Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-11-19
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP


ton, attracted hither at. this early period,
doubtless by his desire TO let arriving new
members know something Of him personally,
before they may be called on to vote upon the
ito him) all important question. This il a
wise move on his part; inasnuch as it takes
| very little personal association with him, to
impress most men very decidedly in his favor,
as a gentleman of genuine character and high
bearing Sometime since We took occasion to
| discuss his distinctive traits as public msn,,
and on this occasion have only to repeat that
in case the " Harmonious" get into anything
of a snarl in caucus, we know Of ne other upon
whom in the end they would be more likely
| to harmonse
The New YORK AssAr OFFICE.-The Trsa-
sury Department are of opinion that Captain
Cullum, (of United States Military Engineers,)
| the superintendent of this building, will have
| it completed by the 18th Of January, or very
| soon thereafter 1t will be recollected thatit
was only commenced on the 9th day Of Sep
TENDER last 1t will be built and furnished,
or appointed, within the appropriation of
800 900 mado at the last session Of Congress.
Tho superintendent, as we'll as the branch of
| the Treasury Department here which has con-
| troll of such work, deserve great credit for the
prompt and thorough manner in which the
construction Of this important establishment
has been pushed on. By-the-by, rolled iron
beams are being used in this building. This
is something new under the sun. 1t was not
determined to resort to rolled iron for this
| purpose until after satisfactory experiments,
proving that, as made, these beams are fully
equal to the task of sustaining the brick arch
| floors of the work. They 1.-THE rolled bcams)
cost only about 800 per ton, which is much
less lin some cases not moro than one-ffth)
| than the usual prices Of wrought iron beams,
which must otherwise have been used through
| out the building. The work on the two bank
| ing houses in Wall street, purchased for the
use of the Assay Office and custom, is also
going on very rapidly, and will be ready for
occupancy by the Government very shortly.
| The PROGRESSING BUREAU Rrs-From
what we leara, the annual reports Of tho vari-
Gus heads of Executive Department bureaus
now being rapidly finished will be very sue
cinct statements, Of the amount of business
done, the condition of the business at present
before each, with such recommendations for
the future as their authors conceive necessary
for the public interest," all of them will An
doubtedly be completed and handed in in
time to accompany the delivery of the message
TO Congress.
EXTRA PAY TO SOLDIERS UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCCMsrANcEs.-T The following extract from
a recent official lotter from Government nc
counting officer, is of much interest to the
rank and file Of the army:
'In reply to the question submitted in your
| letter of whether tho oUonauce
made to certain enlisted men, detailed from
the army as clerks, &c, in lieu of their daily
ration, by the Secretary of War, can deprive
them of the compensation granted by the act
of March I'd, 1919, while employed on con-
slant labor? | have to state, that whenever it
is found expedicnt to employ non commission-
ed officers, musicians and priyateS at work on
Notifications, in surveys, in cutting roads and
other constant labor of not less than ten DAYS,
they are entitled by law to receive fifteen cents
or an extra gill of whiskey, or spirits Tor the
communication fixed, in lieu Of the spiritsj each
per day. while so employed; and that no reg
ulation of the departments, or decision of the
| accounting officers, can rightfully deprive
them of this allowance. If the Secretary of
War has granted them Communication of their
daily ration ut Seventyfve cents each in lieu
Of this allowance and the daily ration, and
they have accepted it, then they have received
the allowance granted by the act of March ID
| 1919, in the communication, and are not entitled
to receive it again Rnt if communication, au-
thorzed by the Secretary of War be in lien
Of the ration only, then the receipt Of it can
not affect the legal right of the soldier to the
allowance granted by the act of March 81
1919. while employed on constant labor as
provided by that act.
THK MORTALITY AMONG THE OFFICERS OF
THE ARMY.-Thirty -one of the nine hundred
officers Of the United States army have died
of since the lst Of January last This, in time
peace, is very large per centage Of deaths,
proving beyond question the hazardous nature
of the services they are at all times called to
render to their country.
A PRACTICE OF THE ACCOUNTING OFFICERS
OF THE GovERNNENr.-An important rule
prevails in the Treasury Department forbid
ing the review of a decision made by the pre-.
decessor of any Treasury accounting officer.
unless new and important testimony in the
case may be presented by the party asking
! for re-hearing
A CLERICAL APPOINTMENT IN THE Pension
OFFIcE.-Mr. Amos T. jerks, of r. l., is
| appointed to first class $500 per annum)
clerkship in the Pension Bureau.
The New ORLEANS CUSTOM HousE.-Those
in charge Of this building write that they are
about to con- mencc the marble work upon it.
| The PirTsBURG CUSTOM HOUSE is at length
completed, except the heating apparatus,
which is not yet put in
THE CINCINNATI Custom HoUsE.-The cut
stone work has been commenced, the piers of
the cellar have been completed, and the con-
tractors are pushing matters vigorously
THE WILMINGTON (Del.) CUsrox HOUSE
The rubble stone work of this building is Gn-
ished, and the cut stone work has been COM
| menced.
The NORFOLK (Va.) Custom HoUsE.-The
foundations of this work are progressing rap
idly. They are now nearly completed The
granite for the exterior of the building is
now being got ont.
THE MOBILE CUSroM HOUsE.-The exoaya.