The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-12-14

of such an establishment could not be kept
up by charging only penny for lunch,
but the contributions of the people werel
so small and spread oyer SO wide space
that the expense was not felt by anybody.1
The total number Of people fed by Mrs.
Roberts last year, cannot tell, but it was
enormous. She now feeds 400 people twice
a day. Each day at o'clock 10 the morn
ing and three o'clock in the afternoon the |
crowd gathers in front of the building. |
a policeman is instructed to keep the hun |
cry ones in order, and the line of men, |
women aud children stretches far across the |
street. There are many good faces among |
the crowd, men and women decently at |
tired, some evidently ladies and gentlemen,
used to better things. Hunger is great
leveler.
The magnificent parlors at Willard 8
were thrown open the other evening and
thronged with the wealth and beauty of
Washington. From early evening until a
late hour, steady throng of people passed
through the halls and corridors into the
parlors to pay their respects to two men
| whose names have recently come promi-
nently before the public by their heroic
endeavors in behalf of their suffering
brethren in the pestilenGe stricken districts
of the south. Hon. Casey Young. repre-
sentative in congress from Tennessee, and
Col. J. Nj. Heating, editor of the Memphis
| Appeal, were the recipients of this hatter-
ing reception at the hands of our citizens.
La few appropriate remarks ex-governor
sheppard welcomed the two gentlemen to
the city and introduced them to the vast
iassemblage, MT. Young thanked the citi-
zeus for the warm welcome received, and
for fifteen minutes spoke eloquently OF the
noble acts of charity and love extended by
the people Of the north. Mr.. Heating
followed in few words expressive OF the
( feeling of the southern people towards
, their northern brethren for the noble char
lily extended After the speeches the
doors Of the dining room we're thrown open
and the guests sat down to one OF
a the most magnificent hanquets
ever spread in the city. The festivities
r were kept UP until the early morning hours.
4 Its proposed and will be submitted to con-
t gress, this session, to build q United
/. States memorial asylum IN Washington
4 for the care Of the heldpiess orphan child
1 rem, left without guardians and protectors
b through the ravages of tie yellow fever,
r Since l wrote you have visited the Ma
B tional Museum, the Smithsonian Institute,
d and of the many places of interest this is
v one of the most entertaining and instruc-
i tive 10 Washington. 1t is situated in an
= extensive park and is a splendid edifce,
l. constructed out OF red sand stone, in the
l. gothic style of architecture, and with its
n spiral pinaces and lofty towers forms a
o most picturesque and imposing pile. This
: noble institution was endowed by james
p Smithson, of England, for the increase and
u diffusion Of knowledge among men. The
n immense library formerly in this institu-
d ton has been transferred to the congress
J., sional library. The national collections oil
e aatural history, geology, &cc., of the I'm
a tied States exploring aud Surveying expe
i ditions are deposited in this institution
e The preservation of these collections is bu
s part of the operations of the establish
t ment Through its influence a series o.
es scientific Investigations are carried on BY
~ the c0llab0ratOrs 10 different parts of the
10 country. and the results are published In
lie series of Guarto volumes called the Smith
e, soniaD contributions to knowledge" copies
t of which are sent in exchange for othe
4 publications to all the principal libraries il
le the world. Many of the centennial exhib
st its have beeen brought here. A model of ;
t. gigantic building, proposed to be annexed
2. to the present one, is shown there; tn,
a. present building, though of such vast pro
in portions, is not nearly adequate to tn
h room required tor the many valuable thing
as stored away, and for future donations com
; ing from all ports of the globe.
Very much has been heard about tn
D. Washington monument, which, at present
ne tas the appearance of gigantic smok
ye stack, and, viewing it iu its desoate AM
be unfinished condition, one is very sugges
It, lively reminded of the illfated tower 0
d. Babel and it gives promise of sharing tn
e. same fate in regard to It's completion, as it
be builders appear to grope in the same ute
n, confusion as did their ancient predeces
il Concluded on next page.)