The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-08-24

 quorum In fight against appropriation bill of ss5,ooo for Eads bridge company at St Louis.
 Adjourned at II p. m. until 10 a. m. today without a decision on postoffiee bills.
 Washington. August 23.-Plans for ad- journment of Congress tomorrow were threatened tonight in the House by de termined fight of Representative Murcock of Kansas against an appropriation of ss5.oOo for mail service on the Eads bridge across the Mississippi river. The bridge conr eets East St. Louis and St. Louis and is owned by b corporations.
 Mr Murdock, amid exciting scenes among members anxious to get nome In- sisted on a point of no quorum and a hurried call was sent out for absentees.
 The attaek on the bridge company came during consideration of the conference re- port en the pqst2ffice appropriation bill which the Senate already had adopted MT Murdoelx first made the point of order that the eonfeiees had exceeded their authority in putting into the bill all annendment which provided that part of the appropriation for inland teansporta- ton of mails should be paid for carrying mails seross the bridge connecting those two cities other than upon g mileage basis" and vestlng discretionary author ity in the Postmaster, General to pay a fair and reasonable price for the special transfer and terminal service the cost not to exceed sS5.0oo.
 Charges Trust Control
 Air Murdocx said that a trust controlled the Eads bridge, the same trust that op- eratod the Merchants bridge nearby. Rep resentative Moon of Tennessee and Rep resentatiye Weeks of Massachusetts, the House conferees, replied that the appro- prIation just about covered the actual cost of the service to the bridge com pany. Mr Murdock suggested that the supreme court had declared the Eads Bridge company trust. Mir. Moon re- piled that trust or no trust the govern ment should deal fairly and justly with it.
 The speaker overruled the point of order oil precedents that be said stretcted back over d century and then overruled MT. Murdoek's request for unanimous con sent for a separate vote on the amend meni.
 MT. Murdock then made the point of no quorum and a score of members voiced their indignation across the House cham Der. Earlier in the day in anticipation of the move, Speaker Clark and others had talked with MT. Murdock in an effort to slow that an insistence upon quorum at this time might mean throwing ad- jcurnment of Congress over into next week.
 No Quorum in House
 Afser the roll call had proco eded some time, it became appa -ent that rot even an al proxinate duorum could os obtained tonight and the House adjourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow when the que estion of the adoption of the conference report on the Iostoffiee bill will be again brought pp. II was generally understood after adjournment that MT Murdock would not renew his vital point of no quorum. in which event the democratic leaders will be able to carry out their adjournment programme.
 House leaders, taking no chances, sent messages late tonight 10 absent demo cratic representatives to rush back to Washington 10 assure a quorum.
 Ending Is Tame
 Veterans of Congress failed tonight to recall another such tame ending of Congress as that which marks t,e eying of the present ses- sion which probably will close tomorrow sgteiHoon None of the feverisk haste and bustle that usually charactefses the completion of legislation and the passage of conference reports on appropriation bills was apparent tonight.
 The army blll caused but little debate in either branch and the conference re- porr was adopted by both H0iscs today.
 The Senate passed the general deficen- cy bill after a short debate and con ferees will adjust differences of the two Houses on this measure tomorrow. The fostoffice appropriation bill was the last to pass the Senate.
 The general deticiency bill. as 1t passed the Senate carried nearly sl2,oO0.O0O, al- laost double the amount of the House Iill. Many amendments were adopted in ti,e Senate.
 Chief among the Senate's additions was the item of S660C0 to repay contributors to the ransom fund for Ellen NJ Stone, the American missionary captured in 1901 by Bulgarian brigands
 An amendment changing the title of the office of supervising architect in the treasury department to the bureau of public buildings was adopted. The su- pervising architect would he known as the director of public buildings.
 The Senate agreed to the conference ~---~---~~----~~->~-~
 tContinued on Page Eirveny