Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-24
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
FACT NEWS, AND GOSSIP.


prom Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, February 23.-The
bappicst man in Washington to-day was
Hon. George u. Wise. For weeks he
has been in his seat. early and late,
waiting TO be recognized to call up the
Senate bill appropriating 100000 to
enlarge the Richmond custom-house.
lie saw Illinois recognized seven times,
Minnesota several times, Kansas four
times. snd so on. and yet no rccogni-
ton came TO Virginia, although he and
Colonel Cabell were expecting II daily.
Finally, on Friday Mr.. Carlisle
sent for your representative and
told him that he would recognize
him second this morning. He was IN
his seat long before the House met.
The Speaker was true to his word, and
when the bill was called up Mr.. Wise
stated that the present public building
was erected when Richmond had less
than q, 900 population, and when the
business Of the United States courts
was very limited. Now the city, he
said. had population Of nearly $4,000
and the two Federal courts both great
ly increased business. The post-officc,
which has quadrupled its business and in
creased it's employees from eight to sixty,
and the Office Of collector Of customs,
and collector of internal revenue, all
have to be crowded into this building.
Last year nearly two millions were col
lected by the mternal-revenue depart
ment Of Richmond. The Postmaster
General had in a letter to Congress
strongly approved the appropriation,
and it was also recommended by the
Architect Of the Treasury Department.
The business Of Richmond had increased,
he said, threcfold since the present
building was erected. A Penn
sylvania member made objection
that the House committee had only re-
commended an appropriation OF s75,-
900, whereas the Senate bill appropri-
ated sl00, 900. Mr.. Wise reported that
after a full investigation it had been
ascertained that it would require the
amount provided for in the Senate bill.
The objection was subsequently with
drawn. Calamity" Weller moved
that s25,000 Of the appropriation be
paid in standard silver dollars.
0f course it was lost, as anything
" calamity" offers is defeated. Your
representative gave the remainder Of
his ten minutes to Hon. John ;. Wise,
who earnestly advocated the bill, and
said he was opposed to making two
bites at a cherry. II was far better, in
his judgment. to give enough at once
than TO have TO make another appr0pri-
alton to complete the job. 1.-The Senate
in its action" he said, twas governed
by the statements Of the Postmaster
General and the Architect Of the Trea-
Sury." There were no objections to
the consideration of the bill, and it
passed without opposition. An amend
ment to " Calamity Weller's - amend
ment 10 the effect that the salary of the
Iowa statesman be paid in silver dol
lars caused a general laugh.
PERSONAL NEWS ITEMS.
Mr.. l.. q. Washington gave dinner
party at Wormley'S last evening (Feb-
ruary odd in honor Of Major John W..
Daniel, of Virginia, The other guests
were Senators Bayard, Lamar, Hamp-
ton, and Gibson Representatives Dunn,
of Arkansas, and Barbour, Of Virginia :;
and Hon. John Goode. Ex-Mayor
Sener. Of fredericksburg, who car
RED the Bible Saturday used at
the initiation Of General Washing
ton, was present at the laying of
the cornerstone Of the monument
in 1898. The Illinois Republicans
predict that cx-Representatiye c. Il.
Farwcll. of Chicago, and his barrels of
spondulix will superSede General Logan
a. a Candidate for senator the last of
this week. Hon. John GOodc and
Judge John 7. Harris were at
the Capitol to-day with Hon. John
W. Daniel. Judge John Paul, of
the United States District Court
for Western, Virginia is here.
Hon. John S. Wise has been promised
recognition by Speaker Carlisle, and
will call up the bill extending the
patent of Dir. w. Leigh Burton, of Rich
mOnd. 1t will pass without objection
from present indications. This being
national holiday the Capitol was
throngCd with visitors, many of them
being employees in the Government &C.
partments. Senator Lamar went to
Albany last night. Brick PomcrOy
proposes TO publish a weekly here
after the Inauguration. There Is a re-
port that Representative Money, of
Mississippi, will be made First As
siStant PostmasteT-General. The eX-
posure of W. w. Corcoran on Satur-
day has made him very sick.
TIE NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL.
The House. by vote Of 1916 to l25,
took up the naval appropriation bill.
Mr.. Dorsheimer made speech in sup
port of it, in which lac advocated the
plan of Mr.. Randall for building new
navy. lie though; iron-clads were use
less for sea service, and wanted fast
sailing vessels of wood and steel com
bined. lie thought the superiority of
American officers and seamen would
make the Boston with eight-inch guns
match for the CHILEAN war-Ship " Es-
maralda with tcn-inch guns. lie
thought revolving turrcts could be used
on land for harbor defenccS. Mr..
Hewitt replied, and thought the Esma-
ralda would sink the Boston without
being injured. lie was willing to do
what the British Parliament recently
diG-yiz.. appropriate s30,OO0.OOO to
build up a navy. MeSsrs. Cannon,
Reed, and other Republicans spoke
earnestly against the Randall plan, and
Mr.. Reed said that the Democrats are
looking around already for plans by
which to spend money which Demo-
cratic House would never permit Re-
publicsns TO spend,
A BILL FOR THE BENEFIT OF ViR-