Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-07-22
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent.
WASHINGTON, July 2Ith. I88z.

Such a scrable as there now IS for
Government appointments has new
er been equalled before, except upon
a change of Administration. 1t is
almost as great as that which made
life burden to General Garfield the
first few months after his Inaugural
ton, the difference being that the
places now sought are mostly OF a
lower grade-department clerkships.
The chief cause of this rush just at
this time is the provisions made in
the Legislative and Executive APP
preparation bill, not yet law, in
creasing the force of the Pension
Office. The increase in this Office
and the Surgeon Generals Office,
which does some Of the work OH
pension claims is to be about ! 200
clerks, and it would seem that nearly
the whole population of Washing
ton, with large reinforcements from
the States, were making hard fight
for the places. 1t is stated that
over 5000 applications have been
filed with Secretary Teller, but the
chances of most of these applicants
are mighty slim. The positions
were nearly all farmed out by Com
missioner Dudly, in promises to the
members of Congress, before the bill
passed.
Add to these anxious souls the
1000 who have been seeking posi-
tions in the Government Printing
Office since Mr.. Rounds took charge
of it, and the usual number always
besieging the President and you have
some idea Of the amount OF shoe
leather worn out in chasing Con-
pressmen and haunting officials. The
most pitiable Of all objects to be met
with in Washington is the person
who comes here to seek places. AS q
general thing he leaves home very
much impressed with an idea that
the head of some department has
arranged for him a public reception;
that there is handsome desk cover
ed with choice exotics in the cosiest
of corners awaiting his arrival; that
the local papers have his biography
already in type to give to the people
the moment he steps from the car
He dreams this ana terrible is his
disappointment. He finds that the
fartherest he can go is to hand in
his papers and wait. He does wait,
oh, how patiently His little stock
of cash vanishes with alarming "a
pidity, and then all of sudden he
finds he has been left. | have in
mind now several who have been
here ON the ragged edge for four or
five months and who are no nearer
the goal of their hopes than when
they first came.
A walk or ride through the north
western section of the city just now
discloses changes aud improvements
which almost astouish persons who
live right here. Several whole blocks
which not many months ago were
out to the commons, SO to speak are
now built up with magnificent resi-
dences, and lots in that vicinity have
doubled and trebled in value within
a period Of less than two years.
Among the first to start the boom
was Senator Don Cameron, who led
off with a house that numbered some
thirty rooms, four stories, with a
mansard above. 1t could not be
built for much less than S75, 900 to-
day. His next door neighbor is SEN
ator PendletOn, whose new home is
of the Queen Anne style, and the
interior showing the lovliest hall
and drawing room here. Congress
man Robson is building a house
next to it. and over the way Senator
Window has just settled his family
in an elegant home. Further on, re
sides Justice Harlan and Senator
Vance.
But the finest Of all these new
structures is Mr.. Blaine's house
which is truly a palatial mansion
1t is square, three stories, will
mansard, and strikes the Observer
as solid, plain, and free from al
sgimcracks" or fancy work Tht
entrance is in spacious hall, tha
vii. be divided into three parts b!
pillars and portieres, the last parl
having an open fireplace. On tn
left, which is tie south side, are TIT
two parlors and library that can b.
thrown into one, aud to be finished