Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-01-03
COryeSb0ndence.
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WAsHfSdToN, ID. G., Dec. 30, 1872.
The weather Is so changeab bio In this lati-
tude, from cold 10 warm, that after we have
heavy snow storm, and the weather mod
crates, th pedestrians on the streets arc
greatly annoyed by tho sliding of snow
from the roofs of the houses upon their
heads. BY the way, quite an amusing in
cdent occurred yesterday, as a newly mar
ried couple was returning from Doctor
Sunderland's church: One of those snow
slides nearly buried the happy pair, aud
only for the assistance of friends they
would have been stuck in the snow. We
have had four days splendid sleighing, but
the snow is now rapidly disappearing and
ere Congress assemblies on Monday next,
Cunless cold probabilities is mlstakeu)
the street will again be free of snow.
1t was hoped by the Western Union tele-
graph monopoly that the Post ONCE com
mttee of the Senate (or which Senator
Ramsey is chairman) that il would report
in favor of a recommendation of the Post
master General in respect TO the postal tel
egraph, and thereby be able, upon the plea
of inexpedicncy on the ground of it being
too great expense to the Government. to
uclcdt tlc lutd vi tutdp leleNTdpuN. He
committee weighed the subject well and
concluded that while the Postmaster Gen
eral had the best interests Of the country
at heart his recommendation to purchase
at Government expense the whole lines of
telegraph, was inc pedent and have, there
fore, unani nously rep 'rted bill, which
authorizes the Postmaster General TO con-
tract with a company, which will transmit
all kilograms at rates fixed by TIE bill as
follows one cent n word not exceeding $50
miles, two cents not exceeding 500 miles,
and if sent by night one cent not exceed
ing 1000 miles, which, in the aggregate, re-
duces the prices Of telegraphing to about
one-fourth of the present rates, and doub
les the present number of officers without
one cent of expense to the government.
There will be woman's suffrage conven-
ton on the 10th Of next month. OF course,
all the stars of the clan, with the exception
perhaps, of Vic. Woodruff S. p. Andrews
and George Francis Train will be present.
| 1t has long been the policy to hold con-
| venton here while Congress is in session,
| and from the vote in The House last ses-
| sion on the woman suffrage question, ono
would Judge that there has been some vir-
| tue as well as method in such course.
The pneumatic tube, now commenced
| from the Capitol to the Government Print
ing Office by a Mr.. Brasbane, has every
| prospect of not being finished for expert
| ment this Session. 1t will he remembered
that Congress appropriated ST., 900 last year
for its execution, which was understood at
that time that it would be completed at or
| before the converting of this session of
Congress. Mr.. b., however, appears SAN
| guine that it will be finished in season, and
assures us that he will, by it, verify to the
country that by the means of tho pneumat-
ic tube, the L. S. mails and small parcels oil
goods can be transmitted at the rate of from
$50 to 200 miles an hour, and thus revolu-
tionize the whole express system.
The Bureau of Education is steadily ad-
| vapcing the preparations for the Vienna
| Exposition in three directions First, the
statistics of education for the whole coun-
| try; second, that of collecting copies of all
| school reports aud catalogues of libraries
to be sent; third, that of collecting all
school text books, and school apparatus.
All publishers of school books and man
ufacturers of apparatus, are expected to
send the specimens to the Bureau of Edu
cation. Evidence of interest in tho expo
sition is increasing.
The recent cold weather tends to increase
the number Of small pox cases: Fight
deaths have been reported within the past
twenty-four hours. The Board of Health,
however, is sanguine in its efforts to con-
fine the disease TO certain localities, and TO
that end, has promulgated orders so strn-
gent in their operations that it ia difficult
to conceive how the contagion can spread
TO any very alarming extent.
|