Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-03-03
Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. 81. 1870.

when those two honest men, Rawlins and
Stanton, took their departure, the sum
total OF official honesty had been removed.
But it is not SO. There are many men OF
I incorporating integrity and sterling
worth that are connected with Congress
and the government, whose characters
seem frightened and purified instead OF
becoming soiled by their contact with the
corrupt wire-workers that resort to this
place to ply their vocation. Vermonters
may well feel proud of every member Of
the delegation sent from their State, for
upon not one of them did there ever rest
al,suspicion of incompetency or that he
would bargain away on any terms the
best interests of the people. They neither
sell cadetships nor favor extravagant ex-
penditures. They are the kind of men to
whom we may we'll look for the reforma-
ton needed in the administration of the
government. There are others, too, equally
worthy the confidence of the people.
Nor is Washington without its points of
interest to the visitor, Notwithstanding
its general unattractive appearance.
Some are within and some just beyond the
limits of the city.
| To the machinist or mechanic the
Patent Office furnishes large field for
study and admiration. Models of every
machine patented are exhibited in glass
cases, and when one desires close exam
ination of any of these he can have it by
calling upon any of the numerous attend
ants in that department, who will open
the cases and take out the articles desired.
This building, which occupies large
square and faces upon four streets, has
large walls, with continuous galleries on
the second story that extend completely
around the building. In these long walls
and galleries are the alcove cases in which
are put the products of genius from all
parts of the country.
To attempt anything like description
of them, would be to describe all the ma
chinery, farming implements and useful
inventions of the last thirty years. The
task is too great for me to attempt.
In the same building, in the basement
story, are rooms in which are exhibited
objects of much greater interest to me
than those in the patent office proper.
These are the minerals and geological
specimens gathered from the several States
of the Union. 1t is under the general
| care of the same Office, but Prof. A. r.
Roessler has the immediate charge of the
rooms, and arranges the specimens for ex-
hibition. Each State has case, over which
are its name and coat of arms, and in it are
the minerals and geological specimens
gathered therefrom, all of which have ap-
propriate labels attached. The case from
Vermont is but poorly supplied. Upon
my return, I shall try and procure speci-
mems of marble, slate, soapstone and the
most common and abundant minerals in
the State, and send them to Prof. Roes-
sler to put into the case. Indeed, will
take this occasion to request those who
have quarries or mines now being worked
to box up and send specimens to Prof.
Roessler The marble blocks need not be
polished, nor the express charges prepaid
for Prof Roessler with attend to these
Good characteristic specimens are all that
| are wanted.
If the men who own valuable quarries
in the State send on good specimens, 1t
may be that in case a new capital is to be
erected, that the one who has charge of it
may conclude to send to Vermont instead
of Italy for the marble so to be used in its
construction. think it will pay for
those interested to send on specimens
from their qusrries.
In this attraction the new territories
are well represented, and it would seem
from the exhibitions made that many
of them were exceedingly rich in mineral
wealth.
The Southern States. too, are sending
in many contributions from their unde-
veloped stores of mineral wealth, among
| which is a large block of rock salt taken
from the extensive deposits of salt in
| Louisiana. This salt is of unexampled
purity, and the deposit is said to be equal
to those of Poland or Cheshire Co, Eng
land
| The Smithsonian Institution is also an
attractive spot to which most visitors go
when at the capital. 1t is sustained in
part by Congress and in part from the in
come of money bequeathed by an English
man named Smithson some years since,
who, having no heirs to inherit his estate,
provided that it should be so applied as to
increase and diffuse knowledge among
mankind.
| Those who have had the matter in
charge have not only aided in the ad-
vancement of science in general, but have
seemed to m ke point it to enter new or
comparatively UNEMPLOYED folds for extend
ing their researches. Prof. Henry, who
has the general management of the Insti-
tuition, has made meteorology, ethnology
and archaeology, special objects for study;
Prof. s. F. Baird has pushed his inyesti-
cations in the extensive and interesting
field of Zoology, while Messrs. Mick and
Hayden, two eminent Paleontologists,
have contributed greatly to the science of
Geology, from the Investigations which
they have made in fossiliferous rocks.
In the Museum, connected with the
Institution, are exhibited many rare and
valuable objects, which are too numerous
to describe.
The Geological department is well cared
for. The specimens exhibited arc numer-
GUS and varied, all systematically arranged
and classified with appropriate labels,
so that every visitor who desires may be-
come instructed as well as interested in
visiting this department. la this museum
/ is probably the largest collection of what
are commonly called Indian relics
J.