Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-28
An Extraordinary Pressure.

taa " rfHt Gay or night, Tree OF cilarke
An Extraordinary Pressure.
The continued encroaehment of the extraordi-
nary spring advertising upon the reading space
of THE STAR neccssitates another doube-sheet
Tomorrow On Saturday there were 1877
,ser advertisements printed, being the largest
number in any one day in the thirty-one years of
the existence Of the paper The circulation OF last
Saturdays issue was 20,2S5. Advertisers will
confer favor by sending in their orders early.
Friends OF the Garfield Memorial Hospital should
not be misled, by the failure of the House TO pass
the act OF Incorporation, into thinking that the
project has been will be abandoned The leg
fSlation denied was not essential, and IL Is now
quite evident that a mistake was made In asking
for it, The hospital can be Incorporated under the
general law, and will then have twenty years OF
assured existence, In which It can seek for any ex-
tension OF time or OF powers which experience may
seem 10 make desirable That the House proved re-
luctant To incorporate the hospital due to
variety OF causes. but chiefly TO ignorance OF the
measure, and Of the need Of another hospital.
With so many institutions in this District, all of
which are more less limited and special In
scope, the average legislator cannot at first under
stand that not only have we fewer hospital beds
than other cities, but that we have really gen.
eral hospital, and no institution which fills the
place and does the work the sick and suffering
OF the capital, which is done by the large hoSpt-
tails of other cities. Then there are some jealou-
sizes, needless but natural, and in so large body
as the House of Representatives, there are always
men eager to gain reputation as economists even
II it be at the expense OF the sick and needy.
Those public spirited citizens who have under
taken the task of establishing general hospital
here are the very ones who by reason OF their po-
stion and occupations are most familiar with the
great need of one. A very considerable sum Of
money has already been raised. and still more has
been assured, and it will not be many months be-
fore the hospital will be doing its benedcent work.
The Secretary of the Interior wrote the Senate
committee on appropriations that If the of the
special official stamps should be prohibited, he
would require an appropriation OF $4,000 to pay
the postage, first letters received inSufciently
prepaid; second, the registry Zee ON valuable let
tiers: and third. to enable Indian agents and other
officers o. the department 10 pay the postage on
official letters which, under existing law, cannot
be sent in the penalty envelope. Now, regards
these officers, the Springer amendment, which the
Senate proceeded to reject, would give them the
right TO use the penalty envelope for all public
business and 1t would also relieve them from what
an army officer has said was an intolerable
nuisance, the present necessity OF making requis-
lions for and keeping an account OF the absurd
special stamps. Touching the other points of the
Secretary's letter, IL would be more simple and far
better that the departments should be relieved
from paving either postage or registry fee, since
the money therefor comes out OF the Treasury,
only, after no -ht trouble, TO be returned TO It.
But II tins practice must be continued, let all such
Charges be paid with the ordinary postage stamps
direct and simple mode which, we understand,
would be perfectly satisfactory to the Secretary.
Those who care TO go into details on the ques-
zion OF the stability OF the dome of the Capitol as it
stands, and the propriety of putting 7,150,000
pounds more brick work upon its sustaining wall -,
will md the elements OF the problem in Capt.
Megs report OF 1856, H. K Mis-. doc, No 65 of 34th
Congress, 1st session: and in the report of Capt
Franklin OF 1850 Senate Mis- doc, No. %, 36th Con-
greSS, 1st session This last report made after
details had been arranged and weights fixed.
In Capt MeigS' letter to the joint committee On
the library be states that he examined the clay
under the foundation wall of the old Capitol.
found it soft, and thrust d shovel spade into it
without difficulty. He did not think 1t prudent to
increase the load upon the foundation and mason
~ of the old Capitol
At recent meeting of the Garfield Baptist