Gilpin observer., 1904-02-25

! the temporary withdrawal OIL -loU,OUU
acres OF land in the San Francisco land
district, pending an investigation OF the
feasibility of the establishment of the
proposed Monterey forest reserve.
| The House bill authorizing the di-
rector OF the census to cooperate with
f, the state of Michigan in taking the
census of manufacturers Of that state
| was passed by the Senate. The bill
also provides for like cooperation in
other states.
Announcement has been made at the
, Navy Department of the retirement at
| his own request of Rear Admiral
. Charles S. Cotton, commander-in-chief
of the European station. He will prob
, ably be succeeded by Rear Admiral
French E. Chadwick.
! The President recently issued an ex-
| ecutive order revoking those of Presi-
! dent Mckinley, allowing gifts from of
| ficers of the army and navy and the
civic establishment in Porto Rico,
Cuba, che Philippines, ETC., to be ad-
miteed into the United States free OF
duty. The privilege had been abused
of late.
The fortidcation appropriation bill
was reported to the House on the 10th
irst. from the appropriations commit
| tee. 1t carries total appropriation OF
81 ,131, 1872, which is less by SAT-, "a
than was appropriated for Notifications
at the last session of Congress. The
estimates on which the bill is based
aggregates $21,573,197.
The House committee on postoffices
and postroads agreed to the report OF
! a subcommittee raising the salaries
OF rural free delivery carriers to
maximum of S720 per annuni, instead
of $500, as at present. The report
agreed to take away from such car
riers the express and news agency
privileges which they now have.
Senator Carmack has introduced an
amendment to the bill regulating ship
ping trade between ports OF the United
States and ports or places in the Phil
ippine archipelago. The amendment is
for the purpose of extending the time
Of the application Of the coastwise laws
Of the United States to the Philippine
archipelago from July l. 1904, to July
/, 1909.
The Indian appropriation bill as
agreed on by the Rouse comittee on
Indian affairs carries total of $780,
S11, based on estimates amounting to
$1,732,2 ,252. The amount of the last Dill
was sS,52i BOG. For current expenses
the bill carries s722. 400; fulfilling
treaty obligations. s2,077,164; gratui-
ties, s566. 900; incidental expenses, S76,-
900; miscellaneous, $615, ,S6S; schools,
S3.551 ,S6S.
Vice President Vale of the Denver &
Rio Grande company, was given hear
ing by the House committee on inter-
state and foreign commerce in favor oil
bill exempting narrow-gauge roads
from the application of the safety ap-
pliance law, insofar as such law re-
quires the use of air brakes on loco
motives. Mr. Vaile wishes authority
to equip locomotives of his road with
water brakes. using air for the remain
der Of the train.
Several bills were introduced in the
Senate February goth for the increase
of soldiers and sailors pensions in
case of serious disability. Senator
Burrows proposed an increase to SIS
a month fer the loss Of both legs or
deafness in both ears. Senator Hoar
proposed an increase to 500 month
for total blindness and Senator Calm
ger proposed an increase to $40
month for all survivors of the Mexican
war.
SENATOR mas lutTOuuCcu
bill providing that in case of upper
fected claims being included in for
est reserve, the owner may relinQuish
and be entitled to receive payment in
money of sum to be agreed upon by
the Interior Department and posses
sion relinquished, after examination
and appraisement by officers, of the
department 1t provides also that
hereafter forest reserves created shall
not include land grants and that ex-
changes of land shall only be far land
of like character.
II the effort which is being made in
Congress to transfer the control of
the forestry reserves from the Depart
ment of the Interior to the Depart
ment OF Agriculture are successful. the
enormous area of 62,254 .965 acres now
included in the reserves will be placed
in charge CT Clifford Pinchot, chief for
ester of the Department of Agricul-
ture. Mr.. Pinchot was deliberately ed
ucated for the career of a forester.
He graduated from Yale in 1889, then
studied forestry in France, Germany
Switzerland and Austria. He worked
as practical forester on the Wander
bilt estate at Biltmore, North Carolina,
and became forester in the Depart
ment of Agriculture in 1898.
The House on the 18th instant
passed the fortifcations appropria-
tion bill. The Philippine question was
the subject of brief but spirited dis
cussion while the bill was under con-
sideration. An item in the bill pro-
vided for Notifications in the insular
possessions. Mr.. Smith (Dem., Ken
tucky), proposed an amendment to
preclude the use of any part of the ap-
preparations for Notifications in the
Philippines. holding that an expendi-
ture of the sum necessary properly to
fortify the islands was not warranted
until the future Of the archipelago
shall have been determined. A party
alignment on the proposition imme-