Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-09-21
WASHINGTON GOSSIP,
INTERNAL REVENUE IN FLORIDA
Florida Life Saving StatiOns-An Historic
Landmark Vanishing Melville and
Femme.

Florida Life Saving StatiOns-An Historic
Landmark Vanishing - Melville and
Femme.
WASHINGTON. September i9.-Internal Reve-
nue. Collector Eagan, Of the District of Florida,
in his special report to Commissioner Raum,
says that in his opinion Florida is as free from
frauds on tde revenue as any collection district
in the country. The officers are vigilant and
faithful, and the thorough and frequent can
vasSing by the deputies makes fraud to any
extent almost impossible. And, besides, there
IS no disposition on the part OF the citizens 10
engage in defrauding the government except
in a few isolated cases of illicit distiling,
which have been easily detected and sup
pressed. In this work the revenue officers
have had the cooperation OF the honest deal
erS. Collector Eagan says that he is fully
satisfied that no combination exists in Florida
to defraud the government Of its revenue.
The relations between the tax payers and in
ternRl revenue officers areof the most cordial
and friendly character. The tax payers no
longer regard the officers as enemies, who are
only watching an opportunity offered by some
frivolous offense to report and prosecute
them The conduct and practice of the off,
GERS have been such as to secure the confidence
Of the tax payers, by calling their attention to
little irregularities ard technical viola
tions Of law. so that they may be
corrected without trouble. This course
has had most wholesome effect in securing
the cooperation OF the tax payers, and makes
the duties OF the officers not onlv more pleas
ant, but adds greatly to their efficiency Col
lector Eagan doubts if there is district in the
country where all classes OF tax payers re-
spond more promptly or comply more cheer
fully with the internal revenue laws than the
tax payers Of Florida.
TIE NEW STATIONS ON THE COAST OF FLORIDA
1t will be remembered that under the appro-
priations made by the last session of Congress
six new life saving stations are to be estab-
lished on the coast of Florida. Plans for these
new stations are now being prepared.
There are forty new life saving stations to be
erected along the coast of the United States
Those to be placed on the most dangerous
coast will first be built. As the WORK has been
but shortly commenced it will be some time
before the new stations in Florida are reached
In the meantime titles to sites for the florida
stations will be negotiated for and procured.
AN OLD LANDMARK.
A row of wooden buildings and an old-fash-
Toned brick building on PENNSYLVANIA avenue
being torn down to give place to modern struc-
lures. There was nothing remarkable about
the wooden buildings except their filth; but
the old-fashtoned brick has history. 1t was
built solidly fifty years ago, and shows only
small traces of time inside and out But the
building is out OF date, and will give place to
a handsome structure, to be devoted 70 busi-
ness. 1t was once a fashionable dwelling, and
has been rented, III its time, to many promi-
nent people. Its peculiar hi tory is, however,
connected with the secession Of the Southern
States. 1t was in that huilding-in a large
room in the northwestern corner OF ft-that
the leading lights connected with the separa-
ton of the two sectiOns, who were in Washing
ton just before that consummation, held
their meetings and talked over plans and pros
pecIS Leading seceSsiOnists and members
there nightly held conference. Howell c BIB,
OF Georgia, aud Breckinridge, of Kentucky,
members OF Buchanan'S Cabinet, were leading
men in these conferences. 1t was in that room
that the last attempt was made to bring over
to the side of the South Lewis Cass. another
member of Buchanans Cabinet. About this
time the house was placed under espionage.
Government spies surrounded 1t at night and
watched corners and goers. They found their
way inside. 1t was one of these spies
who, secreted under the staircase leading to
the room OF conference. heard Lewis Ca5s say
as he left the room: Gentlemen, you may be
right; do not think you a:e. / cannot join
you" That very staircase is the point which
was today reached in the demolition of the
old building. Shortly after that night came
| secession. The house was occupied as head
quarters for officers If different regiments
during the war. Since the war it has been
been continuously occupied. It was too un-
comfortable as a residence. 1t is now being
rapidly razed to the ground. When it goes a
landmark OF peculiar interest will 90.
ABOUT ENGINEER MELVILLE AND WIFE.
There is no subject Of more general interest
now among the gossips than the breaking up
of the family of Engineer Melville. This hap.
pening upon his triumphant return to the
country, makes it a matter Of double interest.
Melville and his wife never lived together as
happily as man and wife should 1t is said
that she has always been very luxurious in her
tastes. and that she has been very extravagant
in satisfying those tastes. 1t was matter Of
comment that instead of rushing to the arms
of his wife and children at Sharon Hill, near
Philadelphia, when he arrived in New York,
Melville remained in the latter city two
or three days When he did arrive home there
was the biggest sort Of a reception waiting
him, with fireworks and brass band accom-
pRniments. After the reception, Melville had
private interview with his wife, and shortly
afterwards left the house. He has not re-
turned since His wife is now in an insane
asylum. She hes always been considered
little bit on the off side of sane. She went into
delirum after her private interview with her
husband. He left the small home which
he had bought at Sharon Hill, and had
Jeanette expedition, and returned to find it
so heavily mortgaged as to be almost under the
auctiOneer's hammer. His speech to his wife
about this is what caused her to go off wholly
to ths land of the insane, upon the borders of
which she had been hanging for several years.
Mrs. Melville has, in fact, long been considered
insane. 1t is stated that once before her ex-
travagance induced Melville to separate from
her, but simply to teach her a lesson. She
promised better, and the two we're reunited.
Mrs Melville's course in regard to her hug-
bands pay has been peculiar. When Melville
went away he assigned to his wife $50
a month of his pay Passed Assistant
Engineer. He had been away but short time
when he was promoted TO be Ohief Engineer.
re MnIuitiQ fhprpnnnn QnnaaFa1 af fha No
Department and demanded an increased
creased pay which came to Melville with hts
promotion. The Secretary of the Navy could
do no more for her under the law than was
originally authorized by her husband Upon
his saying this, Mrs Melville became very
demonstrative, and denounced the Secretary
and her husband Melville has the sympathy
of his brother officers in this matter. Most of
them knew of his family troubles, and
many of them say that they alone
induced him to peril his life
in the Arctic. Still he shines but poorly, as all
men do in family troubles. 1t is matter Of
universal comment that the gloss of notoriety
should be so soon taken from the only two
surviving officers Of the Jeanette expedition
Lieut. enant Danenhower and Chief Engineer
Melville. The public is coming rapidly to the
true belief that Danenhower did nothing but
be saved by his comrades endeavors while he
did much after and before the Jeanette went
down, has his fame dimmed by a separation
from his family. The proposed reception to
Melville in this city, which was to have been Of
huge proportions, has been indefinitely post
DOved POTONAC