, 7O5, 600 of bonds before mentioned,
the said bonds being due to the assig-
nee of the Nicaraguan Canal Consuuc-
ton company for the work and labor
done and materials furnished in the eX-
ecution of the work of constructing the
canal and other such liabilities out
standing and unpaid, to an amount not
exceeding $4,000
The assets of the company consist of
1. IL x,r r~Sf
mortgage bonds and of the 2,420 shares
of capital stock received in liquidation
as aforesaid, the concession, rights,
privileges and franchises which it now
owns and of the plant equipment and
other property in Nicaragua.
The congressional assertion of its
right to determine the line Of the canal
trough Nicaragua and Costa Rica I'M
der the concession of the company ac-
cording to the company caused uncer-
tainty as to final location of the route
and with other causes have made the
resumption of the work of construction
impossible. The company incloses two
formal protests, one dated Dec. %. 1898,
and the other Sept. s, 1889, to Secre-
tary Hay against the agreement by the
Nicaraguan government for another
canal concession in violation of the
rights of not only the company but of
the United States and Costa Rico.
The report estimates the irrigable
area OF the arid region of the United
States at 74,G00,000 acres, capable of
comfortably supporting under a proper
irrigation system 50,000,000 people. Rea-
sonable expenditures both by the fed
eral and state governments looking to a
well defined irrigation system are
urged.
Nearly so proposed new forest re-
serves or additions to those already es-
tablished is under consideration.
The Dawes commission reports that
the time has not yet arrived for the in
stallation Of a territorial or state gov
eminent in the Indian territory, owing
mainly to lack of uniform land tenures.