The Press., 1883-05-17
Washington Letter.


 Summer has become an acknowledged fact in Washington. Summer millinery and thin apparel fit about everywhere, fans are in motion, and for the last few days, with the thermometer among the nineties, ice has been one of the chief ar- ticles in demand.
 The open air concerts given by the ma- rine band in the presidents grounds dur ing the summer season will be resumed this week. They will be given Saturday afternoons beginning at half past five o'clock. These are occasions when great crowd congregates, ostensibly to listen to the music, but really to display fine clothes. To ''see and be seen.''
 The new civil service rules were this week approved and signed by the pres ident, after careful revision by himself and cabinet. Because of the dissatisfaction expressed about MT. Keim's appointment as chief examiner of the civil service con- mission, at his own request his name has been withdrawn, and on Thursday Pres ident Arthur appointed MT. Charles Ly-
 
 the place. The selection is generally ac- knowledged to be good one.
 Notwithstanding the many prominent applicants for the vacant commissioner ship of internal revenue, the president has not yet seen fit to name a successor to General Raum. MT. Knox, comptroller of currency, has been designated to assume, temporarily the duties of the office. Though several names have been men, toned as eligible for the place, with Pres ident Arthur's inscrutable ways it would be mere guessing to forecast his choice. The quid nuncs will be at sea until he pro- claims his man.
 There is more talk about the proposed national colored convention to be held in this city next fall A committee has call ed a meeting of colored men from the southern states to be held in Washington on the 14th inst, for the purpose of de- clding the best course to pursue in regard to the national convention. MT. Fred Douglass, who is chairman of the com mlttee, says there is no secret intention or purpose about the convention. That the colored men will come together for con- sultation as to the best means of betterlng their condition as class. He expressed surprise that the convention had met so little favor from republican papers, and that the editors of colored newspapers had generally opposed it. Among all sorts of motives attributed to the callers of the convention is that of office seeking.
 The steam dredges are daily busy at the Potomac flats, and crowds of people visit the scene of operations to inspect the work.
 The spring meeting of the National Jockey Club begins on Tuesday at the race track near the city, The entries are said to be the best ever made. Hereto fore the races have been as popular as 8 circus, being attended daily by the pres ident and members of his cabinet foreign ministers, and leaders of society, both la dies and gentlemen, and an equally dis tinguished class of spectators is expected at this meeting.
 The May crop bulletin of the Agricultu- ral department was issued yesterday. The greatest interest has centered upon this report and extraordinary efforts have been put forth by the mercantile, grain trading, and grain producing classes to obtain the statistician's estimates in advance of the issue of the report. The May returns of wheat to the department of agriculture make condition, compared with April av- erages, materially lower in New York and Michigan, and Ohio and Illinois,. All the remaining northern states show an i'm proyement since the April report, as well as the Pacific coast, and nearly all of the southern states