Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-11-17
WASHINGTON LET II Il.
From our Regular Correspondent.]

The "melancholy season OF the
year" does not possess its beauties
and attractive features to the same
degree in this locality that they are
seen farther north, yet it is, withal,
a pleasant season. In spite of the
"sere and yellow leaf'--the dying
out and passing away Of vegetable
life and the signs of approaching
winter with it's cold, ueak aspect
there Is a charm in the "mellow
autumn almost indescribable. Oc-
tober, usually a delightful month
here as to weather, has this year
partaken Of that popularity which
has characterized the whole season.
Last week we had weather almost
like midsummer, and this week it is
as cold as our average winter. Cvcr-
coats and fires have been necessary
during most Of the month SO far.
And with the cool weather we are
beginning to think of our coming
Congress. Life in Washington is n
little less than case Of suspended
animation in the interval between
sessions Of Congress, but with tho
return of the solons all nature seems
TO rejoice, as it were, and more espe-
ciaIly the rooE>renters and boards
ing house keepers. A newly elected
Congressman is occs sonally seen
here row looking for quarters and
making arrangements for the winter.
Last week q dozen men were at
work in the House of Represents
atives rearranging the seats for
members aud endeavoring so to pack
them together as to seat the in
creased number in the Forty~eighth
Congress in about the same space as
that occupied by the Forty-seventh.
AS the 293 members in the last
House were rather intentionally
crowded when all were present, the
difficulty Of seating 1876, or 80 more,
is not small one to overcome. The
elevated platforms en- which the
desks are placed have been extended
by removing screen across the
south side Of the room. The four
long aisles on each side have been
reduced to two, and all the short or
"blind" aisles, by which members
were enabled to reach seats in the
centre from the rear, have been filled
up with desks. To the old members,
the crowding OF desks and chairs
will prove decidedly Objectionable,
and it seems inevitable that the ne W
members, who will have to learn
how to get IN and out of their places,
will be ia danger OF having their
toes stepped upon In moro senses
than one.
The Capital has grown somewhat
during the summer, many new
houses and other buildings having
been erected. The building boom
which began here few years age
seems not to abate in the lcast Ii
would seem that with so much
building we would have a surplus
of houses, but the demand appears
to keep up both in the residence
and business sections. A great ma
jority of the residences erected now
are of tho finer class-houses fol-
rich people who come here for q
part of the year. Mr.. L. 2. Letter
the Chicago merchant prince. viii
occupy Mr.. Blaine's elegant mansiot
this winter, and it is an open ques-
tion among the society devotce'
whether no or Don Cameron or The
occupants Of the rejuvenated Stew
art Castle will outshine in socia
entertainments. Ex-senator Win.
dom's family are expected to occupy
his big house-that palatial struc
ture the cube measurements O
which cut such figure in his cam
paign for recollection last winter
The gossips, however, are most puz
zled over the action Of Mr.. Blaine
in renting his house, and there is ne
end Of curiosity to know just wha,
his plans arc. Few are willing e
believe that he is really out of poll'
tics-the pursuit Of which is as nat
ural to him as drawing his breath
and many think he is playing 1
shrewd, still game. 1t is a conun-
drum entirely too hard for me.
But speaking of Improvement
and fine houses remind me tha
splendor and s4ualor both begir
with s and that we sometimes finc
them near neighbors. Right IN The
heart of the city, hidden behind &
large fence covered with show bills