Arizona republican., 1919-08-04
CONGRESS SLOW IN VOTING MONEY FUR
 RELIEF IF P|NKLEY

LlELILI OI ! EIHtfLLi People who do not read the Con gressional Record religiously miss a great deal of interesting and humor ous matter One may also learn from q perusal of it that the impression that congress votes away great sums of money with hardly a thought is wrong, The Record of July 25 shows on three pages how carefully the claim of Hon. Frank Pinkley formerly a member of the state legislature, previous to that custodian of Casa Grande and now in hat service again was sifted.
 In the course of his former service as custodian he dug a necessary well and made other Improvements which nave since been retained by the gov ernment at an expense of something more than $400. After some correspon- dence with the department of the in terior this amount was scaled down to S350 but there was no money in the department for payment and through Hon. Carl Hayden the matter was laid before congress something more than two years ago.
 In the course of business it was reached a week ago yesterday. Here is what the Record for that day dis closes:
 Frank Pinkley
 The Speaker-The Clerk will report the next bill on the calendar.
 Tn next business of the Private Cal endar was the bill (H R. 6S7l for the relief of Frank Pinkley.
 The title of the bill was read.
 The Speaker-The clerk will read the bill for amendment.
 The clerk read as follows:
 Be it enacted, etc. that the secretary of the treasury be, and he is hereby. authorized and directed to pay out of any money Tn the treasury not other wise appropriated the sum of $350 to Frank Pinkley, of Blackwater, Ariz, for certain improvements made by him upon the withdrawn land adjacent to the ruin of Casa Grande Ariz., during the time that he was custodian of said ruin.
 MT. Little-Mr. Speaker. if anyobdy who is opposed to this bill desires to offer an amendment 10 it, which will give him five minutes time to discuss the amendment-the only way it can be debated now-I will wait until he has offered his amendment.
 MT Black-I would like to get time 10 ask the gentleman this question: l have read the letter of the secretary of the interior with reference to this :laim, and it seems that this man was .a1<ing care of the Casa Grande ruin.
 MT. Little-Excuse me just one min ute. Under the rules am not entitled to any time to answer questions. The Gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayden) who introduced this bill, is on his feet 10 make formal motion to strike out the last word, and he will answer the gentleman's question. Then 1 wish to be heard
 MT. Hayden-I move 10 strike out the last word, and when recognized I shall be glad to answer to any ques- tion the gentleman from Texas wishes 70 ask about this bill.
 The Speaker-The gentleman from Arizona moves to strike out the last word, and is recognized for five min 1tes.
 MT. Black-I would like to ask the gentleman this question: When did this man make these improvements. and how long did he have the use of them himself?
 MT. Hayden-About a year. if my re- collection Is correct, he was appointed custodian of the Casa Grande ruin. and served in that capacity for some little tlme. He made these improvements about year before he had 10 give up the office by reason of having been elected member to the Arizona state legislature. which make it impossible TOT nim 10 hold a federal office. Mr. tlnkley submitted a claim to the de- partment of the interior to be recom- pensed for the construction of a well Whlch he dug. because prior to that tlme there was no way for visitors to the Casa Grande ruin to get water. He aug this well at his own expense. and likewise built small house. which was lsed and occupied by the next custo- llan. He submitted a claim to the de- partment for s467. She department agreed that he should be paid s350. but found that no funds were available lie has agreed to accept that amount. ana Secretary Lane concludes his re port on this bill which I introduce fo,. Me. Pinkley's relief by saying
 l therefore recommend that the bill be enacted with the substitution of s35O in the place of S467.
 The bill was favorably reported in mat amount in a previous congress ana now carries an appropriation of but S350
 Mr; Black-How long did he himseIr use the improvement? l have asked that question with a view to ascertain ing II he did not use them long enough to reimburse him for the cost?
 MT. Hayden-My recollection is that ne used tfem about year before he gave up the custodianship. I shall in- a ri of that I received from MT. PinkIev wbicb fully explains the situation.
 Blackwater. Ariz
 January ?, 1917. Hon. Carl Hayden.
 Washington. D. C.
 My Dear Mir. Hayden: l have vour Ietler of December 2S, inclosing a con,, or the letter of the secretary of the interior, regarding my claim for rein oursement for improvements made at the Casa Graade ruin while I was cns~ todian there
 Inere is bit of concealed hunnor m this department letter-about s117 worth one way you might view if. nney are right about my offer to take sooV ana call 1t square. l didn't want 70 pike around splitting dollars and vSotnerlng you like I've had to- so I set siIdt aIpitrary value on the outfit and hoped they would pinch it out of some uepartment fund and we could get inn Ineoiate action and avoid red tape But the department not minding some red tape, and thinking maybe I had that human frailty which appraises it's own property through magnifying glass, stafteo me through this circumlocution office method of getting a sworn an praisement Now, having found that I was really maxino a yooa -er