Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-01-12

vi
vania. His father tavern-keeper in the
old days of the Pennsylvania pike. London is
situate at the foot of Siding Hill east of the
mountains. When but boy Tom Scott became
an employe of the Pennsylvania canal, at Co.
umbia short distance below Harrisburg, on
the Susquehanna river. He was afterward q
conductor on the Pennsylvania railroad. and
rose rapidly to the division and then general
superintendent Of that road He managed the
sale of the public works to the corporation he
represented and afterward the repeal of the
tonnage tax-part of the consideration the rail-
road agreed to pay for the great property it
obtained from the state. | notice that Mr.
Huntington in his letter to his San Fran
cisco associates speaks very highly of
SCOTS ability in switching off Congressmen.
Well he might Judge Black once visited Scott
in behalf of one of his clients. He had some
claim, or imagined he had, against Scott on &C
count of the Texas Pacific railroad charter
Black told Scott the object of his visit and
that gentleman, with perfect nonchalance,
opened drawer of his desk, took out a paper
and, handing it to the Judge, said: Look at
that" The good old Judge glanced his eye
over t,and saw the names of many distinguished
men, with sums of money opposite. What in
the world is this!" he demanded of Scott. That
shows what have already paid for that piece
OF legislation" imperturbably replied the rail-
road king. Black threw the paper down in dis
gust and said, wrathfully: What on earth did
you show me that for? ! don't want my soul
burdened with your sinful secrets. That list of
names-cursed roll-call of my cOuntry's dis
honor-is scored into, burned upon. my pem-
ory," and. angrly twirling his silver tobacco
box. the wrathful old man was about to leave
the room. when Scott said, laughingly pulling
out big bundle of letters: ION! they don't
think it dishonOrable. Here are letters from
almost every one Of them demanding still
more money"
During the consideration of the Thurman Pa
eitic railroad funding bill in the Senate, Jay
Gould came to Washington to conduct in per
son his campaign against it, He Occupied a
suite OF rooms at the Arlington, and every night
visited Senators at their houses and rooms
Some queer stories are told about the cheek he
displayed in visiting more than one Senator who
was supporting the bill. Neither he nor Hun
tngton squandered any money on the outside
strikers during that contest. If it is true that
Huntington charged up $500, 0O0 for expenses in
Washington, one thing is certain-very little of
it was spent indirectly. But the story seems TO
me ridiculOusly absurd. If Huntington spent
5000. 900 on account of the Central Pacific it is
certain that lie saw to it that Gould spent as
much. You don't catch that shrewd COnnecti-
cut Yankee letting Jay Gould come it over him
in that way at any game. Does anybody believe
81 600 could be spent in Washington by
Huntington and Gould without accomplishing
their purpose! That sum of money would be
sufficient to buy at least two Congresses 1t is
true that Dick Irwin paid $500, OGO for one but
he was neither Gould nor Huntington.
There have been great many clever stories
written about ladies being employed bv corpo-
ratiOns to lobby for them. An imaginative cor
respondent wrote a picturesque description of
wonderfully beautiful woman Jay Gould
brought here to work on Senators. She was
described as tall. svlph-lke in form, classic
face, and wealth of brown hair. She dressed
in WOrths most exquisite costumes, and when
ever she made her appearance in the ladies'
gallery OF the Senate she was the synOsure of
all eyes. She daily held levees in the marble
room OF the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and pages
danced attendance upon her. and first one and
then another Senator held seances with the
mysterious lady. 1t was all fictiOn-every bit
of it-except that a tall blonde woman was
about the Senate side of the Capitol great
deal during that session of Congress. She was
not beautiful. and not even very attractive
looking. doubt whether Jay Gould ever saw
her. You can see her almost any day on the
streets of Washington, and / am sure no man
Of good taste would turn around to look after
her as she passed him. She came here from
Pennsylvania after having sOiOurned there for
time. Her birthplace was little village on
the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
recoect another story about the wonderful
dOings of Mrs. White in the lobby 1t was all
stuff. There was such woman who came here.
the widow OF an eX-army officer. who had been
appointed an internal revenue collector in one
OF the southern states and died. leaving his &C
counts in confusion. She managed to get bill
through Congress relieving his bondsmen and
leaving her small pittance in the final settle
ment. She afterward married Frank Brooks.
who several years ago was noted character
about Washington. She was not much assist
ance to Frankie didn't need any, being fully
capable of managing the men he came in con-
tact with.
Mrs Mason, formerly residing here had
something to do with the sale of condemned
arms by the government to agents of the French
republic. 1t is said that she secured from Bel
KNAPP the order for the sale of the first lot. but
she made very little money ont of it. The only
time | ever heard of her making big strike
was in connection with the owner of the con
tract for printing bank notes to the Columbia
Bank Note company
But the scheme that Congress has to contend
with this winter is the whisky in bond bill. Be-
fore the 9th day of July next tax on whisky in
bond to the amount of sec, 0G0, coo will have to
be paid, unless Congress passes bill before that
date extending the time in which it has to be
paid. Two years from January, 1884, tax on
whisky now in bond to the amount of 81 OOO. 900
will have to be paid if Congress does not inter-
fere. The enforced payment, it is claimed, will
break every Gistiller in the country and bring on
a financial panic. Several years since the whisky
men formed apOOl to control the price of whisky,
and to do that it was necessary to control pro-
ductiOn and keep all but certain quantity off
the market. OF course such a scheme contem-
plates also the control Of Congress sooner or
later The last day of grace will be July 6, 1884,
On $50 OOO, 900. A big pile Of money.