Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-01
MANY PLuMS FOR NEBRASKA
Dave Mercer Picks Them in Profusion in the
Form of Buildings,
HE BREAKS ALL RECORDS IN THAT LINE
HustIing Congressman from the Sec
ond District Gets Money for
Omaha, Hastings. Norfolk
and ulair.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S-(Special Tele-
gram)-In the distribution of pork as
public building bills have come to be called
in conjunction with river and harbor ap-
propriations, Nebraska today STANDS
amongst the top notchers so far as the re-
suit of this days legislative work goes.
After futile attempt on the part of one
mr. two southern members to hlibuster
against public building bills which had been
made a special order for today, Chairman
Mercer at last got mis- mill to grinding anu
! the way provisions for the purchase OF sites
| for public buildings and completion OF
buildings already in process of erection fell
! from the legislative spout almost took the
breath away from old timers
| But the bill to increase the cost OF the
| Omaha public building to $l,SOO,OOO was IN
| the second relay of the days work, Mercer
| holding Nebraska bills back to insure their
safe passage and at the same time free
them of the charge of favoritism which was
made relative to the bill for the purchase
| of a site and the erection of public build
! ing at Blair This bit of diplomacy was not
| without effect on the house and so talr was
MERGERS handling of his committee de-
liberations that it won for "Our Dave the
benrtiest encomiums, with the result that
he got what he wanted for the Antelope
state.
1t was hardly five minutes between the
time of reporting the Omaha bin in commit
tee of the whole and its passage ana thls
characterized the entire list of measures
passed today running into millions.
Hastings and Norfolk came next, in which
500 600 Is appropriated for the purchase OF
sites the committee having changed lts
original report of $4,000 for Hastings anu
81 900 for Blair to $4,000 each, as provided
in the senate bill. At o'clock, the omana
bill having been reported to the senate as
having passed the house, was taken from
the table by Senator Allen and passed WIN
out division. Blair was also subjected TO
the same generous treatment by senator
Allen, and York, which was reported by the
sanoto committee on public buildings and
grounds. followed in the wake of the Ne
hraska measures which made heid uaS
, for Nebraska unrivaled in the history o.
national legislation
The Omaha, Hastings, Norfolk and Blaii
measures now go to the preslaeht loi las
signature and another congress VIII nave u
!, take care of appropriations looking to carry
ing out Of the provisions OF the seNeFa
bills which were passed today
Money Appropriated.
Late tonight Chairman Allison OF tn
| committee on appropriations OF the seha'
announced that the committee, haVlhg con
> sidered the probability of the president sisn
ing public building bills passed today Il
both houses, had provided tor appropria
y tions carried by the bills TO com
mence work. Mercer, therefore, secured o
:. In. s,adfy ciiii ON the fouowins ahecnn
Nebraska: Blair, $21,500; Omaha. $3.50 o'ooo
= Hastings and Norfolk, $4,000 The entlr
amount is to purchase sites
Is one of the oldest members oil cohsref
IS speaking of the manner in which publ
y building bills were handled by Mercer sal
" that in an experience Of twenty years
congress he never ran up against such
'e terrific combine as today.
~ ut will probably never occur again. sal
be "because the personality of the chai1
ID man of the house committee was ai"a.
lie in evidence coupled by the desire fro
ii every section to secure recognition ar
n favor. and the Fifty-hfth congress VIII
down in history as the most extraVaga1
lis in the history of the nation. When "
30 combine personality and desire, you ha
al team which is irresistible
ee Representative Hager of Iowa. who ye
he terday succeeded in having the house pa
re a bill authorizing the president to appol
re Osborne w. Degnan of Stuart, Ia, WI
accompanied Hobson on the Merrimac,
be naval cadet at Annapolis, took the bill to [
IL White House this morning and saw 1t Sign
.of hv the president Mr.. Hager said that eve
ey citizen of Iowa is interested in Deignal
nd reward for his heroasm at Santiago A
,se cording to law Deignan is past the age
in admission to the Naval academy, but t
on bill relieves his disability. Deignan Is
years old and is well educated. The pc
,at ple of Iowa will furnish him with all t
Sc, money he may need.
1e- Captain Eager of Company Fl, First \
all braska, now at Manila, has written &C
gressmen Stark and Sutherland requesti
ST. them to use their influence to secure
The order for the First Nebraska, on its retr
at home, to come via the Suez canal.
MIR. and Mrs. L. X. Valentine of w
Point, who have been in the city for so
rs days, leave tomorrow on tor of Po
Rico. They will sail on the Obdam a
80, while en- orute will visit their son, Lii
tenant Watts Valentine OF the Nineteel
infantry now in Porto Rico
Postmasters appointed Nebraska-N
liam II. Hamilton at Ogallala, Keith couI
~ vice C. Patton, resigned.
oo South Dakota--John S. partition at
WV ton, Sphinx county, and Sherman f. Lu
,oii, ON at Bonesteel, Gregory county.
a..