News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-06-25
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c., |
limo IL 1SS5-

The sessions of the Charity Con-
gress, school commandments by the
dozen, with music, flowers, premiums,
medals and declamations the acct
dent to the Washington Monument,
and more victors with more spoils
are among the weeks happenings in
Washington.
Since the monument was struck by
lightning, Col. Casey has been receiv-
ing communications daily from every
part of the country giving advice and
suggestions for the protection of the
structure. Probably every lightning
rod agent in the country has written
about the peculiar advantages of his
rod, urging that it be placed upon the
monument to insure its future safety.
Many of them evidently believe moth
ing has ever been done to protect the
shaft from thunder bolts. The sci
entists who examined the monument s
injuries agreed that its present cleo
trio apparatus is in perfect condition.
They deem it advisable, however, to
erect additional collective points for the
lightning to strike. During the pres
ent week the damages to the capstone
will be repaired, and the new rods
will be added. There will then be
20 lightning rods on the top of the
monument. Every morning, shortly
after eight o'clock now, a group OF
people gather on the stairway at the
west front of the Capitol, to see the
first rays of the sun fall upon the
monument. Striking the aluminium
tip of the shaft, they make it sparkle
and radiate for few minutes, some
times like silver star, and sometimes
like brilliant electric light, then the
dazzling brightness disappears.
Now that Gen. Grants relics are
in possession of the government, the
Grant museum will be one of the in
teresting features of Washington.
The collection comprises about two
hundred articles, many of which car
ry associations that will endear them
to the nation. There is a demand
for their exhibition at the earliest day
practicable, and it has been suggest
ed that a room in the National Muse
um be set apart for them Immediately.
Greater facilities will be required to
insure the safety of the articles than
the museum now possesses. Con-
gress will no doubt gladly vote an APP
preparation for fire and burglar proof
cases in which to exhibit such inter-
esting and valuable gifts of the coun-
try's most distinguished soldier.
The periodical rumors Of discharges
in the Executive Department is again
current. It is said that accompany
ing the half monthly pay, hundreds of
employees will receive the dreaded yell
low envelopes. The new fiscal year
begins the first of next month, and
whether the "clean sweep" so much
talked of will occur on that day or not,
government employees look forward 10
it with great anxiety. Doubtless
there will be many changes and dis
Members of the Cabinet
have requested the heads of bureaus
in their respective departments to
make list of clerks that can be dis
pensed with or whose places can be
filled by alleged civil service appoint
ments. Besides the first Of July is
the date for the regular biennial revis-
ion of the Blue Book, and the new
powers will endeavor to have the
names of as many new officials and
employees ready for it as possible.
1t is evident the Office hunters think
there is to be general onslaught upon
office holders at the close
Of the current fiscal year. The city
is full of the same men who came here
at the time of the Inauguration.
President Cleyeland's inexperienced
Cabinet officers, and all of them may
be said to be inexperienced in the adj
ministration of public business, have
been laboring hard during the past
three months to get some insight into
the details of their departments. Not
withstanding their official ignorance,
they have entertained some novel and
ideas with regard to the
of business and have
tried to introduce them in their sever
al departments. They have failed
completely in some instances, for
there are certain systems Of routine
which will have to be adhered to I'M
der any and all administration. The
new officials are impressed that they
must do something different from
their predecessors something, no
matter what, and do it IN the name
Of 'reform." They also decline to
receive any information or suggestions
from old employees, no matter how
well informed or how sincere the lat
ter may be. Another innovation that
is talked of is to do away with the
colored men messengers in the de-
partments, and put in their stead
small white boys, such as are enjoyed
in the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatives.