Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1882-12-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from our regular correspondent ]

satisfaction of those who happened te
be the ones refused admission. The
occasion for it was found in the Gar
field Fair preparations, visitors interfc
ring with the workmen and rendering
necessary a guard over the many ar
ticles OF value lying about waiting te
be placed IN position. All IS nov
about completed, but for two week:
heaps of lumber and piles Of chips ano
shavings have encumbered the marble
floors of the rotunda and statuary hall
Squads of workmen have been saving
and hammering under the dome, theil
blows reverberating with wierd acous'
tic effects from the converging walls.
The maroon drapery that is to form a
background for the exhibit of paintings
covers the entire circle of the ro,unda
to a height of twenty feet, and hides
the large historical paintings upon the
walls. A platform four feet high has
been built against The latter, and many
valuable pictures lent for the occasion
have been resting on this with their
backs turned to the spectator. This
is the appearance the Capitol has pre-
sented during these days of hustle and
fixing. This will be the fourth time
that the national house of legislation
has been utilized for social purposes.
The Centennial tea party, in December,
1874, under the auspices of ladies in
terested in the great exposition at
Philadelphia. In November of 1879
the Society of the Army Of the Cumber-
land, whose tent had blown down dur
ing their annual reunion, were permit
ed to hold their ball, with which it
closed, in the rotunda, on one of the
coldest and win6iest nights l ever saw.
The Garfield Hospital managers held
a fair there in May last, and now comes
this exhibit, on larger scale than any
of the proceeding.
The President still resides at the
Soldiers home and will remain there
until after the assemblage of Congress
as the changes in the White House
will not be completed until the early
part of December. The fresco artists
have possession at present. The cell
ing of the central corridor and the cell.
ing ano walls of the state dining room,
red parlor, and blue parlor are being
covered with very rich designs in color.
The peoples gold is being laid on
these areas by the square foot-beaten
gold, of course. In the main corridor
both gold and silver are used with daz-
zling effect; that is, the effect will be
dazzling when the chandeliers are light
ed. The state dining room is going to
be SO handsome that when you are ask
ed to a state dinner and find yourself
unable to carry on a conversation with
the guests around YOU, you can feast
your eyes on the ceiling and not re-
gret the absence OF your appetite or
the opportunity to talk. OF course
there will brilliant entertainments after
the house is again ready for use.
Somebody has recently said that this
is a gllt-edged Administration, because
the pallngs of the fence around the
White House grounds are tipped with
gold leaf. When the new 100000
addition to the mansion is erected we
shall have capacious and presentable
Presidential residence.
Congressman and Senators are turn
ing up by every incoming train, and
getting their houses in order for the
winters work. Some OF them have
houses and some haven't. Those who
take lodgings find that prices have "riz"
since last year. For several weeks
the Washington landlady has been
abroad In the streets, hunting second
hand furniture stores and removing old
carpets, to make ready for the influx
that comes with the session. Rooms
of all sorts. desirable and undesirable,
rent for at least one.third more than
twelve months ago-at least they are
to rent so much higher. 1t
used to be that the Congressman was
considered the star ledger. and persons
having quarters to let held back until
tie advent of Senators and Members
Now, almost without exception all the
rich Senators and Members not of
penurious disposition have their own
houses, and the average Senator or
Member who goes around hunting for
lodgings will stick for the last farthing.
They have thus come to be regarded
as rather undesirable tenants, and per-
sons with rooms for rent no longer
thlnk of holding back until Congress
comes. So many people of means and
elsure come here now for the winter
that landlords are comparatively inde-
pendent of Members of Congress.
Some otthe correspondents represent
Postmaster General Howe as being
in devising means to reduce
he revenues OF his department, which
mas suddenly become not only self-sup-
oortinp. but actually a source of profit