McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1885-01-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, D. c., Jan. %. 'S5.

4
Washington is considerably crest
fallen over the fact that she has neither
room for the strangers who are to come
here to take in the Monument dedica-
ton and the Inauguration, nor halls
for the accommodation of the people
who desire to hear the Grafton on the
hrst occasion, or to trip the light fan
tastlc toe on the second. The new
Pension hall will furnish many first
class case of pneumonia unless the
weather should prove remarkably
mild, as it will be next to impossible
to heat huge brick building while it
is in half finished state. | see, by
the way, that the new Presidents get
ting his hand, or rather his foot, in by
attending "A series of ball performan.
ces at Buffalo, though it is said that
Grover can't dance for the peanuts. In
fact, Mr.. Arthur and Mr.. Van Buren,
have been the only Presidents who
possessed the faculty of going through
the mazes of an ordinary quadrille.
Grant took lessons in dancing at the
White House, but for all that he new
er could dance.
An astute newspaper correspondent
here mentions the name of Capt. John
Ericsson for Mr.. Clevelard's Secretary
of the Navy. This looks like putting
Young blood into the new administra-
ton, indeed. Captain Ericsson is now
eighty-one years old, but nevertheless
probably as vigorous as MANY Cab
met officer of modern days. l have
always thought somehow that this
country has never appreciated the
great service that Capt. Ericsson has
performed for us. nor have we shown
ourselves grateful to him for the per-
sonal sacrifice he made for us IN build.
ing and fitting out that gallant little
cheese-box that revolutionized the
worlds ideas of maritime warfare,
wher she knocked out the huge "Mer-
rimac" in about the first round. Had
the people had the opportunity on that
March morning in 1862 they would
have showtred such honors on Ericsson
as no mortal had ever received, for he
had demonstrated the fact that we
We're invincible against any foe upon
the water with the Monitor, and the
army of the West had shown itself
abundantly able to take care of itself
on land. Capt. Ericsson has been at
work in all these years since the war
closed, in perfecting other maritime
engines of destruction, the last of
which is the ''Destroyer" from which
FIVE hundred pounds of dynamite in
one mass can be thrown under water |
with the most accurate aim. and with |
perfect safety to the vessel from which |
it is hurled. For coast defence it is as
perfect a means as human ingenuity |
can devise, and would be irresistible |
against the attacks Of the combined |
navies Of Europe. There is no hum
OCO dbOHC tuiS, anu bCCdu0C tuCiC ID |
not it is not at all likely that Congress
will look upon the scheme to aid Capt.
Ericsson in building his vessels, with |
any sort of complacency.
The prospect that Nh. Evarts will
be the successor of Senator Lapham
must be exhilarating to the average
New Yorker. So far as the conserv-
ing of the interests ofthe Empire State
is concerned, Mr.. Lapham has been an
absolute nonentity. In fact, since Mr..
Conkling vanished so suddenly from
the Senate Chamber four years ago,
New York has been practically unrcp.
resented in that body. | care, not
what Mr.. Evarts' antecedents may
have been as a lawyer, or as Mr.. Hayes
Cabinet adviser, he has brains, and
that is what the country stands in
sore need of in her Legislative coun-
ellis. Dom PEDRO.