The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-06-21
Letter from Washi,,gtO,,.

WASHINGTON, D. c., June II, 1878.
Notwithstanding but few people, as yet, have
left the city on account of the weather contin-
uing cool, business is very dull. But few
debts are being contracted paid. The
Board of Public Works has long since drained
| its treasury, and all that is now being done by
contractors who dare not present their bills for
payment for at least a month hence, at which
| time Uncle Sam promises to pay to the Board
about a million of dollars in anticipation of
work to be done after the ending of the fiscal
year. The Superintendent of the Government
Printing Office, Mr.. Clapp, has been compelled
| to furlough more than one-half of his force on
account Of exhausting the appropriation. Not
wthstanding there has never been before at
at this time of the year greater demand for
work long since consigned to that bureau, than
at present. Congress made great mistake in
| neglecting to appropriate necessary funds to
| print the Congressional Globe at the Govern
ment Printing Office after taking it away from
the Globe printers: nj C's. are applying in
numbers, begging for the Immediate printing
| of public documents so that they can avail
| themselves of the benefits of ranking dur
ing the short term of its existence. The Heads
| and sub-heads of the Government Depart
| ments are also much concerned. Their esti-
| mate for stamps was on the basis of the past
year when the public documents were nearly
| all printed and transmitted through the mails
before the first of July. This year they find
themselves at least two months behind. 1t is
difficult to determine what should be done in
| the premises. 1t is suggested that it would be
proper for the different departments to antici-
pate Congress appropriating to make good any
DEFICIENCIES.
The Sportsmen's Club of this city have made
a very sensible overture to Congress in the
shape of an act prohibiting the killing OF a
| great variety of birds, named therein. The
birds are utterly unfit to be taken as food " le
their services to the farming interes 'ond
price in the destruction of noxlous, .-.sects.-
Other game birds, proper, the law does not per-
nit to be destroyed during the breeding season.
The agricultural interest Of this country suffers
to the extent of $2OO,OOO,O00 per annum from
the depredations of few of the more destruc-
tive insects The birds are the natural enemies
l9f these insects, and hence their protection has
become prime necessity.
A heavy onslaught is now being made by q
ring of corrupt interests upon our national cur
y rency. The people, however, who remember
the mschievous vicissitudes of the cold wild
cat state bank currency" with its constantly
changing values and its sweeping panics and
compare it with the remarkable steadiness OF
the past ten years will not be deluded by any
such fictitious effort. Our true policy is to re-
ject the nostrums of set of financial quacks
/, whose effort is to secure a constant unsteadi-
ness in the money market, favorable to specu-
lation, but very injurious to steady industry.
The June monthly report of the Department
of Agriculture has Just been sent to press. II
shows a condition of the wheat crop fully equal
to that last year at this time, and prognosti-
Gates a crop of 250,O00,000 bushels if the sea-
son continues favorable. The cotton average is
increased over last year. Florida reports a
condition per cent above average; all the
other States fall below. Insects are ravagine
the crops in some localities, while in others the
cold wet spring has rotted the seed in the
ground. In Virginia eight counties report cot
ton culture against four last year. The indica
tons so far are for diminished yield. Corn
planting has been much delayed. An increas
ed average of oats and corn improved condi
ton are indicated. Grass crops are generally
promising. Fruit is seriously injured by cold
weather and insects in a large portion of the
country. Live stock has generally wintered
we'll.
Senator Sumner still remains in Washington
and will continue to remain until the extreme
hot weather drives him to his home in Mass
His health is better now than it has been in six
months before. He has been troubled grea
deal with pain in the head, but now it has
nearly left, and his appetite very greatly i'm
proved. He takes daily outdoor exercise and
reads and writes great deal. He receives bu
few visitors.
The people are demanding of the Board Of
Health to take precautionary steps immediate
ly to meet that most dreaded disease, the chol
t era. Washington, like other large cities, or
account of long and cold winter and back
ward spring, has not this year been as thor
oughly cleansed as usual. Alleys, until quite
recently, have been in most filthy condition
Hon. John A. Bingham is in town. He look
more cheerful than ever and appears to get ia
over his appointment to Japan. Mr.. Bingham
is willing to accept it as frst-class mission
There was much opposition to Mr.. BIS appoint
ment, and it was surprise to every one excep
to some of his most intimate friends.
Only eight cases of the small pox reported
during the week, and those are confined to thu
lower classes. 1t is remarkable fact tina
with the hundreds effected at time with thi
! disease here, there has been not case reportet
from any of the hotels and first class boarding
houses. LIFE.