The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-27
most interesting and memorable week in
the House
sUNDRY civil AMENDMENT.
Senate Decides In Favor of COnstruc-
ton of HonoIuIu CabIe.

1
tfOn of HonoIuIu Cable.
! WASHINGTON, Feb 26-The Senate
committee on appropriations has completed
its consideration of the sundry civil bill
as passed by the House and reported it to
the Senate. The most important amend
ment made by the committee is a provision
| for cable to Honolulu. The amendment
provides that the cost of the cable shall
not exceed $25O0,0O0. The text of the amend
ment follows:
THAT there shall be constructed by the
| United States, under the direction of the
| secretary Of the navy, for military naval
| and postal purposes, a submarine tele-
graphic cable and connecting land lines from
Pacific port in the State of California,
| to be designated by the President, to the
city of Honolulu, in the Hawaiian islands,
THAT the secretary of the navy is here
| by authorized, empowered and directed to
| detail one or more vessels of the United
| States for the purpose of making surveys
and taking careful, necessary soundings in
| order to determine the most practicable
lire for said cable.
THAT the construction and laying of such
cable or cables shall be under the general
| control and direction of the secretary of
| the navy, and he Is hereby empowered and
required, Immediately after the passage of
! this act, to prescribe and cause 20 be pre-
pared plans and specifications for the con-
struction and laying of said line of tele-
graphic cable to be constructed and put in
operation at the earliest practicable date.
Contracts for the construction and lay
ing of said line of telegraphic cable, and for
| supplying the necessary instruments and
appliances conected Herewith, except such
ha mr. w nd off
ciently done by the navy department, shall
be awarded to and executed by the lowest
| responsible bidder or bidders, after such
notice by advertisement for sealed bids as
| shall be deemed reasonable and sufficient
| by the secretary of the navy; provided,
that in all advertisements for bids it shall
be provided that all appliances and mate
rials shall be Of the best quality, adapted
for the highest efficiency.
THAT when such telegraphic cable is COM
pleted the operation of the same shall be
under the control of the postmaster gen.
eral, who shall establish a rate of toll for
commercial messages not exceeding % cents
a word.to Honolulu, and for press messages
at rate not exceeding one-third of the
above-named rates. and the sum Of 100000
is hereby Appropriated toward construction
of said cable; and the total cost of said
line shall not exceed $2500,OO0 to be paid
for from time to time, as appropriations
shall be made by Congress-"
The total increases of the Senate amount
to $4O9s, 406. the bill as reported to the Sen
ate carrying .9S9. The more impor-
tant changes follow: Public building at
Altoona, Pa, $125, 600; light and fog signal
near Point Areuello, Cal, $4,000; expenses
| steamer Thetis in procuring and transport
| ;,,es rofr To elra n. tvv0
cutters for great lakes, $165 900; limit of cost,
$685., 600; revenue cutter on Pacific coast, $1l2,
500; limit of cost, $225,OOO to pay widow of
Gen. Callxto Garcia amount of bail for
feited in United States Courts in Southern
district of New York, $500.
A provso is added to the appropriation
for the protection Of forest reserves so as
to provide that keepers shall enforce the
laws of the States in which such reserva-
tions are located. and legalizipg- homestead
entries on the Black Hills forest reserva-
ton made prior to Sept. 10, 1899. The total
appropriation for the geological survey is in
creased from $677 900 to $747 600; Des Moines
river land settlers, S150,000; improvements
Rock Island arsenal. $6S, 7O1; improving va
quai bay, Oregon, $150,O00; completion levee
Mississippi river from Flint creek to Iowa
river, Iowa, $4,000; revetment work, New
| MduIlus Mo- @aViVVVS Improvement HclADOA
| Helena, Ark, $4,000; Improvement Missouri
river from mouth of Sioux City increased
from $2OO,OOO to $500 600; Bonneville, Mo-, $10.-
600; improving first reach of Missouri, $780,,
0O0; monument to Sergt. Charles Floyd,
Sioux City, $1,000; National Soldiers Home,
Hot Springs, S. D., $50 600; limit of cost,
| 100000; Canadian commission expenses,
$4,000; Paris exposition appropriations au-
thorized increased from $3.50, 600 10 $1,050,OOO;
appropriated by amendment, $SS000O, of
| which $120, 900 for clerk hire for construction
of buildings in connection with the exposi-
| ton, $3.50, 000; for a monument to Lafayette
| in Paris, to be dedicated as a feature of ex-
position, $25 900 worth of bullion is to be pur-
chased from which $1,000 silver dollars are
| to be struck in commemoration of General
Lafayette, the proceeds to be used in the
erection of the monument; industrial COM
mission, appropriation therefor increased
from $4,000 to $4,000 per annum. Provso
! attached to appropriation for Government
Printing Office, fixing pay Of bookblnders
and printers at so cents an hour; new Gov
ernment Printing Office. $S50OO0, limit of
cost, 81 000,00