The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-12-31
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. O., Dec. 26, 1885

OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. O., Dec. 26, 1885.
Congress was 30 anxious to adjourn
last Monday that the minute the hands
of the clock pointed to the hour fixed on,
the call of the States for the introduction
of bills. was stopped, and the holiday
recess declared. At the time of adjourn
ment Maine had been reached in the call,
and up to that time one thousand bills
had been introduced. 1t will be months
before many of them are reported back.
But comparatively few Congressman
have left TO spend their Christmas at
home. This is contrary to past expert.
ence, and doubtless due to the fact that
the Committees have not yet been COM
pfeted by the Speaker. The members
are as active in looking. after their own
interests as after the interest of their
constituents, and consequently have not
cared to leave the ground, when by their
presence they may be able to secure an
appointment to good Committee.
This week ends with lots of presents
and good things at home, butl money
in pocket, except in the pockets of the
merchants, and they have made enough
to pay off all debts and have a handsome
"pile" left. The mild, spriDg-like
weather of the five days preceding Xmas
tempted out the whole population of the
District, and everybody spent all the
money they had. Everything except
the absence of SNOW and cold weather
combined to make merry, old time
Christmas. The number of packages
mailed from the Post Office was unpre-
.cedented. On Thursday alone nine
thousand were mailed, which was twice
the amount mailed the corresponding
day of last year. The force at the Post
Office, had to be doubled. The Express
Companies had more than they could
attend to, and were delivering until mid.
night. From Thursday night till II
O'Clock Friday the Adams Express Com
pany had received 10000 packages for
delivery in the city.
The "John Bull" the FIRST railroad
locomotive introduced into America, and
built by George Stephenson in England
in 1885, has been placed on exhibition
in the Historical Hall o. the National
Museum. 1t is present to the Museum
by the Pennsylvania railroad.
The ladies visiting the White House
have been much annoyed by the clouds
of tobacco smoke in the vest:bule or
entrance hall, and the fact coming to the
knowledge of Miss Cleveland she had an
order issued forbidding smoking in the
Mansion. Hereafter smokers will have
to throw their Havanas away before they
will be permitted to cross the threshold
OF the sanctum.
The sculptor, E. D. Palmer, who
carved the original New York Stone in
1850 for The Washington Monument. has
just contracted, for $4,000, to carve the
new memorial stone to replace the old
one. This is necessitated by the change
in the Coat of Arms of the State.
At the last Cabinet meeting it was
decided to close the Departmental build.
ings at 12 o'clock day before Christmas
and New Years until the day after. In
some of the Departments where the
work is up, the clerks will be allowed to
leave at IL O'Clock every day during the
week. 1t used to be the general custom
some years ago to pay the clerks for the
full month the day before Christmas and
close the buildings every day at noon
from Christmas till the day after New
Years. At that time it was also the GUS
tom to make present of a gold pen and
holder and six -bladed knife of the best
Rodgers or Westenholm make to each
employee. The cost was charged to the
stationery account, and the stationery
contractors used to reap rich harvest.
The custom was stopped, however, some
few years ago, and since then the clerk
has missed his present from Uncle Sam,
and has not been as happy since.
Secretary Lamar has gone to his home
in Mississippi for the first time in q year.
He will return about the 9Th of January.
The election of two United States Sena-
tors from Mississippi will occur next
month, but Secretary Lamar's visit at
this time to his State has no significance
in connection with tbs election. Sena.
tor Wolthall, the Secretary's successor to
the Senate by appointment of the Gov.
ernor, was the Secretary's choice, and he
will now be elected, and Senator Gibson
reelected. Secretary Lamar, however,
can come back to the Senate at any time
he pleases, he has such strong hold on
the affections of the people of his State.
The officials at the Pension Office, who
ought to know, deny the truth of the
rumor that there is to be wholesale dis
charge of 400 clerks on the 1st of Jan
uary. The force is none too large now
for the dispatch of the business of tho
Office, as every applicant for a pension
knows to his sorrow. The present force,
however, is being changed in classified.
tion with the view of expediting the