The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1884-10-18
FROM WASHINGTON


special to the CARBON ADVOCATE
WASHINGTON, Oct, IL, 1854.
A prophet is not without honor s ave in
HIS own bailiwick and the stories going
the rounds Of the newspapers about our
great philanthropist Mr.. W. w. .Corcoran,
affirm the quasi scriptural quotation. 1t
Is said abroad that Mr.. Corcoran has
givon for public benefceuco more than
three million dollars. to say nothing of
another million distributed to private
charities, while he has ten million to fall
back upon in case of drought. These
are very pretty stories to read in the
newspapers, but when the tax books of
Washington are consulted they deprive
the narratives of most of their romantic
interest They hardly size Mr.. Coreoran
up to more than one tenth of the amount
ascribed to his exchequer although his
property at the capital and elsewhere is
very productive and very valuable. 1t
may be said Of Mr., CJrcorau that he is
one of those philanthropists who keeps
his left hand thoroughly posted upon
what his right hand is doing, and his
BENEVOLENT contributions public and
private) are so thoroughly panopled with
conditions, that the name of Corcoran
viii scarcely grope its way to posterity
by the side Of that of Howard, Peabody
or any one of dozen others whose
charities partook of none of the ostenta.
ton that Mr.. Corcoron exacls as a con- !
dition precedent aud subsequent to his
gratuilies, After four score and more,
Mr.. Corcoran finds himself enjoying the
best Of health, despite the fact that the
doctors gave him up as a dead man thir-
teen years ago. He has outliyed all
three Of the doctors who then predicted
his carly demise, and under his abstemi.
ous and altogether plain mode of living,
there seems to be no reason for suspect
ing that he will occupy his elaborate
tomb at Oak Hill Cemetery for many
moon.
There are upwards OF COO, 900 books in
the Congressional Library to-day, with
room upon the shelves for about one
fourth of them. What on earth can be
expected in the way Of utilizing library
with 100000 Of its best volumes piled up
helter.skelter on the floor, and the other
200, 900 in double rows on the shelves,
may be demonstrated by those who are
crying out against the construction of II
new library capacious enough for the
storage at least of this vast multitude Of
books the largest in the world. Be-
sides this stowiug away of books. yaIua-
Die maps OF reference, engravipgs, otch-
lngs, etc, are necessarily hidden away
from public view, possibly not to see the
light Of day for another generation.
And there are newspapers and periodi-
Gals that are intended to meet the cur-
rent wants Of the member, which are
Likewise consigned TO the dark recesses
OF the basement of the capitol. 1t is a
positive shame and disgrace to the Am
erican name, tlat foreign visitors who
come here should always find the Con-
gressional Library the fit subject for
their cNnting criticism, when n four
part of the money lying idle
in the Treasury vaults would furnish A
library building that would be lasting
credit to n people who can thus show
their ability to sustain the largest
library in all the world.
see that the campaign speeches this
year have but little to say about the
abuses oftLe contingent fund of the two
Houses Of Congress. And well they
may for one party is just as bad as the
other when it comes to the foolish
'qnandering of the peoples money. I
have just feasted my eyes upon an ac.
count made for a member, by Mr. Adams {
when he was clerk Of the House. and
which lie must have certified to as being
necessary for that members Discharge of {
lls Congressional duties. The articles .
embrace perIumery, cases, fans, tooth
olcks, fourteen carat charm pencils. q
'ologne, pooket.knives, handkerchief {
boxes, odor-cases, opera-glasses, hair.
brushes, shaying-cases and yisiting-Iists. !
t Is time that this contingent business +,
hould be abolished.