The Washington critic., 1886-04-27
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

the Macon (Ga) Telegraph says: THE
business of the Patent Office is con-
stantly and rapidly increasing. In the
near future the requirements of this
important branch of the public service
will necessitatc the occupancy of the
present Interior Department building.
In fact, that necessity is even now ap.
parent and forcibly demonstrated by
its overcrowded condition AT present
there is a great lack of room aud
facilities for performing proper work
In the Assignment Division, by the
way, one of the most important and
best managed in the Patent Office, the
able and efficient chief, Mr.. A. j.
Kelly, finds ii difficult matter to pro.
vide room and proper accommodation
for the large force of clerks under his
supervision. You may, perhaps, deem
IL incredible when state that in one
room in his division there are over
one hundred clerks, most of
whom are ladies. Under ordi
nary circumstances, the gentlemen
would doubtless complain, but their
gallantry and high sense of chivalry
will not permit them to do so in this
case. 1t would certainly be in the
highest interest of economy for Con-
gress to take immediate cognizance of
the existing necessity OF more room
and better accommodations for the
Patent Office, and at once provide for
the erection of buildings for the Gen
cral Land Office, Indian Bureau and
other branches, which at present oc.
cupy the building to the detriment Of
the growing interests of the Patent
Office. If not. then let Congress "hire
hall' for their especial accommoda.
tion. The Commissioner, Hon. NJ. V.
Montgomery, in his report to Congress
for the year ending December 81, 1885,
which, by the way, Is an able, concise
and interesting document, quotes the
remarks of his predecessor as to the
utter inadequacy Of room and facilities
for conducting the business of the Pat
ent Office and strongly urges upon Con-
gress the necessity of immediate action
in the matter.
Says Jules Guthridge in the Chicago
Meas: Ex-senator Conkling's dislike
of Garfield does not cease with the
fight of time. lie was down here last
week arguing case before the Su-
preme Court. He visited Turkish
bath house one day, and what occurred
there can be best described in the Sen.
ator's own words. "In the compart-
ment next to me were two young men.
There was nothing but thin partition
between us, and every word of the
conversation could be heard distinctly.
Finally one of them asked his COM
panion why he had not been down to
see their new boy baby. The other
made some excuse and asked the
babys name. James Garfield Hop
kins, was the fond parents reply.
Prompted by curiosity" continued
Conkling, 81 looked over the partition,
and before God, the first speaker S
head was no larger than big red
apple"
Says a special correspondent of the
Philadelphia Times: "EX-Governor
Long of Massachusetts has two ardent
admirers in the members gallery nearly
every day. They are his pretty daugh-
ters, one about twenty-five and the
other sixteen. The elder is typical
Boston girl, dressed in exquisite taste,
intellectual looking and wearing eye
glasses. The younger is bright-eyed,
red-cheeked young miss, who keeps up
constant chatter with her stately sis
ter. Governor Long seldom speaks,
but when he does he has at least two
eager listners in the House. 1t is prob
able that third will be added before
the Governor goes home to mend his
fences for the fall elections. When the
May flowers send forth their perfumes
the Governor will add to his home 0
young wife. His betrothed is a schoo
teacher in Massachusetts, is twenty-ont
years old and is said to be the pretties
girl in bingham. Though Mr.. Long
is forty. seven years old, he looks much
younger. Indeed If IL were not for tha
perpetual bane of public men, badness
he would pass for thirty five. The
match is all for love, too. The only
thing about the affair that is surprising
is the reputed ardent friendship whicl
exists between the Governors daugh
ters and their coming step-mother
They are said to be devoted to ont
another"
X*#
Speaking Of various well-to-do col
ored men here and elsewhere, TIL,
Washington correspondent of the In
dianapolis Neus says that Congressman
Smalls of South Carolina owns grea
deal Of valuable land in South Caro-
lima, and is entirely Independent in
financial way. He is still holding hi
last years crop of sea island cotton
because he has not yet been olfere'
such price rs he thinks he ought t.
have. Smalls, who was a slave befor
the war, assisted in capturing the Con
federate vessel, of which he had beer
made temporary pilot and received TO
that service q considerable sum in priz
money. This money he invested il
South Carolina farming lands, whel
they were sold at tax sale during tn
war. He obtained the lands at YER
low figures. When the question o
title was raised, one of his cases wa
brought into the Supreme Court an
made q test case. The decision wa
in his favor, and made him q wealth
man. He lives in a very plain, unprc
tcntious style here, although quite abl
ito occupy n handsome establishment
He has an elegant home in South Care
,lina. lie evinces great regard for hi
fold mistress; and it is related took he
one time, after the vicissitudes of wa
had made her penniless, to his ow
home, gave her the best apartments
his house, placed his horses and ca
ylages at her disposal and, with h
wife, waited upon and cared for her {
ienderly as he ever did when cor
grained by slave laws.
x"~
The correspondent of the Newar