Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-04-17
THE PRAYING CHAPLAIN.
Things Gong to Thunder-The
Washington Monument-Etc.

Things Gong to Thunder-The
Washington Monument-Etc.
Special Correspondence Of theISrnR.OcEAN.l
WASHINGTON April l2.-The people Of
the capital have had another fright
about the Washington monument. A
rumor spread like wildfire that the noble
structure was cracking and was doomed.
1t stands between the Potomac river and
Babcock lake, and the recent heavy
which have. saturated its founda-
tons and raised the surrounding waters |
naturally gave credence: to the report.
At different points in the city crowds of
were scrutinizing the monument
through opera glasses. What appeared
to be the largest fssure Of q gaping
crack, was about fifteen feet below the
500 foot level. The sensation soon sub
however. The dark stroaks on
the white marble we're not cracks at all.
They were only stains at certain vertical
and horizontal joints caused bv neglect
Of the cleaning process on the part Of
the workmen in their haste to complete
the structure. The interior Of the mon
ument IS o practically completed.
The iron stairway leading to the sum.
mt i9to have ten elevator stages, each
of which will run out to the elevator
shaft at every fifty feet Of the ascent.
Upon the completion of this stairway it
was intended to afford the public every
facility for seeing the monument by is.
suing passes, and providing those who
wished to climb to the top with a Ian.
tern. But as there are no provisions
for keeping q Waterman on hand, every
opportunity would be given to vsndals
and relic hunters to deface the struc-
ture, either BY ~tampering with the me-
mortal stones or by writing their names
upon the wall. Whenever congress
provides custody for the monument,
and makes an appropriation for running
the elevator. it will be open to the pub.
lie and visitors may roam up and down
it at will.
All the gossip about a new secretary
Of the treasury will have to subsido for
q time. The president holds to the he.
lief thai his favoritc adviser will fully
recover despite the doctors opinion
that Mr.. Manning will never DO able to
assist again AT the cabinet councils.
The president does not expect the sick
secretary will again be able to devote
himself so exclusively to business as he
has in the past, but he thinks the bur-
den Of Mr.. Manning's work can be
lightened by shifting it on others. At
any rate the presidentwill not even con
slider the subject Of a new secretary I'm.
til Mr.. Manning indicates to him what
he would like TO have done, and the
latter may name his own successor.
The library bill arpropriates $500,O00
to commence the construction Of q
building for the library OF congress on
a site directly east Of tho capitol. 1t
creates n commission consisting OF the
secretary Of the interior, the architect
Of the capitol. and the librarian Of con-
gress, who shall be authorized I make
the contracts, and it further appropri-
ates q sum Of not more than 100000
for the purchase Of the land.
Tho bill to enlarge the white house
has been reported favorably to the. sen.
ate, and is expected to pass that body
by a unanimous vote. The popularity
Of the measure is explained by the fact
that nearly every senator has an eye Of
faith on the old mansion as q future
place Of residence for himself.
The chaplain Of the house, whose
morning prayers were creating SO much
sensation q fortnight ago. and who has
been praying quite conservatively since,
has made another invocation in which
he gave a deploring picture ofthe times.
He stated that the masses of men were
drifting further and further from the
churches, and educated NOR are asking
"is life worth living? and mon in the
market places were teaching the doc
triues ofdespair, pessimism, agnosticism
and atheism /; scarcely a day passed but
brought to light some new evil to Grim.
son the faces Of the patriot. After item.
izing a long list OF the worst transgres.
sions, he closed by saying that divine
charity took the form Of a machine and
was administered by proxy, and that
our boosted civilization was stained with
blots as black as death. Apropos Of the
subject, although iii believed through
out tho country that this is the most de.
moralized city in the land. there is q
great deal Of Christian work done here
in Washington. 1t goes on silently in
many homes, but it goes on constantly
and it fills the churches on Sunday
with audiences Of such size as are fonnd
in few places in the world.
DR.. Gross, physician at ST. Vinccnt's
Hospital, Baltimore, Md, considers Red
Star Cough cure perfectly harmless,
being purely vegetable and entirely free
from opiatcs, poisons,, and other narcot.
les. Other professionals also indorse it
as prompt, safe and sure. Price, twenty
five cents n bottle.