The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-04-03
Washington Letter.
tFrom our regular Correspondent
Washington, ID. c.. March 31s

NNoi vi ttiiiC Illus Dttll consumed Ill
trying to decided just what shall be done
and how to do it; meanwhile the SEN
ate has proceeded to get rid of its
Republican officers and elect Demo-
Gratis in their places. There Is
some doubt as to whether any general
legislation will be attempted at the
extra session. The Democratic Joint
caucus committees have been unable
to agree upon any definit plan, and so
report to each house. Speaker Ran
dali is holding back his committee APP
pointments to prevent any attack
upon general business. But if the
proposed compromise repeating meas
ures are not successful, it is likely that
the gates will be opened and long
session entered upon. The Republicans
don't seem to think that the COM
promise proposed by the Democrats is
any compromise at all. 1t repeals the
test oath, prohibits the presence of
troops at polling places on election
days, and does away with deputy
supervisors and marshals, merely
leaving it in the power of United
States courts to appoint supervisors
for each polling pIace-one of each
political party-who are shorn of all
power, and simply authorized to watch
| the election inspectors. This, the
Democrats think, is enough to insure
| a fo ir x,ota on1 a f,ir ooup+ b,,t II JoI,t
give one party lot of paid tools to
control elections. If this is not ac-
cepted by the Republicans, 1 am in
clined to believe the session will be
long, as a dead lock is almost certain
to ensure. But if is is agreed to, the
appropriation bills will be speedily
passed, and the session brought to a
close by the first of May, in spite of
the efforts of the Greenbackers to have
some financial measures brought
forward.
Upon a pedestal in the lower hall of
the Smithsonian Institute stands q
model of the new National Museum,
for the erection Of which Congress
recently appropriated S250,000. The
item was stricken out Of the bill, once
and supposed to be lost, but it was re-
stored at the last moment by the action
of conference committee. The
money is not available until the 1st of
July, but the certainty of its forth
coming has inspired some preparations
for commencing the work. The idea
of a National Museum was proposed
many years ago by the late Professor
Henry, who, in his annual reports,
continually laid before Congress the
necessary for such building. When
the Centennial Exposition closed, and
the various foreign governments
donated to the Smithsonian Institute
their exhibits, the want of room in
which to place them revived the
museum question, so that now the
erection of building, which shall be
worthy of the object, is only a matter
of very little time. The model
mentioned is the one which will
doubtless be adopted by the committee
which had the affair in charge, Gen.
Sherman, Mr. Peter Parker, and Prof.
Baird. This committee is now en-
gagged in making the final arrange
ments regarding the building. As
now proposed, the museum will be
situated on the southeast corner of the
Smithsonian grounds, and be three
hundred feet long by three hundred
feet wide, covering an area of two
and one-quarter acres. The style
followed is the ROmanesQue to make
it harmOniZc, as much as possible,
with the Smithsonian. The structure
is to be built OF plate iron and glass,
and, being only one story higli; will
resemble greatly the buildings at the
Centennial. 1t is to contain four halls
of 81 by 52 feet, four halls 130 by 60
feet, four halls 65 by 50 feet and one
hall 65 by 65 feet. From the centre
of the building rises the dome, 50 feet
high. Ninety thousand square feet of
floor space are to be lit up by 1900
square feet of glass, being better
light than was afforded at the Vienna
and Paris eXpositions. There is to be
pavilion at each corner of the build
| ing, the side walls of which will be 35
feet high, while the walls of the
building proper are p feet high. The
| flat roofs are to be covered with metal,
instead of wooden sheathing, laid upon
porous terra Gotta, or its equivalent i'll
fire proof, quality. The sleeper roofs
are to be slated upon iron rafters,
| plastered on the inside. 1t is intended
to eXpend Oh the building the whole
of theappropriation, and its completion
will make a beautiful addition to the
architectural structures of the city.
The case of the widow Oliver against
Simon Cameron still holds the boards
in the Circuit Court, and it developes
details more disgusting than entertain
ing. though crowds are in daily at
tendance. DR.. Mary Walker some
times looks in to see now matters are
going. For some time past the Doctor
has been wearing strictly masculine
garments, including hat, but she
somehow seems to forget that mems
hats are seldom worn in court rooms,
especially when. the court is in ses-