The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-06-11
WASHINGTON.
OUR sPEoIAL LETTER.

WASHINGTON, D. c., June 4, 1881.
The air is full of rumors of Departmental
changes, and IL is anticipated that the first
Of July will be the date of the instalment of
good many new incumbents Of the leading
Offices, especially in the Treasury Depart
ment. The axe has already fallen upon the
official head Of Mr.. J. NJ. McGrew the sixth
Auditor, or the Auditor Of the Treasury for
the Post Office. His resignation was re-
qnested by Secretary Window, and accepted.
moval of Mr.. F. B. Lilly, the Deputy Sixth
Auditor. This was done, it is understood,
in accordance with an agreement made at n
Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday last. The
cause assigned for these removals, is an IL
legal completely in the star route cases,which
are now in process Of investigation. The
duty of the Sixth Auditor is to look into all
the accounts of the Post Office Department,
consequently payments to contractors for
transportation of the mails must have been
approved by him. 1t is therefore presumed
that these officers must have been in some
way interested in the star route ring which
had for its object the greatest good to the
smallest number, which principle is not ex-
actly in accordance with the idea Of popular
government. The Hon. J. II. Ella, of New
Hampshire at present Fifth Auditor of the
Treasury will succeed Mr.. McGrew. This
is an advancement, although no increase of
pay attends it because It is the only auditor
ship whcL is not under the supervisory con-
troll of any Comptroller, or in other words
he possesses the combined powers Of Comp
troller and Auditor Mr.. D. S. Alexander,
of Indiana, is the successor of Mr.. Ella, as
Fifth Auditor, and was the nominee of SEN
ator Harrison.
A committee has been for some time past
investigating the account of Mr.. Pitney,
Custodian of the Treasury Department.
There has been considerable local gossip con
cerning the matter, in which the name ol
the Hon. j. X. Upton has appeared. It can
be positively asserted that nothing whatever
has or can be found that in any way impli-
Gates Mr.. Upton in any of the alleged irreg-
ular transactions of Mr.. Pitney. The Com
mittee not having yet made report it il
not even known what, if any, charges can
be made against Mr.. Pitney in the arrange
ment of his official duties.
Mr.. j. Stanley Brown, the Private Secre
tary of President Garfield, left New Yorl
yesterday for London, England, being thu
bearer of large number of "Windom's" o.
81 bonds, which have been issued in con
tinuance of the per cent bonds of 1861 ant
1863. He will remain abroad about si'
weeks, and during his absence his response
BILE place will be filled by Mr.. o. L. Pruden
the assistant Private Secretary of the Presi
dent. Mr.. Brown has been an indefatigabl
worker for his friend, the President, durin
the past year, and his health required tn
invigor, tion OF cid oceans breezes.
There has been a marked increase in th
receipts of the Patent Office during tn
month of May just ended. The records G
the Office show that $4,000 in round mum
bers have been paid for issuing patents, owe
and ubove the amount received during tn
month of May, 1880. This speaks well fc
the industry of the inventive portion of ou
population, as well as for the careful dis
!, elimination of the examiners of the Pater
Office. DR.. F. L. Freeman, in charge Of th
class in electricity in the Patent office, hs
| nh hxy ha a a.,
II Of the Commission TO attend the Eiectrici
convention, to be held in Paris, August lat
next. As an exhibit on that occasion a co
: lection of all the electrical devices or PR
l. cesses which have been entered at the Patei
e office will be made. This will constitute
volumes as large as Webster's unabrdgC
Dictionary, and will consist of photograph
l. and descriptions giving the most compile
h details.
it The prolonged and serious illness of Nj
lie Garfield, from which she is now slowly r
- covering, has been attributed in part to Il
A. unhealthy condition of the White Hous
and to the presence Of malaria in the To-
o. swampY section south of the grounds. 1t
lie not impossible that these conditions mi
a. have had something to do with the case.
s. The White House, probably, is not the mc
- healthy place for its occupants either in the
er minds or bodies. Elegant as it has be
e, described to be in all its appointments, it
not very high residence for the Pr,
'' ident of so great country as ours. 1t b
8 so often undergone changes ana alteratio
that the walls are full of chinks and era
!. nies where rats and other vermin can he
:. high carnival, and the sewerage is so def
as tive that all sorts OF gases and odors are
se times encountered in some parts ofthe hou
ld So it is a fact that the exterior of fine fr
a Going, carpeting, and gliding serves only
he cover unsound and unseemly walls.
The White House has quite history a
IRE has cost good deal of money-more th
raj the celebrated Stewart mansion of New Yo
at The total expenditures including rebui
OF ing, refurnshing, etc., is about 81 1000
Is though the original cost was but $3.50
ed It's construction was begun in 1892 and
m. 1900 it was first occupied. In 1915 it v
nd rebuilt-after the British invasion, wal
iIs lsl2-and its porticos were completed
ate late as 1929. The East Room was fnisl
IN. only fifty years ago. Every President of
United States, except Washington, has Ii,
re- in it, and he has poked his horses head
ay to its portal to look up at the workmen pl
III tering on a scafiold. An irish archit
ent named Heber, direct from Dublin
dill Charleston, took the award of $500 for
ills lo,;,.,, o,,l IL kill o,,l ,oI,,;1. H. ol;f