The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-08-22
Washington Letter.


WASHINGTON, ID. e., August ~ 1616.
few days ago our detectives obtained infor- |
nation of . daring plot to rob the Office of the
Metropolitan Street Railroad Co.. located in
Georgetown. and took Immediate steps for the
capture of the burglars. The time of the pre-
meditated attack was about midnight. after the
last car had been slowed away for the night
Owing to the many night entertainments of the
season. the cars have been running later than
usual, and it was supposed the Cempany's safe
was stored with an unusual amount Of the COW
eted cash. Accordingly, when the silence OF
night began to make the locality Of the Office
lonesome. and now p0rtentiOus. the Officers
with some of. the Com pany,s Onicials. stealthily
concealed themselves about the premises.
Twelve o'clock came. and soon after muffied
voices were heard in the rear. tn en- the forms of
five MASKED men stwD cOlored and thr ee white,
were seen. who. passing throng the car bouse.
approached the door. and suddenly burs it open.
Entering. they proceeded to the safe. and were
about to begin operations, when discover ing
concealed officer, one raised to shoot him, but
his arm wus dashed aside by one of his confetl-
crates. The peseetiye q once ared npon the
would be mnrderer This was the signal for a
general onalaa aght nom shoss awaitisg outsids.
Then for afew nomontst baildis G:raag gwithI
the INST repeating pt.tolshots. and ne noise Of
| the desperAte encounter. as the robbers endeav-
ored to break their way through to the street
and escape. Three succeeded. but ills thought
bearing serious wounds, while two were stretch
ed upon the floor. one fatally wounded, and has
since died, the other disabled by q bad wound in
one Of his legs. The latter it was who gave the
information Of the intended robbery to the Po-
lice. He has since stated It was the purpose OF
the killed robber. his brother and the two col
| ored men. to kill the watchman in ch arge of the
ofiice. and commit whatever other murder nee.
essary to their purpose. The parties are all
| known to be hard cases. some Of them peniten-
| tiary birds. The officers participating in the
affair acquitted themselves bravely. and though
exposed to imminent peril. stood to their posts.
Fortunately. none were injured.
Another storm burst upon this last week,
more terrific than that of the week before. Its
greatest fury. however. was expended on and
west Of Fifteenth Street. sweeping through
Georgetown. where the greatest damage was
done. Houses were literally lifted from their
foundations. and carried to some distance; whole
streets Of trees leveled to the ground. and house
tops profusely scattered around. 1t is said to
be the heaviest storm that has ever visited the
city, esssszsss 4 ssz So So - - s-zx =
Our Postal Service is fast striding 10 perfec-
tion, as.is cvinced I'd the three late important
steps. First, is the registering OF third class
matter: next, the transportation of coin by
mail. . shipment Of forty tons of silver from
Nevada having already been made; and now.
the cOnsummation of the Universal Postal I'm
ion Scheme, by which nearly all of the greatest
nations of the earth have agreed to exchange
correspondence. There is no doubt but the
whole civilized word will enter into the ar
rangement.
Secretary Thompson Is proving himself an
economical and prudent executive of his de-
partment. The appropriation Congress made
for the navy. in Its economical ft was entirely
too small. but the Secretary is chronically Op-
posed to deficiency bills and TO avoid them. he
has divided the money allotted to him into sew
en- different funds. to correspond with the diff
ferent divisions Of his Department, each Of
which is required to SO carefully expend its
fund SO as to make it reach over to the next ap-
preparation. He also makes use of all the old
iron and fixtures. instead OF selling them, as
heretofore, ut . great sacrifice. This is admin
istering Government affairs like q wise man
looks after his private interests, and is calling
forth expressions of satisfaction on every hand.
The fine heavy rains have demonstrated the
defects of Washington's sewerage. and has
aroused the whole city ON the subject Commit
tees Of our highest ofacers and most prominent
citizens have waited upon the Commissioners
recommending immediate action in the most
decided improv ements. The damage the city
the Congressional Committee for the investiga-
the London and Paris systems. These, taken
will NO doubt result in an entire change At an
early day after Congress convenes.
ssiss' -sA DRN0CRIrEs.