Gilpin observer., 1900-12-27

The Senate has passed bills granting
| pensions of $40 a month each to the
widows of General John III. McCler-
nand and General John NJ. Palmer.
The House passed the Indian and the
Military academy appropriation bills
The former carried $9,036,526 and the
! latter $7OO, 151. Neither provoked much
/ discussion. A few minor amendments
were placed upon the former.
Nothing in the Supreme Court since
the electoral commission that decided
the Hayes-Tilden presidential contro-
versy has attracted SO much attentlon
as the arguments over the political
| status of Porto Rico and the Philip
pines.
The Senate committee on finance has
authorized a favorable report on the
House bill giving the superintendents
of coinage at mints the right to ex-
change gold bars for gold coin at their
discretion. The present law makes the
change mandatory.
Representative Sutherland of Ne
braska has introduced Il resolution for
the appointment of a special committee
of seven to investigate the whole SUD
ject of the government ownership OF
railroads in Europe as well as in this
ton upon this subject.
Senator Nelson of Minnesota offered
in the Senate an amendment which he
will propose to the army reorganization
bill providing for the issuance by the
secretary of war to the governors of
the states and territories of h.raS-
.Jorgenson rifles and equipment Tor the
use of the national guard.
Last year it cost three tenths of one
per cent. to collect the revenues of this
government from customs, which In
cludeS the losses as well as the Salar-
les and other expenses. In the internal
revenue bureau it cost LIS per cent. to
collect S295, ,0OO,O 900. which also in
cludes all losses as well as expenses of
every description.
Chairman Lacey of the House public
lands committee has introduced bill
setting aside n large tract of land in
New Mexico as an additional park for
the preservation of cliff dwellings and
other prehistoric relics. The settlers
within the limits of the proposed res
ervation will be permitted to select
other lands in lieu of those now held
by them.
AS n special mark of distinction for
keeping the Democratic plurality in
New York county below 10000, Gener-
al Francis v. Greene, president Of the
New York county Republican commit
tee, has been appointed grand marshal
of the inauguration parade. Senator
Hanna, chairman of the national com
mittee. offered the place to General
Greene and he accepted it.
The board of naval construction, con-
sdering the bids for the construction
hntt l,ir nd hn
these points: One of the big armored
cruisers shall go to Cramps, one to
Newport News and one to the Union
Iron Works in California. One battle
ship will go to the Fore River En-
gine Works at Quincy. Massachusetts.
This leaves seven ships to be disposed
of.
Senator Wolcott recently called upon
President Mckinley and urged favor
able consideration of the petition filed
for the pardon of Former Banker
Kunzmiller of Denver. While the SEN
ator cannot say that favorable action
will be secured. he is encouraged in
that the President said he would send
for the papers in the case and promised
to give the matter careful considera-
ton.
The river and harbor bill as it will
be reported from the House committee
soon after the reconvening of Congress
on the Bird of January, will carry pro-
vision abolishing the Missouri River
Commission. Members of the House
whose districts touch the Missouri on
either side generally express the opin-
ion that the navigation of the stream
is so limited as to render the commits
sion useless.
Representative Shafroth to-day called
upon the supervising architect and
urged that contracts be entered into at
once for purchase of machinery for the
new mint at Denver. Mr.. Shafroth
suggested to Supervising Architect
Taylor that delay in the matter might
prolong unnecessarily the equipment
! of the mint and called attention to the
fact that much special machinery will
be needed requiring much time for its
! manufacture.
Mr.. Bell has filed with the secretary
of the interior the petition of Frank G.
Goudy and others requesting that the
geological survey be directed to imme-
diately make survey of project for
| tunneling the Gunnison river divide,
so that the waters of the Gunnison riv-
er may be directed to the Uncompah-
gre valley. 1t is desired that n thor
ough survey, with definite estimates of
cost and feasibility Of the project, be
made and report furnished as soon
as possible.
There is good deal of canvassing
among the Daughters of the American
1 Revolution over the approaching cleo
ton OF president of that order in the
place OF Mrs. Manning. who promised
last year that she would not be can
didate again. Those who are familiar
with the inside politics of the Daugh-
! ters confidently predict the election OF
Mrs. Donald Mclean of New York,
who has been Il candidate on several
occasions and Is the most active men,
| h., tba Nau Work nhn