Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-09-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.

HUN uuC WOOuC anu No'So3 e''S
schools open tomorrow, and the
capital city begins to resume life
after its summer siesta. Every day
last week seemed to bring new peo-
pie to the Avenue promenade,
and there was decided awakening
! in trade; the store windows told Of
| the advent of a new season, and the
era of great reductions began to give
place to that of the latest fall style.
The cool weather of the first week
of September brought on the autumn
change a little earlier than usual.
For hundreds of people the work
of house hunting is now in order. A
real estate broker estimates that
twelve hundred houses are usually
vacant in Washington every sum-
mer. Not so many were given up
this year, because people IN Office
were inclined to economic in view
of possible contingencies but, new
ertheless, there we're a great many
given up by tenants, and the stor-
1age warehouses are now beginning
to dlsgorge. Washington, in pro.
! portion to its size, sends more peo-
| pie out of town in the summer than
any city in the country, and Wash
ington landlords say they loose more
summer rents than they can afford.
The hot weather begins sooner here
than in Northern cities, and it lasts
longer; and the habit of giving up
houses in May and storing furniture
until September or October appears
to be growing on the people. The
landlords say they have to increase
rents to meet this loss. The result,
they say, is to raise the cost of
house rent in the city 5 per month
all around.
The opening Of the Forty ninth
Congress-, will witness a novel situa-
ton of affairs. For the first time in
years there will be no contest for
Speakership. Mr.. Carlisle will be
chosen by the unanimous vote of the
majority. There is some interest as
to who will be candidate of Republi.
cans. So far there have been men,
toned Mr.. Long, of Massachusetts,
Mr.. Hiscock, of New York, and Mr..
Reed, Of Maine. Mr.. Hiscock and
Mr.. Reed entered Congress simult-
aneously. Mr.. Hiscock has been
particularly identified with the work
of the Appropriations Committee.
Mr.. Reed has been remarkable de-
debater. Every matter in which his
party has taken stand has found
him it's champion. He is a master
of invectiye and spices it with sar-
casm. Unlike most ex-governors,
Mr.. Long was a national character
before he was elected to congress.
When he was sent to the House of
Representatives his friends were
fearful that he would not be equal
to the rough-and-tumble style of de-
bate which is in vogue there. The
record of the past two years has
shown that Mr.. Long understood
his own abilities better than his
friends. At first the House listened
to him with curiosity, then with ad.
miration, and to day although hav-
ing finished his first term, he is re-
garded as one of the leaders on the
Republican side. The fact that his
name is mentioned as the Republi.
can candidate for Speaker empha.
sizes this. The Republican caucus,
however, will be very quiet affair.
The only significance attending it
will come two years hence when, if
the Republicans gain their suprem-
acy of the House, the nomination
this year might have some influence
upon the Speakership contest then.
While there is little or no interest
now, as Mr.. Carlisle is universally
regarded as having nothing to fear
from any quarter, yet when it comes
to the other offices of the House sew.
eral red-hot fights have been inaug
urated already, and are now in prog
resS.
So far as relates to this city the
trade prospects are good. Popula-
ton here is rapidly increasing, and
mainly by the selection of the ma.
tional capital as the future home of
wealthy families hitherto domiciled
in other cities.
Hundreds of new houses are be.
ing completed and soon will be furn-
ished here during the next eight or
ten months. The merchants are.
cheerfully preparing for great in
crease in the demand for goods.
A Remarkable Escape.