Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-24
WORK ON RAILROAD BILL
Senate Measure Will Contain Other Pro-
visions Besides Rate Regulation.
ElNNs MAKES NUMBER OF SUGGESTIONS
Trunk Lines Are to he Required to
Furnish Better Facilities to
Lateral and smaller
Roads.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Nov. 23.-The
senate committee on interstate commerce
today continued the discussion of measures
relative to amending the railroad laws.
There were many ideas expressed, but no
development of Importance. Senator Elkins,
chairman of the committee. occupied much
Of the session in making suggestions and
discussing propositions which he thought
ought to be incorporated in any bill that
may be reported. These suggestions were
numerous and would mean quite lengthy
measure aside from regulation provisions.
Senator Elkins did not bring forward the
pooling proposition, but intends to present
it later in some modified form, so that
there may be freer traffic among rail-
roads.
One particular point made by Senator
Elkins looked to compelling trunk lines to
afford better facilities to lateral lines and
small roads which are compelled 70 use big
roads to reach a market. The better man
agement of the private car lines so as to
meet the demands of shippers. an amend
ment of the laws bearing on terminal COM
panies and terminal charges also were sug-
gested.
There was a great deal OF talk by other
members Of the committee. and during the
afternoon the Townsend bill was up
for comment. 1t did not seem likely that
this measure would be made the busis of
action by the committee several mem
bers have made drafts OF measures which
they will present for consideration. The
committee will meet again tomorrow at
noon.
sixteen Millions for Canal.
/ 1t was stated at the War department
! today that while congress would be asked
I to appropriate total of $l6OOO,O00 30 meet
/ the needs of the Panama canal works to
| June next. it is not expected that congress
will appropriate Il in lump sum. What
| is expected by the canal officials Is that
| congress will pass a bill making available
a portion of this amount to meet the i'm
mediate wants of the commission, because
1t was said congress would probably in
vestigate to learn how the money already
spent had been used before appropriatlng
the full $l6OOO.OOO.
| Report on Canal Level.
| The Board of Consulting Engineers Of
! the Panama canal met today to add the
! finishing touches to their work and COM
! pare notes on which to base the ma jority
and minority reports which will embody
the views of the members upon the sea
! level and lock projects. This was neces-
sary because the foreign members Of the
board have arranged to sail for Europe
on November IS. leaving the compilation
OF the preliminary reports in the hands OF
the American members subject to the!r
porusal and amendment at a subsequent
meeting to be held probably in BRUSSELS.
| Postal DeacIt Fifteen millions.
The annual report Of the auditor for the
Postofficc department for the year ended
June 80, 1865. shows tho fiscal operations
Of the department to have been as follows:
Revenues OF the postal service. sl52. sos SIS
| expenditures Of the postal service. Sl67
599,l69; total amount OF money orders issued,
domestic, s4Ol ,9l62l4 foreign s42 5OS 2i6; total
amount of money orders paid, domestic
sOt334,97I; foreign, s7.l5O,6s9; total, S,176,-
1SO,s79.
Cost of Inauguration.
| To inauguratc Theodore Roosevelt prest-
dent of the United States last March cost
Sl45, i91, greater sum than was ever spent
for any previous Inauguration. The details
OF this cost were made public today in a
report by General John NJ. Wilson. chair
man Of the inaugural committee. Notwth.
standing the large expense the committee
has turned over a balance of $3.50 to the
Auditorium association. an organization
formed to erect building in which to hold
future inaugural balls. General Wilson
strongly urges the erection of such a
structure.
Hyde-DinmOnd Case Postponed,
The hearing by the criminal court on the
demurrer filed in the Hyde Diamond case
in which fraudulent land transactions or
the Pacific coast are charged. which wa,
| set for tomorrow was today nostnone5 20,