The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-01-30
APresidentlal Junk-ShOp.

The queerest place in the state is
Gov. Cleveland's barn, or store room,
writes an Albany correspondent of The
st. Louis Post-Dispatch. Your CORES
pondent was permitted to visit these
quarters to-day, and stranger col
lection of old Junk it would be impos-
sible to find anywhere. The barn is a
substantial structure. Built just back
of the executive mansion, and during
the administration of more wealthy
governors it was used for carriages.
and horses of these worthless. Gov.
Cleveland, however, doesn't keep
team, and since his election to the
presidency the vacant barn has been
used to store the vast collection of
miscellaneous presents that come
pouring in from every part of the
union. Formally these packages were
delivered at the executive chamber on
the hill, but rs they kept constantly
increasing in number and variety, it
was found impossible to receive them,
and so kind of union depot was open
ed in the barn. 1t keeps one man busy
receiving, arranging, and shipping
back the packages addressed to the
president elect. In spite of the fact
that the greatest care is exercised in
finding out who sends the stuff and
his address, many of the packages re-
main unidentified. The governors
orders are that all presents shall be
returned at once. But as about half
of the gifts come anonymously, it is
not so easy to carry out the instruc-
tions. A clerk was busy making and
sending away packages when your
correspondent called to take tour of
the place. The collection of paid
eagles, bicycles, chairs, desks, brushes
and other bric-a-brac would have put a
junk-shop to blush. Yet there was
one marked difference between the
stock in the governors barn and the
Junk shop. Here every article was
brand new. The eagle tapped his
wings dolefully in his wooden cage,
with an air that told plainly it was
the first time he had ever been made q
show of, and two owls stared in a
knowing way at the ex-
pressman who was taking the things
away.
Not a speck of dust dimmed the
brightness of the glittering bicycle
that was promptly going back to Bos-
ton, and the red plush of a comforta-
BILE arm chair showed its newness |
through the thinscovering spread over
It. The only thing that bore traces of |
wear was barrel covered with coun-
nv mud and with number of open
ngs cut in the slaves, through which
he red and mellow golden of New
Z ork apples showed. A second ex-
FRESHMAN was unloading half barrel
If cider that had just arrived, when
he clerk caught him and told him to
Wait. A careful examination showed
hat it came from Binghamton, N. Y,
md, without taking itfrom the wagon,
receipt and bill of lading were made
md the stuff shipped back. So it went
III day. AS fast as one thing was
eturned another came in to take its
lace, and the clerk considered him
elf lucky if two articles did not come
d place of every one sent back. 1t is
asy to understand how simple coun-
ry folk take pleasure in sending little
okens of affection to the man they
onor and respect, and in whose good
ortune they have had q part. But
Thy these tokens so often take the
orm of animals is question that
adv purplexes the poor clerk. One
ian in Brooklyn sends dog, another
, Maine sends two owls, third for
ards an eagle, fourth believes that
othing less than a Maltese cat will
lake the president happy, while
fth hopes to win his favor by the pre-
of fawn. If this sort of
ling continues the barn attached to
10 executive mansion will soon con-
in menagerie which will make our
arnum hang his head in shame. The
resident elect takes it all good-natur-
lily, and as huge joke. Said he to-
ny, laughing over the matter, Some
,dy out west, 1 don't remember his |
lme just now, sent me an eagle the {
her day. What am to do with an t
,glep l presume they will be send :
Q me an elephant next" Then, mus
gly, "He would be just as useful as t