The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-09-21
FROM WASHINGTON.
Secretary Manning's Health.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20-A gentleman who
has recently seen Secretary Manning and
had an opportunity to study his condition
for week or ten days, says that while ne
knows nothing about the reported appoint
ment to Austria, he is confident that Mr.
Manning will never return to the treasury.
The Secretary head is all right, he says,and
his mind is clear, but the effects of his para
lytic stroke are still to be seen in his locomo-
tion, so that he cannot walk without great
effort and some pain. He could not enter
the Treasury building without assistance.
This gentleman says that his trouble seems
to be similar to that from which the late
Senator Morton suffered for twenty years,
but Mr. Manning has not the constitutional
yigor or strength of will that enabled Nor
ton to master and conceal his infrmIty, and
in addition to that his weight of flesh is SO
great as to weaken him.
While nothing whatever is known OF the
selection Of Mr.. Manning.s successor, II is
supposed that either Assistant Secretary
Fairchild will be promoted, or that Congress
man William L. Scott will be chosen. Mr..
Fairchild has conducted the affairs OF the
department with ability, and no one pos
thoroughly than he. Mr.. Scott stands well
with all the factions of the Democracy, has
the confidence of the financial men, and is
very strong political factor, not only in his
own State but throughout the country.
Rumors Denied.
Secretary Bayard denies emphatieally all
knowledge of the report that Mr.. Manning
is to go to Austria as minister. He says
Randolph Tucker was never considered in
connection with the Austrian mission.
Quiet Growing Among the Demo-
Gratis.
There has been quiet growl among the
Democrats here today, over the Importation
of an Italian draughtsman, and his appoint
ment in the supervising architects office in
the treasury, at 81 per day. The Democrats
claim that there are better draughtsmen
right in this city than Eugene Pedon, the
Italian importation, and declare that the ap-
pointment is not democratic. How: Demo-
cratic officials are going to reconcile their
Democratic campaign handbook, just issued
is hald to decide The campaign book on
the subject of labor tries to show that the
Democrats are opposed to the importation OF
here. 1t looks very nice in type and theory,
but the administration is not carrying it out
in practice.
An Interesting Report in Preparation
by the Geological Survey.
The work of collecting data upon the re-
cent earthquake phenomena has not yet
reached stage where the scientists of the
geological survey would feel warranted in
promulgating formal theories upon the sub
ject. 1t is necessary, in the opinion of the
biologists, to collect all the information at
tainable as to time, intensity and direction
of the shocks before any theories are pro-
mulgated.
The geological survey is working industri-
ously upon the collection of data, and hopes
within few months to begin the prepara-
ton of a report which will thoroughly cover
the subject Prof. MCGEE, while in Charles
ton with his Photographic artist, succeeded
in obtaining some valuable photographs,
from which he hopes to calculate the force
and direction of the earthquake. He now
has an assistant in Charleston, who is gath
ering information daily and forwarding it
here The strange behavior of the earth
quake makes it extremely difficult to deter
mine its direction, and it is hoped that fur
ther collection of data will remove the diff
cultes which now appear almost insur-
mountable.
Envoy Sedgwick.
Envoy Sedgwick arrived in Washington
| this morning, and repaired early to the De-
| .,artment of State, where he spent an hour
| or more in conversation with Assistant Sec
| retary Porter and Chief Brown. Upon the
| arrival of the Secretary he reported his ar
| rival in Washington and the completion of
| his errand to Mexico. He was closeted with
| the Secretary for about an hour, after which
| he left the department, announcing to an in
| ouirer his intention to return to New York
tonight. He declined to be. interviewed
| either with regard to his mission or the
statements which have been. published with
regard to his personal conduct Secretary
| Bayard said that Mr.. Sedgwick had not yet
| made his report, and that It's completion
| would require several days. lie declined to
| disclose the nature of Mr.. SedgWlcks verb
| al statement