Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-31

pensions to it's soldiers. Previous to that
time, from July 1, 1880, to June 80, 1865,
the total expenditures for that purpose
were SOC, 445, 444, making total of $3,279.
1862 since the beginning of the govern
ment.
OF this total 10000, 600 was paid on ac-
count of the war of the revolution, $45,
100000 on account of the war of 1912,
100000 on account of the Indian wars,
$35, 600, 900 on account of the Mexican war,
So, 500, 600 on account of the war with
Spain, 100000 on account of the regular
army, and the balance, more than $1,000
100000, on account of the war of the rebel
lion. This total does not include nearly
SO, 600, 600 acres of land given as bounties,
nor the enormous sums that have been
spent for the establishment and mainte-
nance of the soldiers homes
The average value of pension is now
$134. 81 per year. More than one-half of all
the pensions paid are $40 per month and
under.
Chinese and Russian newspapers always
bear two dates, because of the differences
in their calendars and those of other cOun-
tries.
The Rotary Snow Plow.
The general manager of one of the rail-
ways of the far west told me last summer
that the invention of the rotary snowplow
had saved the transcontinental railways
more than 81 10000 year in keeping their
tracks clear. Sometimes they get forty or
fifty feet of snow in a season; often four
or five feet In single storm, and when the
wind is blowing gale the cuts will fill in
solid masses, which formerly had to be
shoveled out by hand> The tracks would
often be blocked for weeks at a time, he
said. Scarcely a week would pass, from
the first of December to the middle of
March, without lot of trains being snow
bound and thousands of dollars expended
to keep the tracks clear with wedge plows
and gangs Of Cinnamon. But rotary plows
are kept at frequent intervals along the
line AS soon as a storm begins they are
sent out and are kept going up and down
their sections of track until the snow
stops falling. In that way they are capa-
BILE of handling almost any storm which
may come, and the tracks can be kept
clear at comparatively slight expense and
very little detention of trains. In places
where drifts are in the habit of formin~
sheds are still necessary, and millions o.
dollars have been expended in building
them But they are great economy and
pay a big interest on the investment every
year. In some of the mountain passes
there are continuous miles of wooden tun-
nels made to keep off the snow, and they
are usually very effective
Mr.. Shafroth's Retirement.
Rev. W. B. Willard of Geneseo. ILL.,, asks
the name of the representative in Congress
who resigned his seat last year upon dis
covering that there was fraud in his cleo
to him, and whether he was returned to
Congress. The man referred to was John
F. Shafroth of the first district of Colorado,
who received a certificate of election in
1902 after frauds similar to those which
were committed In Denver at the recent
presidential election, and by the self-same
men. The returns showed that Al 40 votes
had been cast for him and 3S,64S for Robert
w. Bonynge. The latter contested the seat
Oh the ground of fraud, and thorough m
vestigation was made by the committee on
elections No. Of the House of Repre-
sentatives, which took over 10000 pages
OF testimony and employed experts to OK
emine the handwriting on the ballots ard
in the poll books. The committee was con-
WINGED that practically two-thirds of the
ballots examined were fraudulent. Mr..
Shafroth defended his seat with great en-
ergy and labor for more than a year, until
he became convinced, by the evidence of
the handwriting experts. that he had not
been lawfully elected. He therefore arose
in the House of Representatives February
l6. 1904, and, after brief explanation vol
unfairly relinquished his claims to the seat
he occupied and relieved the committee
on elections from further consideration OF
the case. Mr.. Bonynge was then sworn in
Mr.. Shafroth was congratulated and COM
mended by everybody for his courage, can
dol and manliness. No suspicion whatever
attached to him. He was renominated FOR
Congress from the same district last rail-
and was defeated. although enormous
frauds were committed in his district,
which are now under investigate Sew
eral persons have already been indicted and
the investigation is still going on.
The only other incident that has ip-
preached this occurred in the House of
Representatives on March 4, 1885. when
james Wilson. now Secretary of Agricul-
ture whose seat was being contested by
Mr. Frederick. voluntarily relinquished bis
claims and allowed Mr.. Frederick 20 be
sworn In, with the agreement that Tie
democratic members of the House would
permit the passage of bill placing Gen
eral Grant upon the retired list Of the
army.