The Elk Mountain pilot., 1902-05-20
LATE WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

sigma ture- IL carries n ltfe annuity oL
$500 for Mrs. Meeker, dating from
June, 1900.
Owing to the numerous communion
tons received by the attorney general
from all over the country volunteering
evidence of the Illegal practices of the
alleged beef trust, and because of the
limited force of the department here
and in Chicago, the district attorneys
throughout the country have been di-
rected to examine into the testimony
offered and forward the same 90 the
department.
Secretary Shaw has Issued amended
regulations governing the inspection of
baggage of incoming passengers at the
ports of the United States. The secre-
tary also has prepared circulars which
Will be distributed among passengers.
Another circular is addressed to collec-
tors and other officers of the customs
giving them particular instructions as
to the examination of baggage and the
courteous treatment of passengers.
The negotiations between Secretary
Hay and the ministers from Colombia,
Nicaragua and Costa Rica looking 30
the requirement of the necessary
rights for the construction by the
United States government of either the
Panama or the Nicaragua canal, have
at last been concluded and the secre-
tary of state will be able to send to
the Senate three treaties covering the
ground. The general features of these
conventions already have been out
lined.
The general land office has decided
to open the bulk of the Fort Hall In
dian reservation under the old rush"
will tnl- nj
17th. 1t is estimated that about 300,-
600 acres are agricultural or grazing
land, which may be entered under
homestead, timber and stone laws, and
all these lands will be subject to the
rush" About 10000 acres within five
miles of Pocatello will be sold at public
auction and not be opened up during
the scramble.
Thomas +. Walsh has accepted plans
and designs for the construction of the
largest office building in Washington,
to be known as The Colorado" The
building will be on the corner of Four
teenth and G streets. the former site
of the Foundry church. The frontage
on G street will be ia feet and on
Fourteenth street lis feet. There will
be nine floors and the building will
contain eight store and 2i3 office rooms.
The building will cost 100000 and the
ground cost 100000.
Senator Patterson called upon the
commissioner of the general land office
in behalf of a New Mexico cattle COM
pany alleged TO have fenced public
land. Commissioner Hermann said that
while no specific order has been issued,
it is understood there will be no prose
cutions ordered of those who have
Ig ,,.iar to Tttlxr Let
after which date. If the fences are not
removed. steps will be taken by pro-
cess of law to enforce the statutes
against Illegal fencing.
The House has passed the Senate
bill directing the payment of an an
nuity of $500 per annum for life, com
mencing June 10 1900, to Mrs. Arivella
ID. Meeker of Greeley, Colorado. The
annuity is TO he paid out of funds to
the credit in the Indian office of the
consolidated band of Ute Indians. The
annuity is granted Mrs. Meeker in rec
ognition of the services of her husband,
Nathan Cook Meeker. who was Indian
agent mt the White river agency, Colo
RADIO and Utah. and who lost his life in
the massacre which took place there in
1879.
Bells bill providing for free home
stead in the Ute Indian reservation in
Colorado. When this measure passes
the Senate, which is confidently eX-
pected il will do within very short
time, some 100000 acres OF public
land in western Colorado will be
thrown open to settlement by people
who wish TO use their homestead
rights. In order 10 observe the treaty
made with the Ute Indians when the
government took these lands out of
their possession the treasurer of the
United States will be called upon to
pay into the Indian fund S1.2j for ev-
cry acre thus allotted for homestead
purposes.
A lively debate occurred in the Sen
ate upon an amendment to the army
appropriation bill offered by Mr.. Balley
of Texas. providing that no part of the
appropriations made by the measure
should be used in defraying the eX-
penses of the special embassy to the
coronation of King Edward VII. of
England. Mr.. Bailey contended that
the United States should not send n
special ambassador to the coronation
of England's king or to the coronation
of any ruler when the country thus
honored did not extend like courtesy
to the United States on the Inaugural
tion of II President. After considerable
discussion the amendment was with
drawn and the bill passed. Subsequent
| ly Mr.. Bailey offered resolution which
will be considered later, covering the
point made in his amendment.
1t is reported that friends OF the
pending irrigation bill who have been
making a canvass of the House find
! that from twenty TO twenty-five per
| cent. of its members have heretofore
taken no interest in the measure what
ever, and have not yet decided whether
to support or oppose it. 1t is with
| these members that the irrigationists
| are working. in an endeavor to secure