The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-05-30
FROM WASHINGTON
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, d. c., May %, 'S5

IL was reported to-day that Secretary
Manning's retrenchment and reform
commission would recommend the abol-
ition of the system of bookkeeping so
long and so successfully employed in
connection with the stamp business of
the internal revenue bureau. Some such
matter has been under consideration,
but no such sweeping course Is contem-
plated. The commission is satisfied
that the work can be simplified very
materially, and change of system of
collecting the revenue is also under con-
sideration. Secretary Manning thinks
that altogether too many officials are
employed outside of Washington in this
work, and he will endeavor to dispense
with the service of large number.
S. w. Saxton, one of the chiefs of di-
vision in the First Comptroller's Office,
received request for his resignation
this morning and Immediately carried
the matter to Secretary Manning and
asked whether 1t was his desire that the
resignation should be rendered. The
Secretary replied that he had not known
of the request and would take the mat
ter under adyisement. Major Saxton is
an employe of fifteen years experience,
class clerkship, and has not voted since
1860.
An air of fragance emanating from a
basket of choice flowers filled the Wales
Court-Martial room this morning. At
tached to the basket was a small card,
on which was written, in delicate
hand, "To Mr., Blair" The session of
the court to-day brought up the examina-
tion of Mr.. John Cook of the Fourth
Auditors Office in regard to the fraudu-
lent vouchers of the Bureau of Medicine
and Surgery, Navy Department, accom-
panying the accounts of Pay Inspector
Richard Washington. A number of the
vouchers had been paid, though many
were suspended for the want of evidence
of the delivery of the goods. The trial
promises to be long and tedious one,
as the case involves great number of
alleged culpable acts of omission, furn-
ishing ground for wide variety of OBJ
Jections, arguments and replies.
Commencements are budding all over
the land. The commencement season
means an increase in the White House
mails. Nearly every college, seminary,
or other Institution that has a COM
mencement sends the President an in
vitation TO be there. Heretofore the
practice has not been general in the
South. But this year it is, The White
House mail bags fairly bulge out with
the mass of invitations to the President.
The Postmaster-General to-day issued
an order directing that whenever any
postmaster Of the first-class shall have
remained in office for five years from the
date of the taking of his latest official
bond, he shall execute a new bond in
manner with sureties, as required by
law, upon notice from the Department.
The State Department is draped in
out of respect for the late
Secretary Frelinghuysen. 1t is doubt
full whether any member of the Cabinet
will be able to attend the funeral, al
though Secretary Bayard hopes to do so.
The funeral of the late Robert Z. Cd
lum, who met his death by jumping
from the BROOKLYN bridge, took place
afternoon from No. 504 Thir-
teenth street northwest. The body lay
In one of the parlors, where the funeral
services were held, surrounded by num-
erous floral designs, great beauty con-
spicuous amongst these being the fac
simile of the Brooklyn bridge, which
was donated by the Light Infantry
Corps. The house was crowded with
the friends of the deceased, who listened
attentively. Father Ahern, of st. Mat
thew's Church, pronounced a glowing
tribute to the dead athlete. The notori-
ETY. which the deceased's last exploit
gained him attracted many from idle
curiosity, and a crowd of about GOO peo-
al n in n Of toI 30,
see the cortege start for the cemetery.
If anybody ever knew, the fact is
probably forgotten, that the last Con-
gress condescended to confer benefit
upon the people by reducing the amount
Of postage upon both letters and news
papers. This law goes into effect on the
LIST of July next, and provides that post
age on letters shall be two cents for each
part of an ounce. From thor
Dugh examination of the subject, it has
been found that only about five per cent
Of the letters that are sent through the
mails exceeds half an ounce in weight,
so that it will be seen that the proposed
reduction is no great boon after all,
though it will go far to remove those ex-
doubts that frequently come
over the conscientious writer, whether
the envelope he has Just sealed does not
require double postage. Drop letters
after the 1st of July will require but one
cent postage, and this will have the eff
feet to again reduce the demand for pos
tai cards, which fell off about sixty per
cent when the two cent postage law went
into effect. The postage on newspapers,
when sent from the Office of publication,
which has hitherto been two cents per
pound, has been reduced to one cent per
pound, and this is first-class godsend
10 the big weeklies of the country, whose
postage bills annually have hitherto
away up into thousands.
The project of propelling the cars up
on elevated railways by electricity has
long been considered feasible, but has
not yet been put into practical operation
because of the claims of several persons
for priority of invention. Edison, who
has been claiming everything in the way
Of applying electricity, was one claimant
for the discovery of this method of loco
motion, while Sir William Siemens was
another, and Mr.. e. w. Field, of New
York, another. Through all of the
stages of the contest In the Patent Office
here, Mr.. Field has carried off the award
W ehN VI iSiiAoi dioNpNNlJ VI tlic ApllllCd-
ton, and this award has to-day been con-
lirmed by the Commissioner of Patents.
This decision under a recent opinion OF
the Supreme Court, is a finality, and Mr.. |
Field will at once proceed to apply his
upon all the elevated roads in
New York City.
Decoration Day, which is always
day of distinguished observance In
is to be more than usually
attended TO this year, The President Is
expected TO speak at the exercises at
Arlington, and the usual amount of bad
poetry win be flung In by way of airing
the ambition Of those whose poetic souls
were disappointed by the cold, bleak
spring that we have had. Col. Joyce,
the Poet Leaurate Of America, whose
divine atfiatus has been appropriated by
Ella Wheeler, the Sweet Singer OF
Chicago, will read one OF his Iambic
surviving which, the audience
will be treated TO an idyllic effort from
The pen and tongue Of DR.. Mary Walker.
OUR HARRISBURG LETTER. |