The Lamar register., 1901-07-24
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.

Commissioner Evans, OF the pension
bureau. in his report of pension busi-
ness transacted for the fiscal year end
ing June Both last. says 1t compared
with 1900 as follows: The appropria-
tion for the two years was the same,
S144. 4.OO0,OOO for each year. The eX-
penditure for 1901 was S13S.G31 ,49a. an
excess over 1900 of S69,354. During
the year the pension roll was increased
to the extent of 4.3O1 names. making n
total of 997 .S33. The deaths among
pensioners numbered 3S,0S2 in 1901, or
2.275 more than in 1900. For the year
1910 claims were filed on account of
the Spanish-American war. or these
1906 were allowed and 1901 were ad-
judicntcd and rejected
Secretary Long has given out the ma
| jority report of the Naval Board OF
| Construction on the design of the sea-
| going battleship of which plans are to
| be submitted to Congress next Deccm-
Der. The plan of the bnttleship ns
submitted follows: Length, l30 feet;
beam, T6 feet; mean draft. "a feet. u
inches; displacement. 15.5GD tons. This
displacement will give n ship consider
ably larger than anything in the pres
ent navy. The speed will be nineteen
knots, and nn indicated horsepower
of 10000. The battery recommended
| by the majority Is to consist of. four
| twelveinch guns, two ten-inch nrmor-
ed turrets. twenty sevcn-inch guns in
easements and twenty thrce-inch guns
The machinery is protected by ten
! inch armor belt.
A comparison of conditions before
and after the passage of the nnti-cnn-
teen law by Congress will he tabulat-
| ed by the United States army statisti-
clans after September LIST. AT the end
of this month General Merriam will.
through Colonel Narnum, ndjutnnt
general of the Department OF the Colo
RADIO, have the commanders mt the
army posts In this department report
the number of new saloons and drug
stores established near the posts since
the new law went into effect, the num-
her of eases OF drunkenness, absence
without leave and other Irregularities
which can be directly charged to lil-
our. These will he compared with sta
tictics prepared Just previous TO the
time the anti-canteen law went into cf-
feet Many of the army officers think
that intcmpcrnncc has increased under
the new system and that the inquiry
will result In the re-establishment OF
the canteen.
The PostOfiice Department. thinking
that the general public has not become
thoroughly appraised of the fact that
postage stamps are now being issued
in bound books, has directed all post
masters in the United States to exhibit
at II conspicuous place in their offices
large notices announcing this fact. In
the larger cities these stamp books
IInve become well known. ana are NJ
ready in great demand, because be
tween each sheet Is an oiled which pre-
vents one stamp sticking to another
Moreover, the books are of II vest peck
1T size. and are readily carried about
But there Is n desire to spread thcs'
hooks in the country districts. as wei
ms in cities. and to this end, all rura
free delivery carriers are to hereafter
keep an ample stock of stamp books oi
hand. in order to supply all customers
In like manner. they have been direct
ed to fully ncquaint tile patrons o
their routes with the fact that stamps
are sold in this form. This innovation
is highly mcIitorious. and affords ;
great convenience to users of stamps
hence the extra desire on the part o
the department to widen the field o
their usefulness.