Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-02-05
Secretary of War

lHII uHH dSkCu " fukttoo w
me sum of 81, 200. 800 for these maneu-
yers. Assistant Secretary of WarOliver has
recently appeared before the House COM
mittee on military affairs to explain, in
detail, the plan laid down by the gen.
ersl staff Of the army The plan for
next summers maneuvers contemplates
quitting the whole, or most Of the regu-
lar army under canvas for three months.
f. il desired to establish in various parts
of the country seven large camps of in-
struction, each of which would be OF
the size OF a brigade, and the infantry
which is not over 200 miles distant and
The cavalry which is not over 300 miles
distant will march to these campo. One
Of these camps could be located in the
northeast, one in the southeast. one In
The Central States, one in the northwest,
one 10 the southwest, one on the Pacihc
coast and possibly larger one al Fort
Riley, Kan.
President Roosevelt had conference
this morning over appropriations with
Senator Allison of Iowa and Representa-
tive Tawney OF Minnesota. Mr.. Allison
is chairman of the Senate committee on
appropriations and Mr.. Tawney holds
similar assignment in the House. 1t is
understood that the chief topic of dis
cussion WAS the omnibus public bnildlng
bill which it is now conceded will be
passed this session. The size of the bill
IS the main concern of the party leaders
lust now, tor one carrying many millions
would completely set at naught all meas
ures tor economy that the republican
majority has thus far made and Dragged
about. On the other hand the demands
for "pork" have become more and more
frantic from quarters that it is impos
sibIe to ignore. Dozens OF prominent
republican members have told the fresl-
dent and Speaker that upon their ability
10 secure federal building appropria-
tons for their constituencies depends
their very political life.
Comptroller Tracewell today rendered
a decision in which he refused to approve
the claim Of the Board of Supervisors OF
Alexsndris county for $3.50 for the en-
ployment of counsel in connection with
the ACQUISITION of the land for the souther-
IL approach of the new Highway bridge
icross the Potomac. The Alexandria
county officials claim that the govern
ment was saved thousands and thousands
of dollars by the service of the attorney
who attended to the appraisement and
condemnation of the land needed for The
southerly approach. 1t appears that il
| 1904 Colonel A. NJ. Miller, who was
then in charge of the engineering work
along the Potomac. called the Boz I'd OF
Supervisors of Alexandria county in con-
ference for the purpose of devising the
best means for securing the land at the
lowest cost to the government. 1t is said
that Colonel Miller directed the board TO
take such steps as were necessary for the
| app aisement and condemnation of the
land, agreeing to reimburse them for all
necessary expenses. Colonel Miller has
since died, and there is nc record OF this
agreement either in his reports or in the
records of the Board of Supervisors.
The price paid for the land was
$l.250 per acre, but the board
claims that without the services OF
.n attorney it would have cost the
government many times this amount,
possibly $40, 900 an acre. The Comp
troIler quotes from Section 1S9 of the
| Revised Statutes of the United States
shich prohibits the employment of spe-
,ial counsel by the heads of depart
neuts, directing that a call be made
upon the Department of Justice when
he services of an attorney are needed.
One of the peculiar features of the case,
and one which the Comptroller does not
| tail 10 point out, is the fact that the
Commonwealth Attorney of Alexandra
'ountv was the counsel in question, and
be has not put in any claim at all. 1t
appears that the board is asking for
Extra pay for an official who rendered
services for which he receives u regular
salary. There is Just touch of sarcasm
in the closing paragraph of the Comp
troller.s decision. "Ihe benefit the
country derived seems to support the
suggestion that it undertook the condem'
nation proceeding at its own expense IN
consideration oil the agreement OF the
United States to confer the benefit. "
He directed the Secretary of War to re-
fuse the claim, and this will be done,
So great has become the demand fol
horse meat at Nuremberg, Germany,
that the city council has been obliged tc
consider the construction OF new abat'
toir for horses, the cost of which is esti-
mated at $4S, 900. The municipal abat
toir now used is insufficient.
The promising tobacco crop in Cubs
has been almost ruined BY excessive
rains during the customary "dry sea
son." according to information sent thu
government by Consul Baehr, of Glen
fuegos. He says the government is be-
| ing urged to start public works to relieve
the suffering that must ensue from the
loss of the crop.
The vote of Senator Daniel in tht
democratic caucus on Saturday is moi
Understood here by many of his friends
and the explanation that he is opposed
on principle to a party caucus binding
it's members in o hard and fast agree
ment on anything is q surprise to then,
SO they hold that all true democrats
should be bound by their party caucus
and that the only hope a minority has
| is 10 presenting solid and bold front t.
its opponents.
| The response of the Interstate Com