The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1886-09-02
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsHINaros, D. G., Aug. 81. 1886

"Abh4N6IONS ~ III AUks Oh 1OCO
To the Editor Of the RmpoFia NEWS.
Official life in Washington is very quiet
these warm days, except in purely local
matters In the departments. The &c ing
beads of the various bureaus, whose PROV.
ince 1t is to exercise the power of removal
aRd appointment, are making the best OF
the situation while tue chiefs are away by
Issuing intim4tions that resIgnations
would be accepted if rendered. The
consequence is thai there will be a num-
Der of vacancies TO De filed when the
chiefs return which they will not be long
in supplying, however averse they might
nave been TO making removals Many
promotions are being made in most Of the
various departments, and the vacancies
thus being made in the lower grades,
together with the additional clerks al
lowed under the appropriation bill, in sew
eral of the departments, enable the present
administration to select men of its own
party from the outside to fill the offices
The White House is not besieged at all
now since the presidents departure, and
Col. Wilson is taking advantage of the
quiet which surrounds the mansion to
have fresh coat of paint pnt on the ex-
terror Of the building. 1t will stand forth
in ell the purify of its whlteness by the
time the president and his wife returns
from their jaunt TO the AdIrondacks, and
will present q cool and attractive appear
ance. The interior also by that time will
htve undergone q thorough renovating
and assumed an artistic arrangement OF
new pieces of furniture and upholstery.
The presidents piscAtorieI teats are at
tracing considerable notice and causing
much small talk at the Capital Just now.
The city was visibIy affected when the
news flashed over the wire that the presl-
dent caught q fish. Then next came the
electrifying news that he had landed 3 five
FOUNDER, and the party had caught in all
four dozen. On the following day the
whole catch was stated to be over 100, and
the weight Of the presidents biggest fish
eleven pounds. These dispatches worked
up the people of Washington into q delIr-
lum OF excitement. The climax was
dents wife had landed beauty, weighing
pound and half. The members of the
q. 8. Fish Commission view with alarm
the havoc being wrought by the White
House couple among the "speckled beau
Ties" as the official reporter calls them.
II the destruction continues during the
presidents month of at the same rate of
increase, there will not be any fish left.
Let US hope the president will have come
consideration for US as q nation, and not
force Secretary Bayard to precipitate the
fisheries war upon US at this time.
At the departments of state and war ev-
eIything is serene, and there is nothing
outwardly to indicate war with our Next
can neighbors to be imminent. The OIL
Gals of the two departments, who are In
position TO know whereof they speak, say
that there has at no time been anything in
the official correspondence between the two
governments to indicate that the little IN
pIsasantness would be otherwise than
amicably settled.
Some few members and senators are
still in the city looking after affairs OF
government, but they stop only for few
DAYS at q time, and then take 9 run into
the mountains of the adjoining states of
Maryland and Virginis, where 30 many
delightful summer resorts are TO be found
The first step has been taken to estab-
lIsh at the Washington navy yard the big
gest equipment and ordnance shop in the
country. The secretary OF the navy has
issued an order closing all the bureaus of
the yard, except those to which equip
ment and ordnance will be confined,
for which there will be provided an I'm
mense plant. The appropriation now
made for plant and works is only $780,
GOO, but the amount of work and the appro-
prlation will increase as the various new
vessels contemplated become ready for
armOr / was told by an officer of the
yard that it will be some time before any
number of new hands will be taken on in
the shops. Everything will first have TO
be put IN readiness for the new plant, and
it will he some time before new machinery
aRd tools can be assembled here. When
work Is started, which will be In the fall,
1t is probable that l 500 hands will be re-
quired. Then look out for big guns"
The demand for one, five and ten-cent
pieces being made upon the treas
ury department perpleKes the officials
considerably, and 1t was found necessary
q few days ago to request the Philadelphia
mint TO increase the coinage, as the sup
ply of these coins on hand is entirely in
adequate to meet the calls for them.
Superintendent Fox of the mint says
that he can supply all demands inside of
80 days.