Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-05-06

l WAhhlNoIoFf ~ VI I1ay D.
A most enjoyable occasion was the entertain
ment given at the Ebbitt House, ON Friday last
by some of the members of that eminently re-
spectacle body, the "senate," of your city, to
few Of your friends resident here. Under the
management Of landlord, Willard the propara
lions were complete. The repast was sump
tuous one. Everything the most fastdiout
taste, or pamperedappetite, could wish for wai
present upon the ountifully-laden table. The
furnishings were superb. After many, many
good things down on the tastefully designed and
neatly printed bill of fare-pure in its .spotlesf
| whiseness-it is simply absurd to attempt te
enumerate. might mention, however, "Fried
apple fritters, with Jamaica Rum sauce,' as
| somewhat q favorite of one of the honorable
] members, and "Plum Pudding with wine sauce,
Of one Of the distinguished guests. These were
| but mere preferences and are not to be taken
as specimens OF the ono hundred and one good
| sprouts" and "bnked Goldfish with potatoes
| ane turnip tops" were tabooed. All having
shown their appreciation of the tempting viands,
the table cleared and the customary toasts being
| in order, "our guests" was proposed by the Hon.
J. s., accompanied by few appropriate and af-
fecting remarks. Responded to by Hon. G. p.
i f., who spoke in glowing terms of the we'll
known hospitality OF the 'senate," individually
and collectively He had frequently heard of it,
| and now it gave him great pleasure to add his
unqualified recognition of it.
Temperance" acknowledged by the Hon. L..
y. in an earnest and eloquent appeal in behalf
OF the cause. referring to the great strides for
ward recently made in Wilmington, at the timo
OF the Presidents visit, and upon subsequent
occasions, he appealed to those present to Join
hands and labor manfully in the good work. AS
genuine outbust OF eloquence the peroration
was brilliant success far overshadowing Cough
10 his palmiest days, or any other man.
1.-THE day We celebrate. ."-Interprete by tho
Hon. ": d. n: He alluded to the frequent plea
SAINT visits it had fallen to his lot to make to
Washington, but upon careful review of them
all, he felt proud to say that in the long catego
ry, none would be 30 deeply enshrined in memo.
ry as to-day.
Woman" Responded to by-moJesty forbids.
(Notlling was said however, relative to the mo-
dest looking young lady at the other side OF the
dining hall, in whom one of the honorable MEM
bers appeared to be somewhat interested)
The reputation Of the Senate" for hospitals
ty and good cheer has long been proverbial, but
in this instance the honorable members present
more than sustained its good name and their
brethren at home have the positive assurance
OF one who knows whereof he speaks that fresh
laurels were added thereto on this happy occa-
sion.
In connection with the paragraph in my last
letter relative to the existing agitation about tho
District finances,i it is but proper for me to state
that, since its publication, the demand for full
and explicit statement of the receipts and ex-
penditures, since the organization OF the Terri
torial government has been mot by Governor
Cooke In his message to the Legislature, at its
assembling, OIL Monday last. Tho Governor
ses fhE hGEusRd sRd Rda tha hrfA3 M 3@ 3@
end makes showing most creditable to him and
his suborbinates in the management of tho mo-
neyed interests OF tho District, under the really
adverse circupstances OF starting the machinery
OF new form OF Government together with the
opposition OF large portion Of the citizens who
preferred things as they were to any of your
Yankee. innovations. with Increased taxes, &c.
The Philadelphia Press commenting upon
the message says The showing is.ohe OF which
the people of the District may be proud. AL
thought the debt is large it has boon incurred
Ia the Identification of their city, and more
honestly and economically, we believe, than in
the case of any other city,
1he New Xork Times also prints, nearly in
full, as of general interest" and says editoriD
ally THE present government of tho District,
being considered by many to be still an eXpor
iment. and the action OF the local authorities
having been go tiercey assailed in some quar-
ters, an official exposition of the conduct of af
fairs from one go high in public confidence as
Gov. Cooke, is valuable as a refutation OF the
reckless abuse which has been heaped upon the
District authorities for alleged extravaganza and
corruption" with much more of similar nature.
Even the New York Tribune comedies that 'Gov-
ernor Cooke, in his message to the Legislature
of the District OF Columbia, makes a fair finan-
cial showing" which is saying really more than
one would suppose from a casual reading, when
it is taken into consideration that its columns
were the medium through which all the afore-
said abuse was spread broadcast over the coun-
try.
Ihave referred thus at length to this subject,
fearing that some Misrepresentation may have
been occasioned in tho minds of your readers
by the remarks in my previous letter, it being
most foreign to my desire to, In any manner,
Join in the many reflections cast upon the Dis
trict authorities. My idea was that a fair and
conclusive showing should be made as an Offset
to the wholesale charges preferred against the
District authorities. Gov. Cooke, as have
shown, has amply supplied that want, and all
good intentioned citizens are satisfied there
with.
The pneumatic tube, for which Congress,
some two years ago appropriated $l5 600, and
from which SO much was anticipated by our
worthy Legislators, has unfortunately come to
grief. Tho contractor, Mr.. Albert Brisbane,
having underak to construct it, first in three
months, then i'll six, and finally in an indeG-
mite period recently had his hopes blasted by the
crushing in OF large portion of 1t through the
weight of dirt thrown over it in order to
give the street through which it passed the pro-
per grade. This pneumatic tube was intended
to convey packages. bundles, &c, to and from
the Capitol and Government Printing Office,
thereby dispensing with the now necessary
messengers and teams, whilst at the same time
doing the work of transmission in anIalmost in
credibly short space of time-three minutes be-
ing all the time claimed for the trip. 1t was to
have been worked through the medium of the
large fan wheels, used for forcing air through,
and yentilating the Capitol. The excavation,
starting near tno northern entrance 10 tue ben-
ate wing-the thoroughfare for visitors to that
side of the Capitol-was, for long time, sup
posed to be one of the many sewers comprising
| the intricate net work of drainage laid out for
the city by the Board of Public Works in their
comprehensive system !" and it must be said
to the credit of the Board, that, had it been con-
structed upon an equally substantial principle
as those sewers, tho tube would have been in
working existence to-day. As it is, Uncle Sam
Is minus $40, 500 of the money appropriated and
the tube as built can never be Of any possible
service.
An interesting, as well as amusing, scene was
the auction sale at the Capitol of the old desks,
chairs and carpets, which have, for long time
past, been used in the hall of Representatives
| and the Committee Rooms, which took place last
week. There was very large crowd In atten-
dance, comprising secondhand furniture dealers,
ex-members of Congress, members elect, and
any number of Mrs. Toodles. A large number
| of the desks having been reserved by members,
there was, in consequence, scarcely sufficient
supply to equal the demand resulting in the re-
| ceipt of very good prices for those sold. Single
| desks brought from $40 to $25; double ones
| from 90 to S12. Much amusement was occa-
stoned by the anxious inquiries Of the yerdant
ones for the desks of their favorite members and
| mschievous ones seemed to delight in leading
| the unwary astray.
| The old speakers chair, upholstered in GRIM
| son velvet was bid up to $96. 1t was not he
| chair now in use but a previous one made in
| 1923 and occupied by the various speakers from