The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-08-02
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
our Lettcr from washington,

Our letter from Washington.
Ncto HaPyoUemcRis at tie National Capital.
The Erection Of the National Museum.
Judge Humphreys' Successor. 80 Anotter
Ohio man Honored-A Uisn to the White
House on Cabinet Day. Our Ministers
at Pay and Work.-7Hc Boys Of their
Fathers.--Mc GarahaH, dc.
wAsHINeToN, d. o., July 20, 1879.
Visitors to the Smithsonian Institute during
the past month have been rather mystihed at
the clouds dust, the sounds ofbusy ife, and
the evidences OF labor which surrounded the
usually quiet edlhce. The reason of all this
is the construction Of the so.callcd annex, now
being erected rs a receptacle for the Govern
ment exhibits at the Centennial exhibition.
While opinions vary as to the eligibility of the
site selected, none can look upon the pile now
being reared without agreeing that it will,
when completed, be a suitable she'll for the
setting it is to receive. Located at the north
east corner OF the institute, it is adroitly placed
as not to interfere with the imposing front Of
of the irregular pile, which, with its varied
architecture, has been such source of pride to
the visitors of the famed result of Smlihson's
whlm The quaint curves, and turrets and
towers and angles which in the aggregate
make up the outside of the Smthsoniaa, still
stand in their bold outlines against the south
ern sky, while the new edifice, by a happy
combination, is just near enough and just far
enough to serve dual purpose, 1t will nc.
commOdGte the exhibits for which 1t is intend
ed, and will at the same time present, In n
m rkod consrast the modern and medieval
styles of architecture, for the annex is purely
modern. Up to date over2, 900, 900 bricks have
been laid, and about 13O mechanics and labor.
ers are employed. The remaining 1900, 600
bricks are expected to be laid and the edihce
ready to be rooted in before the cold weather.
This Is the largest job of brick work laid in the
District for many years.
Immediately on the death of Judge Hum
phreys the President decided on the appoint.
ment Of Mr.. Charles IL. James to be his sue
ccssor on the bench of the Supreme Court of
the District Mr.. James has been residing
here since 1854, although he is really a citi-
zen of his native State, Ohio, as he has voted
there several times since his advent here.
This is favorite spot for men of that profcs.
sion who have been members Of Congress, to
locate for the purpose practicing their pro.
iessicn, especially in cases where the general
Government is involved. These men, while
they really live here rarely if ever give up
their citizenship in their respective States.
The present Senator from Wisconsin, Mr.
Carpenter, is a notable example. Four years
ago, when he was defeated for a reelection to
the Senate, he formed a law partnership here
and made this city his home. Still he kept
up his citizenship Of Wisconsin, and was last
winter returned from that State. Mr James,
the new judge for the District, is in the same
category. He has been a resident here since
1864, but never gave up his citizenship in
Ohio. His election gives Ohio two appoint
ments on the bench of the District the Chief
Justice, Mr.. Cartier, being from that State
Ohio has also two other citizens on the Su-
preme Bench ofthe United States-waite the
Chief Justice,and Justice Swayne. Mr.. James
Is man turning sixty years of age. He was
a candidate for the bench when Judge Hagner
was appointed, and again when Judge Cox
was chosen,
Tuesdays and Fridays are what is called the
cabinet days in Washington The members
OF the Cabinet drop in one by one, but they are
all on hand by twelve o'clock Each member
brings his portfolio. The President sits at the
head of the table and Secretary Schurz at the
foot, on the right next to-the President Is the
Secretary of State, next to him the Secretary
of War and beyond him the Postmaster Gen.
eral. On the left next to The Pr. sIdcnt sits
the Secretary of the Treasury, the next to him
the Secretary of the Navy, and next to the
Secretary of the Interior ON that side the At.
tnTnpU A Tf., . -
is ten or fifteen minutes before the members
get to work. That ten minutes is taken up in
greetings and ofl-hand talk in which the spir-
1t of fun and humor crops out a good deal.
The Cabinet are all men with n sunny, fun
loving side when out ofoffcial harness. Judge
Key is perhaps the jolliest, though the At
torney General pushes him hard for that dis
tlnction. Secretary Thompson is proverbial
lover of n pleasant joke, while Secretary
Schurz is hardly equalled in telling one. Sec
retary McCreary is n good story-teller. Sec
retary Sherman does not indulge in humor
often, but when he does, it is, on account of
It's unexpected character, the more enjoyable.
Secretary Evarts is one of those Of the quiet
ly numerous sort. His fund of dry humor and
wit is inexhaustible, and though not uproari-
Gus is keenly enjoyable. The President has
probably the heartiest Cabinet that any Presi-
dent ever assembled around him. The old
bones who keep at them day by day are un-
mercifully dealt with by the heads of the de-
partment when they assemble. The Attorney
General seems to take a peculiar delight in
Joking Secretary Thompson. At n recent
Cabinet meeting the Naval Secretary took
with him list of mldshipmen who had pass
cd their examinations. The Secretary called
attention to them and said he would like that
their nominations for promotion to enslens be
sent to the Senate as soon as possible "as they
are worthy young men, who have thoroughly
earned their spurs" "Mr. Thompson" in
corrupted Mr.. Dawes, chow long since have
they been wearing spurs in the navy?m After
this ten minutes Of boy play before school, the
Fresldent calls the meeting to order. The
regular business is taken up, the Secretary of
state leading on with his budget The meet
lngs generally last about two hours.
The President to-day made public the names
Of twenty-luur of the persons selected to tll
the thirty-fiye vacancies of second lieutenant
In the army. OF this number seven appoint
ments are made from what are called the
Southern States. Of the seven, however De-
''' " W SaN II ElHlh, ls really from Indiana,
His father who is the public printer is native
and citizen of that State. Among the others
selected Gen. Fremont gets a son and Gens.
Rucker, Orr and Mason, of the army, each
son. An appointment from South Carolina
Is a nephew Of Senator Butler, a member of
the committee on military fairs Of the South.
The celebrated McGarrahan claim has been
transferred from Congress to the Interior De-
partment, at least for the present. The New
lara Co.,who have possession Of the property
claimed by McGarrahan, went before the Sec.
retary of the Interior as soon as Congress ad-
Journed and asked that a patent to the land
be issued to them. Mr.. Mctiarrahan's attor.
neys heard Of this coup d'eiat on the part of
the New Idria and at once entered q protest
against the issuance Of the patent. Yester-
day Hon. Mon gomery Blair and others at
torneys for McGarrahan, delivered arguments
before Secretary Schurz in support Of their
protest. They held in the first place that
McGarrahan owns the property bat should
his title be proven invalid the land or nj least