The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-05-29
FROM OUR REt-uLAR CORRESPONDENT.


this locality is concerned. Even the excit-
ing political contests in Illinois and else
where were almost lost sight o! in the gen.
eral whrl of interest in nearer event. |
Bot now that it is oyer and muscle has had |
its day there is again a chance for the poll
tcians to make a noise loud enough to at
tract attention. In Congress they are peg.
ging along without getting much notice.
The appropriation bills are nearly all passed
and the House has agreed to adjournment
on the Slst inst. But my say is that the
date will be weeks later than that. The
President says some provision for counting
the electoral vote must be made, and il
necessary he will convene an extra session
for the purpose. He is certaiAly right in
this. This country wants no more elector-
al commissions and no more situations as
threatening as that succeeding the presiden-
tial election.
Speaking of the boat race, it was just no
race at all. Thirty thousand or more strang-
ers were in town, and it is estimated that
at least one hundred thousand people gath
cred on the banks of the Potomac TO witness
the contest between the two great earsnIen.
Gay equipagCs filled with fair women oc-
cupied the heights along the shore; the
banks of the river were lined with beauty
and fashion of the country elbowing and
ostling with whatever ri1-raf could raise
the heedful halfdollar to secure Che priv-
lege Of the Americas citizen to share in
whatever enjoyment he can pay for. EN-
couragement Of physical training" serYed
as a well-turned rhetorical excuse for even
the clergymen to become lookers-on. 1t
was like gala day in Vanity Fair, and
the city was turned into a huge gambling
booth. Hundreds Of thousands of dollars
changed hands. But there was no contest.
Courtney, for whose success all Americans
hoped and who was generally backed by
Washingtonians in particular, outside Of
gambling circles, never even rowed over
the course. He came to TIE scratch tardily
and rowett fl,flessly to within about half
mile of the turning stake and there waited
Hanlan's return, while he bathed his head
in cool Potomac water-5Oalce6 il az it WERE
He said he had r severe headache and was
too III to row, and it may be true. But he
was already under cloud and the plea in
stead Of being accepted was generally dis
believed. Fhslead OF expressions of sym
pGthy, nothing was heard but derision and
insinuations that it was all a "Ifanlan
fright" This may be unfortunate and un-
just, yet few are ready to believe 50. The
general verdict is that he either entirely
loses bis nerve, or THAT he gets big price
from the gamblers. Fhe following lines
CATER Tennyson"-s long way after-ex-
pressed the feelings of his supporters.
Courtneys oolors were blues
Broke Broke BrokeE
On thy sculls, o, blue, blue C.y
would that my lips could find
Kew eusslwords to hingat thee!
Oh! well for the Hanlan sports
Who offered the odds to mel
Oh well for the pool-seller glib
) Who took in my seyen to three!
Broke + Broke Brokel
Or busted; whatever it be-
, The touch Of my dear greenbaclcs
Will never come back to me.
In fts impatfercs and haste il is to be
: hoped that the House may do something
e with the bill passed by the Senate last week
: providing for commission to report upon
e better and greatly needed accommodations
0 for the Congressional Library. This library
is no longer maintained only for the use Of
q Congressman; it is the largest collection of
books in the United States, and reference to
Y TO it is indispensable to historians and
b other writers who would have their works
II complete and accurate. It has also become,
If since 1870, place OF record for every pub
If licaton issued in the United States. 1t
e contains thousands upon thousands ofvalu-
able publications not to be found together
J. in any other single place, that are utterly
g unavailable to Congressman or anyone else,
q because there is no place in which TO prop
e erly dispose them. These books are piled
J. up and stored away in the place now oc
: cupied, an almost uncomatable mass. Were
Mr.. spoflord the present librarian-who is
Ie a thorough man and himself walking en-
a cyclopedia in book Inatters-tO suddenly
st step down and out, doubt il any living
r human being could tell what is in that IL
brary, or where to find many Of the valu.
able works. Were such collection any
where but at Washington, and under the
control ofany body Of men other than Con-
gressmen, it would long ago have been cared
for according to its merit If there is mol
sufficient room for it in the Capitol, it is fal
s more worthy of a special building thar
n many less important government charges
n that are being extensively housed all oyel
Il the country. shall hereafter give you
a readers something concerning this library
" its history, and an account Of the treasures
IS, it contains.
lg One after another the old landmarks o
ne the Capital are disappearing under th'
lie march of Improvements the growth of th,
I'd city and the relentless hand of time. Few
I'd Of the buildings associated with the early
ly history Of the city now remain to call NJ
" memories or "reminiscences. Opposite tn
s. Post Office building, on the south side of /
re street, lew weeks ago, stood the "Seator
es Mansion" plain, old, fashioned dwelling
N. house, which bore every mark of ha7inl
e, been erected by former generation Of peo
al pie. More memories of the great men o
n the city's past clung TO It's walls than +
IN those of any other private mansion sine
no ls4O. Hardly notable who figured prom
ul nenuy in the political affairs of the nation
Is, prior to 1880, but made his home at som
to time or other under It's portals. President
or Monroe, Jackson, Van Buren,, and Harri
lie, son, Lafayette, Chief Justices Marshall an,
rn Taney, Rossutr, tho Hungarian patriot
10. Clay, Webster, Calhoun, Randolph, and
IA host of oIhar celnbftiAs --are an ot,iartere