The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-11-06
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
The Weekly Collection About the Ma
tiOnal Capital
A NEW SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.

next March, occurred during the week. Gen.
Gresham who was recently appointed Secre-
tary of the Treasury, was suddenly given the
Circuit JudgeShp of the Seventh Circuit, which
comprises the States of Indiana Illinois and
Wisconsin. 1t was intended to give him this
place little later. The gentleman has an
itching for almost every Office that is III sight,
and so thought that if the Republicans carried
the Indiana Legislature he might like to sue
coed ID. W. Voorhees, as Senator. Therefore,
he wanted to have the Circuit Judgeship held
until after the election so that he could have a
choice between the two. But Judge Drum
mond, who now presides over the Seventh CIR
cult became very anxious TO be relieved, and
so Gen. Gresham wisely decided that Judge
ship in the hand was worth more than Sena-
torship in the bush. The appointment of
HON. HUGH MccULLoCH
as Gresham's successor at the head of the
Treasury was genuine surprise to everybody,
as Mr.. McCulloch. though brilliant and able in
his former administration of the Treasury De-
partment, has been considered wholly out of
public life for many years. He, as his name
implies, is of Scotch descent, and was born in
Kennebunkport, Me, in 1910. he entered
Bowdoin College. but was obliged to discon-
tinue his studies after one years attendance On
account of his health. After teaching school
for two years he studied law, and went to Bos-
ton in 1882. The following year he settled in
his profession, in which he continued until
1885, when he assumed the management of a
branch of the State Bank Of Indiana. He was
elected Director of the bank in 1886, and con-
tinued to act as Manager and Cashier of the
Fort Wayne branch until the expiration of the
charter in 1855. During these 20 years Mr..
McCulloch gained considerable fame as a finan-
cier, and in 1856 he was unanimously elected
President of new banking concern known as
the Bank of the State of Indiana, with an au-
thorized capital of ST. 600, 600 and 20 branches.
In this capacity his reputation as financier
increased. and in April, 1863 Secretary Chase
rendered him the position of Controller OF the
Currency under the National Banking law.
When Secretary Fessenden retired from the
Treasury Department in March, 1865, Mr. Nc
Culloch was appointed Secretary of the Treas
ury by Pres Lincoln. He held this position
through the Administration of Andrew john
son and retired in 1869. After this Mr. McCul-
loch became the London partner in the firm of
jay Cooke & Co., and for several years past he
has acted as President and Manager of the
American Council of Foreign Bondholders.
BURsTED REFoRMER.
The latest attempt to expose the Gigantic
corruption and fraud" existing in the Depart
ments at Washington fell fiatter than red toy
balloon. One Barker, who had been discharged
from the Treasury Department for incompe-
tency and worse things, rushed OFF to the oppo-
sition papers with frightful story Of wrong
doing which be proposed to uncover, and his
statement was made the most of. The Treas
ury officials promptly met the charge by offer
ing the fullest and fairest investigation of all
that Mr.. Barker had limited at as being wrong,
and this has ended the matter so far as that
is concerned. But Mr.. Barker's prominence
seems to call for further attention, and it was
developed that lie not only dead-beat,
who Systematically defrauded his creditors IN
hla brltb hey hah
bier, who played at ali the games in the city
where he could obtain access, pocketing the
winnings when he won; but when he lost
'squealed," in ganibler's,parlanee, and insisted
upon having his money returned TO him, which
was generally done. He attempted to run
faro bank himself, but was not able to maintain
it for longer than few weeks. 1t is strange
how man Of more than questionable character
should secure position in the Treasury De-
partment and this seems to call for explana-
tion more than any charge that he has made.
If so bad e man can be employed for months in
the Departments, it is sad commentary on
Civil Service and the appointment system gen.
orally.
COAL IN THE SIOUX RESERVATION.
The Secretary of the Interior has lately re-
ceived numerous communications from persons
DESTROYS of securing permission to prospect for
coal in the great Sioux reservation, and repre-
sensations have been made to the Department
that coal-felds of great extent were to be found
in the reservation. The Secretary accordingly
instructed the Director of the Geological Survey
to investigate the matter, and preliminary
report of the survey was received last week at
the Department of the Interior The report
shows that Ignite beds six feet in thickness
occur in the horizontally imbedded sandstone
60 miles west of the Missouri, but they are of
local extent, and no beds of sufficient area have
been found to justify mining even for domestic
uses If coal beds of value exist in the Sioux
reservation, they are confined to the northwest
corner, on the tributaries of the Cannonball
River, where Ignite beds are reported, and to
which point the survey did not extend.
THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT.
As the great marble shaft, euphoniously
called the Washington Monument, reaches
completion, additional care has TO be exercised
by the woTkmen. as the space in which their
labors are now carried on is getting more and
more circumscribed as the top narrows in. The
interest, too, in this stupendous pillar also in
creases day by day, and many of the citizens
may be seen eagerly scanning the workmen on
the summit, who look like flies even through
the best glasses III the work sheds are stored
q large number of blocks of stone which have
been donated by private parties, corporations,
States, and official bodies for the purpose of
being incorporated in the monument. Such of
these as came from States will be placed in the
interior of the shaft, and places will be found
elsewhere for the other blocks. The stone
which was contributed by the Baltimore public
schools, il is stated, will be placed in the inte-
Yior work Of the pillar.
CITY STATISTICS.
The temperance movement is not making
much progress in this city, according to the re-
turn of the Assessors of the District which
shows that while there were 500 BARR rooms in
1888, this year there are COL, an increase of
80. In 1888 there were 400 wholesale liquor
dealers. and this year there are 623 The
wholesale liquor dealers seem TO have increased
out of all proportions TO the retail dealers,
which seems to imply that the surrounding
country is turning its attention hitherward for
its supply of intoxicants. The city is making
a very substantial growth, though, in other d.
Tections, for during the year there were I,2l0
new buildings erected, valued at 81, 773,O0
at 500, 491 ,S9I, and personal estate $12 1865,
upon which a tax is raised of 81 ,574, 424
CARP PROPAGATION.
Although the carp does not seem to be great
fayorite as food fish, and his coarse flesh and
earthly favor is constantly spoken OF, there
ponds all over the country. On Monday last
3 car left this city for distribution in the New
England States, New York, New Jersey, and
Canada. Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Vir-
ginia, and Southern New Jersey will be SUM-
piled by express direct from Washington. as
that can be done at less expense than to send
special distributing cars. The applications for
carp for proPagating purposes are fully as great