National Republican., 1883-06-20
THE MAN ON THE AVENUE.
Small Talk About Men and Measures.

"What o terrible dust Commissioner Evans
has kicked up by discharging half a dozen
special revenue agents, and tryingto raise the
standard of that division" commented gos-
sipy official yesterday. "The New York
Times, with its peculiar genius for misrepre-
sentation and abuse, pitched into Evans yes
terday with all its power, championing the
cause of the discharged employees, and as
suming that the commissioner was bent ON
running the efficiency of the whole revenue
bureau, and that he had clearly shown
himself to be dead failure as commits
sioner by daring to disturb the
rest of some of the sleepers' around him.
He could bounce half tho special agents
without injury. Those special agency jobs
in most of the departments appear to have
been created as soft spots for political lame
ducks to drop on while waiting for some-
thing to turn up. These jobs are sought
after by statesmen who have been tried once,
and ever afterward lot severely alone by dis
eliminating constituencies. havo heard it
whispered that the President and more than
one cabinet officer would be very glad to see
congress pass a law wiping out about half Of
the special agents"
10 aRa
Postmaster General Gresham announced
in an interview yesterday that as soon as he
could find time he would inquire into the
Louisiana lottery matter. 81 have been so
busy disposing Of pressing business of impor-
tance that had accumulated on my hands,
that have not had moment to give to this
matter" he said, "but will reach it in n very
short time"
sse
Supervising Architect Hill says the inves-
tigation has developed nothing that he need
bo ashamed of. at has been proved" he re-
marked last evening, that saved 100000
in the cost of construction of tho Philadel-
phia building, and that too by the testimony
of the men who have preferred tho charges
against me. They are now arraigning me for
not having saved 100000. If / had had
the making of the original contracts that
amount might possibly have been saved, but
as it was, ] had to make the best terms l
could for the completion Of the building in
the SANG kind of stone it was commenced
with. To have finished it with different
stone would, as has been said, be like putting
yellow patch on a pair Of white pantaloons.
Murch is under pay of the stonecutters who
want the contract system, as it now obtains,
abolished, and the government stone cutting
done by day work, which has been repeatedly
shown to be far more expensive than the con-
tract system of cutting. The testimony OF
his own expert this afternoon establishes that
fact, and it is already proved that the cutting
on that portion of the Philadelphia building
done by days work cost over $12 per foot,
while that done subsequently under my
modified contracts only cost about So per foot.
do not know how long the investigation is
going to last, but if Murch can protract it
until fall he is going to do it. He is out of a
job you know"
I'D. ~
Senator Van Wyck, who has been in Wash
ington ever since congress adjourned, in
tends going to Nebraska in day or two for
short visit.
Anything new in the Niobrara mail route
matter" was asked of him.
"No, guess not. That matter is in statu
quo. l believe"