Year: 1871

mOntOuB1y-1Ee Record The Coatract


Awarded to PhiIadelphiau-The state


PrintiDn-LikelihOod of New Proposals


Special Dispatches TO The EUepilg Telegraph


HARRISBURG, Jan. 25.-The question which
has been agitating the military meu of Phila
delphia for some time past has been finally set
tied to the mutual satisfaction of all parties
concerned. The resignation of Captain Ryan
from the 4th Regiment will be remembered by
the readers of THE EVENING TELEGRAPH. He
had command of the champion organization of
the country, having been awarded that title,
nominally, at the exhibition which was given
some time since at the Academy of Music in q
contest with the Montgomery Blues of Boston.
He severed his connection in the expectation of
being able to raise an independent organiza-
tion. 1t was suggested to him that it would be
possible for him to revive the old organization
known as the State Fencibles and he secured a
petition to that effect, signed by Colonel Page,
Lieutenant Colonel Cook, and other prominent
members of this old corps. 1t then needed
special act of the Legislature to extend the
same privileges to the company as are now held
by the Washington Greys, Keystone Battery,
Philadelphia City Troop, and Weccacoe Legion.
Such bill was drafted and presented in the
Senate by Colonel Dechert. The Military Com
mittee reported upon it favorably Protests
signed by the Board of Officers of the 1st
Division were then forwarded here, and they
were followed by number of the officers of
the division. Yesterday Colonel A. j. Sellers,
of the 4th Regiment, arrived here, and his
request the bill was recommitted, and full
hearing in the case was had this afternoon and
evening. Colonel Sellers made a long state
ment in which he held that such an act would
have tendency to disrupt the entire division
of Philadelphia militia, and that if it passed
in tha yris
for the revival of the charters of the numerous
old organizations which were in existence
some years back.


Captain Ryan was also before the committee
and stated the reason which influenced him in
pressing the matter He said that under the
present defective militia system of the State it
required heavy outlay of money by his officers
and men, which would be obviated by the pro-
posed enactment as the signers of the petition
had volunteered to freely give money, if the
old organization, which had taken an active part
in the War of 1912, was revived. If he saw any
other way to accomplish the object desired by
these gentlemen he would not insist upon the
bill.


Adjutant- General Russell then spoke at
length, in which he held that the recognition
of any further independent military companies
was against the true ascertained policy of the
department He knew of q course under the
present law by which Captain Ryan could be
accommodated, and he was not aware of any
gentleman connected with the soldiery of the
State whom he would more desire to crafty.
If the Captain would take his petition to the
Mayor of Philadelphia and have it duly at
tested and forwarded, he would by return mai
! order an election of officers, whom he would
commission as officers of the State Fencibles,
with the proviso that the organization must
consent to be assigned by Major-General Pre-
Vost to some Philadelphia regiment.


This proposition the Captain accepted, and
| the matter was withdrawn from the committee
! rhe Publication of the Record-The Contract
! Awarded by the Committee to "a PhiIadei-
phaB.


The publication of record, as far as the
| joint committee of the Legislature is concerned


has also been decided. This subject has caused
much excitement on the Hill, owing to the COM
binations which have formed, but which are
! peculiar to Harrisburg, to prevent the successful
bidder entering into the contract. This gentle
man, Mr.. John NJ. Carson, Philadelphian was
the second lowest bidder, and. by reason of the
! inability of the lowest bidder to fHlfl the re-
! quirements of the committee, was notified to
| appear before the committee and having
| satisfied that body that he could do
what they wanted, was awarded the contract


Every obstacle was placed in his way by a COM
! bination which was so apparent as to be the sub
! ject of general remark, and as a final resort he
was compelled to locate his printing establish
ment at Lancaster. Having made all the neces-
sary arrangements, he again appeared before the
committee last evening with his sureties, and
the contract and bond were signed. His price
is $l4 per page for daily record of the pro-
ceedings, including an abstract of the debate,
the length of which is to depend upon the i'm
! portanee of the subject under consideration.
The Public Printing.


| 1t seems to be the opinion of majority of
| the members that the ceremony of bidding for
the Slate printing will have to be repeated, as
] the contractors do not seem satisfied with the
disposition shown by the Senate to-day, in


unanimously passing the bill requiring all print
ing for the State, no matter in what shape 1t
may come, to be dOre at the same rate as pro-
posed yesterday. Those acquainted with the
manner in which this printing has been done
heretofore can readily understand that no man


can do one hundred dollars of work for twelve


and half cents, without having something
J else upon which he can more than make up