The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-07-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.

1 kENul bir he--nt3r Ccrr-sfrutent-
WAsHINGToS, ID. c., July IS,
y AZ | write heal the thrpbbIng OF
5h ali dozen engines trying to ex-
5slEguish the flames ot four news
papegs on IRE, The PoSf, The Rsps5-
iteas, The Gazette, and the Cg7iic,
7three dalies and one Sunday paper
Care now in flames uncontrolable,and
3will be consumed TO ashes. The
5type-setters heard some boys shout
5ing fire on the street in the twilight,
3and looking out the windows dis
covered that their recently built and
1splendidly equipped offices burning.
4 All these journals occupied a row
sof buildings built by Stilson Hutch
zins az the corner of 10th. and ID
sstreet. The loss Is estimated at $780,
zO0O, fully insured and they viii
4newspapsr-like, arise from their
5ashes. | am very much, tempted
Ito use the Phoenix simile but viii
Twill spare tie sensitive reader
Z On his summer vacation trip the
President VIII not be accompanied
.leither by his Secretary or any men,
.ber of MS Cabinet DR.. Ward of
/ sAlbany, who was with him last
{}year in the Adirondacks. has again
s0een invited and it IS probable that
7not more than, one or possibly two
spersOnal friends of the Presidentwill
seompose the party. They will stop
sat a small hotel in the woods, which
Twill be their headquarters, and a
Telegraph operator viii be present
! at all times, IN case his services are
required The President can thus
sbe communicated with on impor-
3tant questions il necessary. BusI-
ness cares will be laid aside tempOr-
9arily, and be will devote himself to
Incorporating and preparing for u
winter of hard work at Washington.
The length of his stay viii be de-
3termined by the condition of public
affairs, but he has been advised
to remain away from Washing
ton during September ii possible, as
this Is the most trying month Of
lthe year to strangers in this eli
innate.
Miss Cleveland left Washington
for New York City this morning,
and is not expected to return until
the heated term Is over. She will
spend the summer in the neighbor-
hood of New York.
Ten designs for naval vessels have
been received at the Navy Depart
lment at the close OF business hours
there yesterday Numerous plans
for parts of vessels and machinery
,had also been received The Union
Iron Works Of San Francisco, Cali
ifOrnia, Is the only private ship yard
that offered proposals. Ten designs
submitted were for one large cruiser.
Admiral Porter offered a plan for
'one vessel Naval Constructor W.
IL. Mintonge submitted plans tor
-four vessels. one of 5000 ton ship,
one $500 ton ship, one a coo ton
ship, and one 500 ton ship. The
bureau Of construction and repair
'Offered designs for five vessels, one
IOf 5OOO tons another of 3,I00 tons
Ia third Of 800 tons, a fourth Of l.
800 tons and a fifth of 500 tons.
Plans for the engines Of these YES
,sels have been prepared by the
bureau Of steam engineering Nav
lal constructor Philip Hickborn has
submitted a plan for a cruiser Of 4
500 tons displacement. The design
is for 4 powerfully armed vessel,
carrying thirteen six inch and four
.eight inch breech loading rifles, the
latter having direct fore and aft fire
The average speed at sea in al.
weather is stated at fourteen knots;
jim smooth water fifteen knots. The
iplans provide for a ship 315 feet
.long on the water line, 40 feet ex-
.treme breadth. The total cost OF the
vessel exclusive of armament, it il
ESTIMATED at about 81 100000.
The Attorney General has given a
decision on the three points relative
ito the acceptance OF the Dolphin.
He decides briefly, that the ship
shall not be accepted by Secretary
Whitney, that there is no existing
contract between the Government
iand Mr.. Roach, and that the large
sums Of money already paid Mr..
Roach may be recovered.
The Secretary of the Navy pro-
poses to make an entire reorgani-
cation Of the eight government navy
yards on the Atlantic and the one
lon the Pacific coast An investiga-
.tion for this purpose has been go
,ing on for the last two months.
The Secretary of the Treasury has
undertaken the reorganization of
the Customs service. Special agents
are making inquiries with a view To
'reduce the force and expense Of the
,custom offices at the different ports.
Reports have been received from a
number of these agents and il Is
roughly estimated that a reduction
;of 20 per cent. Of the total force col
,lectiug customs will be made.