Las Vegas age. [volume] (Las Vegas, Nev.) 1905-1947, 1928-03-06
Nevada Senator'S
Get Good Results
at Washington
AMENDMENT TO FEDER-
AL HIGHWAY BILL AND
RESOLUTIONS PASS IN
SENATE
HIGHWAY BILL A BOON
TO NEVADA AND UTAH
Get Resolution Through To
Pay NeVada's Old War
CLAIMS
Especial to The Age)

WASHINGTON, Mar. 6-That
Nevada is well served in the SEN
ate of the United States is again
evidenced by the passage Of two
measures, both OF much import
ance to the state, last Friday af-
ternoon.
tor Oddie introduced again his
bill amending the Federal High
way Law which had gone down In
the crush at the close Of the ses-
sion In the spring of 1927.
The bill, among other things.
provides that the Federal Govern
ment may meet the entire cost Of
certain links In the highway sys-
tenn In states which are SpArsely
populated and contain q large per
centage of public lands Under
this act. when passed by the
House, sections of highway Like
through the Arizona strip ON the
Arrowhead highway, may be con-
structed entirely by Federal funds.
Another measure of great Inn
portance passed last Friday, l. the
Senate Joint Resolution No. Il.
introduced by Senator PittmAn.
The resolution gives promise Of
the repayment to the state Of
Nevada of approximately $500, 900
which has been owing from the
federal government since tho
| Civil war. It directs the Control
I Ter Of the United States to corttfy
to the budget for insertion in an
appropriation bill the amount Of
$426, 6,939.68, with interest on the
principal from January 1. 1900.
9 The history of Nevada's Owl
War claim Is of interest. In a re-
port made by the subcommittee
of the Committee on Judiciary of
which Senator Waterman Of Colo-
was chairman, find the follow
ling information:
In 1864. at the request Of Brig
adler General G. Wright. com
msnding the U. 8. forces on the
Pacific Coast, the Nevada Ter
ritorial legislature passed an act
ITO encourage enlistmentS and
give bounties and extra pay to
our volunteer soldiers" Under
this act l,180 men were enlisted
and furnished their own equip
ment. The payment Of $40 per
recruit and S. per month to SOL
dierS in addition to their Army
pay made it possible to set these
recruits.
There were no U. 8. troops In
the country between Salt Lake
City and Carson City and the
Overland mail route was frequent
ly interrupted by the Indians. 1t
was for the purpose Of keeping
this route open for mail and emi-
grant trains so SIS to give the
the nation the benefit of the great
wealth being taken from the Com
stock Lode, that the indebtedness
was incurred.
President Lincoln had decided
that the Constitution Of the Unit
ed States should be amended 6y
the adoption of the thirteenth
amendment. 1t was was believed
that this amendment would be
worth at least one million men
in the field-but one more state
was needed. The State Of Nevada
was organized and admitted into
the Union to meet the emergency.
Thus the 5000 or 80 Nevadans
organized q state government. It
was necessary in order to meet the
payments to the soldiers, TO Issue
bonds OF the new state. This was
done and the state assumed the
Indebtedness Of the Territory. saw
ing to the government many times
more than the payments made by
the state which the national gov
ernment is now being asked to
pay.
Wages in the Comstock camps
were high and the cost Of living
at q corresponding level Only by
paving the soldiers something
above the regular army pay could
men subSiSt. For example, the cost
of q bushel of corn purchased at
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. and
delivered at Salt Lake City am
ounted to SIT according to the 10
port of the Secretary of war for
: 1856.
. In passing upon the laws paes-
ed by the Territorial legislature
: prior 10 statehood, the Congress
: by implication at least, approx
!. ed those acts, including the cnt
=. for the payments to the sol
!. diers. The National gavernmen
!. has a moral obligation to repa.
!. the state of Nevada for the expes