Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-10-07
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
AMERICAN PROGRESS IN THE INDUS
TRIAL ARTS


TRIAL ARTS.
The International Exposition prom
lses to afford many instructive lessons,
to people from all countries, on the
progress we are making in the indus
trial arts. Foreigners are every day
more and more amazed, especially at
the perfection to which we have
brought mechanical appliances. One
example should suffice. The other
day an Englishman, strolling through
Machinery Hall, intently watched the
operation of making envelopes. The
process is very complete roll of pa
per entering the machine at one end
and coming out of the other in folded
envelopes. He finally said to the pro-
prietor of the machine, When are
you Americans going to stop ?" New
Ell" was the reply. Why not ?"
Because we can't stop" why cant
you stop?'' Because if we do we'll
be run over" This was the secret in
nut shell. We have too long per-
mitted ourselves to depend upon for
eign productions. We have sent en-
tirely too much money out of the
country for the necessaries as we'll as
the Injuries of life. Depressed times
have developed our native genius and
our resources wonderfully. We can
now compete favorably with almost
any other nation in the manufacture
Of goods fit for all classes of society,
and which, only few years ago, we
used to import and with far better
paid labor we are yet enabled to sell
our products at lower prices than they
can be brought here from abroad.
CoBwEBs IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
An old Indiana farmer came out of
the White House the other day very
indignant. On reaching the foot of
the steps, where a number of persons
were standing, he suddenly broke OUT
Its shame, a burned shame I've
been in this house several times, and
every time it makes me madden"
"Wha is it that makes you mad, !"
asked gentleman. The cOb,oebs, J"
said the farmer. why, just look at
that porch, it's black with EN-, and |
think it's a disgrace that the Presi-
dents house, the house of the repre-
sentative of the American people,
should have so many cobwebs hanging
aboutit. Why, do you know, [ wouldn' t
have 'em hanging around my barn !?
No sir And to think Of their being
here, when all those lazy clerks and
messengers in there might just as we'll
as not take broom and keep the place
decent I" And the old gentleman
walked off, every now and then turn
ing round round to take another glance
at the White House, giving his head
each time succession of signifca ut,
deprecatory shakes.
VANDALISM AT THE CAPITOL.
The officers of the Senate wing of
the Capitol are much troubled by ma
licious persons who have deliberately
gone to work to deface that wing. A
short time ago, nearly gallon of oil,
which must have been Ia ken into the
building for the purpose, was spilled
on one of the inner flights of marble
stairs. A day or two since it was dis
covered that a quantity Of blue ink
had been poured over the outer balus-
trade Of the corridor connecting the
Senate wing with the main building.
The ink was poured in two or three
places, and splashed about so as to do
as much injury as possible. 1t cannot
be removed without cutting into the
marble. So many people are now at
the Capitol every day that it is impos-
sible to keep watch of them all. Capt
Blackford, of the Capitol Police, says
the average number of daily visitors
at present at the Capitol is $500. He
has appointed guides to show visitors
around, and is doing everything in his
power to make it pleasant for centen-
NAL tourists. The police have sue
ceeded in Kidding the Capitol of the
large number Of thieves and confidence
men who hung around the ROtunda
during the summer, endeavoring to
victimize tourists.
A CRAZY MAN ON THE DOME OF THE
CAPITOL.
Considerable excitement was caused
in and around about the Capitol, on
Tuesday afternoon, by the desperate
attempts of man suffering from ma
MIA q potu to destroy himself by jump
ing from the dome. He had managed
to get upon the balcony, and was about
to leap into eternity, when he was
caught by the Capitol police, who
dragged him from his perilous posi-
ton, and, Notwithstanding his protest
atoms and resistance, marched him to
the 7th precinct station. There he
acted like madman, and in order to
better secure him, he was handcuged
before being consigned to a cell. This
seemed to increase his violence, and
| ba had not haan alone long before he
had stripped himself of every stitch Of
clothing, ard raved and fumed about
the cell as naked as when he entered
the world. He was watched to pre-
vent his injuring himself; and in a
short time nature gave way and he fell
exhausted into a sound sleep. He is
from the West, where he has been
making speeches for Hayes and
Wheeler. His friends say that his
present condition is the result of re-
morse.
Washington, Sept. %. 1876