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Show I EXPERT FIGURES ON NEW PENSION BILL jj It Will Require Millions of Dollars to Carry Out jlj Provisions of the Senate Measure-Fire Stamps j I to Help Baltimore Fire Sufferers K (Special to The Tribune.) " ' r - (By A,' F. Philips.) " II WASHINGTON', D. C, Feb. 27. Bun- i yan'n "Pilgrims' Progress" suffered a. ; ' setback during the recent sleet storm' I and " came to grief In the Capitol j grounds. It sleeted all night In Wash- 1 Ington. and in the morning the hill I crowned by the Capitol was as smooth as glass. Staid Senators and Reprc- sentatives toolc the yellow cars, for no S one could -walk up the hill. 1 Shortly after 10 o'clock the big- auto jj used by the Congressional library started down town to deliver books and jj! return with mail. The auto is a hand- . some one, and in fact is regarded as ! the handsomest one in Washington. 3 From the Congressional library to a tho hill proper the distance is about 1 2000 feet, and this space the groat car- U riago covered at a. rapid rate, and was 60on on the decline. The chauffeur 3 saw his mistake before he had gone a fl dozen yards, and applied tho brakes. J The machine stopped for a moment and then wheeled in a circle. The mo- j tor was reversed, but it did no good, ; and went waltzing- down the hill, clr- t cling rapidly as it gained momentum. Half-way down the hill, where New 1 1 Jersey avenue enters the Capitol . grounds, the vehicle struck the curbing and was brought up suddenly against , a Japanese Japonlca tree and badly ' wrecked. I.'., Strange- to say the only book in tne ,' vehicle damaged was a copy of Bun- yan's "Pilgrims' Progress," which was ) addressed to C. B. Landls, the genial i ' Congressman from the Ninth Indiana district, which now needs new binding. After an effort of at least two hours t the wrecked machine was righted by tho Capitol police, and by means of a block and tackle was carefully let down the rest of the hill, when; it was dragged to the shop for repairs. u t. a Republican leaders In Congress are of i (he opinion that the service pension bill will pass at this session, they having reached a conclusion that the time is now ripe for such legislation. The age limit, it is said, will be fixed at G5 years, when the old soldiers will be entitled jl to pension. The pensibn bureau has i figured out that less than $10,000,000 would be paid out on pensions; so pre-' pre-' pared, in the first year. It is expected that these pensions would call for ap- 1 proximately 515,000,000 the second year, and possibly reach $19,500,000 thereaf-: thereaf-: ter, which would be the high water ' mark. In the opinion of pension ofilc.e experts, a decrease in payments would then begin, because of the ages reached c;' by the beneficiaries. 1 , N, ' One of the ways suggested to help the N hundreds of people made idle by the h Baltimore fire Is that the Postoffice de- f partment make a special issue of post- i age stamps, to be known as the "Balti- ; more Fire Fund" stamp, this stamp to l be of the face value of 2 cents and available for use wherever the current h 2-cent. stamp may be used, but sold by !' postmasters to the public for 5 cents, the 3 cents to go into the fund for the 1 relief of distress in Baltimore. The consumption of 2-cent postage stamps in the United States is about , 8,000,000 per day. Assuming that for a period of 100 days 2 per cent of the stamps used should be the "Fire Fund" variety, the net amount would be $300,-000. $300,-000. It is said by stamp collectors that in tho event of the Issue of such a stamp not less lhan 5,000,000 would be absorbed by stamp collectors and dealers. deal-ers. This would net the fire fund $150,-000 $150,-000 additional, as well as giving the Government a net profit of $100,000, as practically nope of these 5,000,000 would ever be required to perform postal duty. This $100,000 would much more than cover the cost of production and handling. han-dling. It is figured that the enterprise would bo self-supporting and net to Baltimore close to $700,000. House resolution No. 10,869, introduced intro-duced by Congressman Mondell of Wyoming-, to apply a portion of the proceeds pro-ceeds of the sales of public lands to the endowment of schools or departments? of mines and mining In connected with the colleges established In the several States, under the provisions of the act passed In 1SG2, donating public lands to the several States and Territories which may provide colleges for tho benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts, is now In the House, favorable report re-port thereon having been made. It la not probable that it will pass this ses- i sion, owing to the fact that early adjournment ad-journment Is certain. The House Com- ' mittce on Mines and Mining had a pro- r longed hearing on the measure the mld-dlo mld-dlo of January and ordered favorable ' report on the measure, but, as stated, it will not likely get through this cession ces-sion for the reason stated. |