War Department and the Philippine government or between the War Department and any other persons, by telegram, letter or otherwise, with reference to said Mindoro Development Company. Very respectfully, J. M. DICKINSON, Secretary of War. Is there a Mindoro Development Company authorized to do business in the Philippine Islands? If so, when and where was the company organized and what is the nature of its business? * EDWARDS. [Translation of cablegram received at 4.04 a. m., April 9, 1910.] SECRETARY OF WAR, Washington. Referring to telegram from your office of 30th ult., Mindoro Development Company; yes. Organized in New Jersey, probably this year. Business, production and the sale of sugar and various other agricultural products. FORBES. A COPY OF A COMMUNICATION FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, SUBMITTING AN ESTIMATE OF APPROPRIATION FOR EXTENSION OF THE WESTERN HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING. MAY 12, 1910.-Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith, for the consideration of Congress, copy of a communication from the president of the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia, of the 7th instant, submitting an estimate of appropriation for further improvements and extension of the Western High School building, $40,000, to be immediately available, and stating the reasons for the submission of the estimate at this time. Respectfully, FRANKLIN MACVEAGH, The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Secretary. OFFICE COMMISSIONERS DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Washington, May 7, 1910. SIR: The Commissioners of the District of Columbia have the honor to inclose herewith an item to provide for further improvements and the extension of the Western High School building, and to request that it be forwarded to Congress. The item is as follows: For further improvements and extension of the Western High School, including four additional rooms, toilet room, retaining walls, and the enlargement of lunch room, drill hall, and assembly hall, and improvements therein, and for increasing the size of windows in the east front of the present building for additional light to class rooms, forty thousand dollars, to be immediately available. In the District appropriation act for the fiscal year 1910 there was an appropriation of $72,000 for an addition to the Western High School building, to contain nine class rooms. During the study incident to the preparation of plans for this addition and when the work of construction was undertaken in accordance therewith it developed that the lunch room, drill room, and assembly hall required enlargement; that the construction of a toilet room and of three small additional class rooms was necessary, and that the size of the windows on the east front should be increased, and it was also found necessary to construct concrete steps and a retaining wall. A change in an existing porch was also found to be necessary for important architectural reasons. Naturally the sum appropriated for the fiscal year 1910 for the construction of nine class rooms was insufficient to do the work above mentioned in addition to that specifically appropriated for, but the necessity for doing this work is so apparent and the desirability of doing it in conjunction with the work that is already under contract, both with a view to imposing the least possible inconvenience upon the occupants of the school and to economy of inspection, is so great that the commissioners feel impelled to submit this estimate at this time. The submission of this estimate now is in accordance with the expressed desire of most of the members of the Senate and House constituting the conference committee having under consideration the District of Columbia appropriation bill for the ensuing fiscal year. Very respectfully, BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, By CUNO H. RUDOLPH, President. Hon. FRANKLIN MACVEAGH, Secretary of the Treasury. Estimate. Buildings and grounds, public schools, District of Columbia: For further improvements and extension of the Western High School, including four additional rooms, toilet room, retaining walls, and the enlargement of lunch room, drill hall, and assembly hall, and improvements therein, and for increasing the size of windows in the east front of the present building for additional light to class rooms, forty thousand dollars, to be immediately available. O 2d Session. No. 906. J. M. NELSON, ADMINISTRATOR. LETTER FROM THE ASSISTANT CLERK OF THE COURT OF CLAIMS TRANSMITTING A COPY OF THE FINDINGS FILED BY THE COURT IN THE CASE OF J. M. NELSON, ADMINISTRATOR OF JOHN R. HICKMAN, DECEASED, AGAINST THE UNITED STATES. MAY 13, 1910.-Referred to the Committee on War Claims and ordered to be printed. COURT OF CLAIMS, CLERK'S OFFICE, Washington, May 12, 1910. SIR: Pursuant to the order of the court I transmit herewith a certified copy of the findings of fact filed by the court in the aforesaid cause, which case was referred to this court by the Committee on War Claims, House of Representatives, under the act of March 3, 1883, known as the "Bowman Act." I am, very respectfully, yours, Hon. JOSEPH G. CANNON, JOHN RANDOLPH, Assistant Clerk Court of Claims. Speaker of the House of Representatives. [Court of Claims. Congressional, No. 13270. John R. Hickman v. The United States.] This case, being a claim for supplies or stores alleged to have been taken by or furnished to the military forces of the United States for their use during the late war for the suppression of the rebellion, the court, on a preliminary inquiry, finds that John R. Hickman, the person alleged to have furnished such supplies or stores, or from whom the same are alleged to have been taken, was loyal to the Government of the United States throughout said war. Filed March 29, 1909. BY THE COURT. [Court of Claims. Congressional, No. 13270. J. M. Nelson, administrator of John R. Hickman, deceased, v. The United States.] STATEMENT OF CASE. The claim in the above-entitled case for supplies or stores alleged to have been taken by or furnished to the military forces of the United States for their use during the late war for the suppression of the rebellion, was transmitted to the court by the Committee on War Claims, House of Representatives, on the 4th day of February, 1908. On a preliminary inquiry the court, on the 29th day of March, 1909, found that the person alleged to have furnished the supplies or stores, or from whom they were alleged to have been taken, was loyal to the Government of the United States throughout said war. The case was brought to a hearing on its merits on the 2d day of May, 1910. Brandenburg & Brandenburg, esqs., appeared for claimant, and the AttorneyGeneral, by M. L. Blake, esq., his assistant and under his direction, appeared for the defense and protection of the interests of the United States. The claimant in his petition makes the following allegations: That said John R. Hickman, now deceased, during the said war was a resident of Rhea County, State of Tennessee, and was the owner and possessor on his farm in said county and State of certain quartermaster stores and commissary supplies, which in the fall of 1863 were seized and appropriated to the use of the military forces of the United States then stationed and operating in said locality, according to the following bill of items: The court upon the evidence adduced, and after considering the briefs and arguments of counsel on both sides, makes the following FINDING OF FACT. During the late civil war the military forces of the United States, by proper anthority, for the use of the army, took from claimant's decedent in Rhea County, Tenn., property of the kind and character described in the petition, which at the time and place of taking was reasonably worth the sum of one hundred and ninety-five dollars ($195), no part of which appears to have been paid. BY THE COURT. JOHN RANDOLPH, Assistant Clerk Court of Claims. O |