The Elk Mountain pilot., 1900-06-19


propriating $5,OOO.OOO for the Louisi-
ina purchase exposition at st. Louis.
Secretary of the Navy Long has
made the last change in the battleship
circular which ,he will probably issue
to shipbuilders. Five identical ships
will be called for. The first three
ships have been named the Pennsyl-
vania, New Jersey and Georgia, and
the names Virginia and Washington
are proposed for the others.
The Court of Land Claims has Off
cially decided that Rear Admiral Samp-
son was in command of the hest at
Santiago battle and that Admiral
Schley was in command of a division
of the fleet. Also the cruiser New
York, the flagship of the squadron, was
in the fight. This will give Sampson
and the crew of the New York a share
of the prize money.
(hdelbert Hay has done good work in
Pretoria and has justified his appoint
ment. He is only twenty-three years
old, but has shown that wise heads
sometimes rest on young shoulders.
AS consul of the United States he has
had a most delicate and perplexing
position to fill, and he has filled 1t TO
the satisfaction of the Beers and the
English, whose interests he has looked
after, the American citizens in the
Transvaal, the officials of our govern
ment and all others concerned.
The following dispatch was received
at the State Department Tuesday:
"Ohin Kiang, June 12.-Secretary OF
State: Large numbers natives organ
ized secret society, halted here. People
very apprehensive. No protection.
Want cruiser Martin" Mr.. Martin Is
the consul at Chin Kiang, and his tel
egram is the first news received here
to indicate the spread of the Boxer ag-
itation in that section of China. Chln
Kiang is one of the most important
treaty ports in China. 1t Is about 10
miles from Shanghai.
Director Merriam of the census Is OF
the opinion that the first information OF
the census will be about the city OF
Washington He expressed the belief
that the population of this city VIII De
about 100000. The work of the enum-
orators has proceeded satisfactorily.
AS soon as the returns are in condl-
ton to be made public, Director Mer-
riam will announce daily bulletins.
Big cities will be heard from first. Inc
counting of people in these populous To-
calities should be ready for announce
ment in about two weeks.
The opening of the Fort Hall reser-
vation In Idaho to settlers Is regard
ed by western business men in wash
ington as the beginning of new era
II western investors. 1t Is believed
tnat the opening of this reservation
will be of incalculable service to the
states bordering upon Idaho and that
all mining states, as well as Colorado,
Utah, Wyoming and Montana, must
reap richly from the opening of this
reservation. which, 1t is believed,
marks the beginning of new legislatio
for the arid and semi-arid states.
General Wheeler is again, after an
interval of thirty-nine years, an OFF,
Ger in the United States army and
brigadier general at that. He gradu-
ated at West Point in 1859, and In 1861
resigned his commission in the Second
cavalry to enter the Confederate army.
He Is the first man with that record to
be restored to the regular army. and 1t
is supposed that he will be placed on
the retired list very soon, for he will be
sixty-four years old next September.
Having received this appointment,
General Wheeler expects to retire from
political life and will not be a candi-
date for Congress.
The Navy Department will advertise
dened armor of the best type for battle
ships now building, for the protected
cruisers already authorized and for
the three battle ships provided for In
the new naval appropriation bill. Hav-
ing been assured that much better
terms could be extended by the armor
companies If the contracts were for
large amounts of armor, the depart
ment will test this by providing in the
advertisements for the submission OF
bids Of three classes, namely, for sup
plying 10000 tons of armor; then for
2nOOO tons, and finally for supplying
boo tons. 1t will be for Secretary
Lc4g to determine if the figure is rea-
sonable If not he must build an ar
NOR plant.
In addition to changes already an
nounced by the postoftice department,
1t is said that a number of other i'm
provements will be in effect during the
next fiscal year. The increased appro-
priation, it is said, will enable many
more clerks to take the fifteen days
leave of absence contemplated by law
and au emergency fund will be placed
at the disposal of first-class officers
for extra assistance during the holi-
days and other times when there is a
large increase of business. The post
office officials have strong hopes that
If conditions continue to improve 1t
will be feasible to limit working hours
throughout the service to eight hours n
day, beginning with the fiscal year,
Tuly 1, 1902.
This Congress will go into history as
one of the most industrious on record,
and this session as the shortest long
session on record. In 1877 working
days both houses have passed 1,215
bills, Of which 2S3 are plblic acts of
general Importance and 932 are private
acts granting pensions, paying claims
and giving relief to people who have
been injured or suffered damage in