The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-10-22
Our Washington Letter
From Our Regular Correspondent.

AS the autumnal Ir0stS tint the paFK ana
street foliage of Washington with brighter
hues, the entire city begins to assume live
lier and gayer appearance. The President
and his official family returned from their
vacations the desks in the departments fill
ed; the temperance of stylis equipages
and the familiar crowd on the avenues and
general increase Of interest in business af-
fAirs-all these are signs that the season of
social entertainments and receptions; of
Congressional eloquence and negligence;
and of renewed labor in cle:ical and bust
ness circles is close at hand.
Secretary Manning is back at his desk
again attending to his duties in the old way.
Contrary to the eft repeated assertions of
gloomy prophets, his work seems to agree
with him, and he looks better than when he
| came to Washington. He is occupied with
official work exclusively. and spends much
of his time on his ANNUAL report. 1t is be.
lieved that the main features of the report
will be his appeals for revenue reduction,
and for currency reform.
The appr oaching session of Congress is
already shown by the presence of the usual
advance guard of lobbyists end Office seek
ers. The departments and all other places
of interest fairly swarm with sight seers
from the time the doors are opened in the
morning until the hour of closing.
The Treasury is probably more interest
ing than any other of the Executive De-
partments. The State, War. and Navy De-
partments occupy one building, which is
the most ornate structure in Washington
The Patent Office has for curiosties the
model rooms, where an idea may be OBJ
tanned Of the wonderful inventive skill of
the American people. The P. 0. Depart
ments has many bureaus worthy of interest,
particularly the Dead Letter Office, where
there is unique and varied collection TAX
en- from the mails in transit, and where ev-
erything unavailable, trom an Indian toma.
hawk to snake in alcohol, may lie found.
The Agricultural Department, too, is
we'll worth a visit. 1t may be interesting to
those who receive packages from this De
partment containg the seeds so nicely pack
ed, 10 know how this is accomplished. Near
ly all the work is done by women. The
paper pockets are cut by machinery, then
they are folded and pasted by hand, then
counted and labeled, About 10000 are
made every day; each folder is required to
make at least 1000. Since the first of
June not far from three million pockets
have been printed at the Department. Aft
erwards the pockets are filled by dexterous
hands with astonishing rapidity, then clos
ed, assorted, tied in handles, and are ready
for agricultursts all over the land.
But the Treasury Department contains
more objects of interest than any of the
above mentioned The structure itself is
one of the oldest in this comparatively new
city, and has not the fresh look of the other
Government edifce here. Within, there
may be seen the 2ogues' Gallery collect
ion of photographs Of counterfeiters; a cur
ious display of counterfeit money; the beau
tiful Cash Room, inla;d with colored marb-
les; the great silver vaults of the United
States, Uncle Sans strong box; the gallery
containing the picture of all the Secretaries
OF the Treasury; the display of letters re-
lating to the Conscience Fund, etc. OF
late another interesting collection may be
seen there. 1t consists of a number of arti-
cles of jewelry, silyerware, watches, por-
traits, ETC., that were captured by the U. S.
army during the war, and deposited in the
Treasury. There are many valuable and
costly ornaments. Some of the gold is of
the best quality. There is one set of ex-
quisitely cut canoes, surrounded by pearls.
One box is filled with rings, brooches buck,
les, pins and lockes, all of pure gold.
Some of the jewelry is broken, and gives
evident signs of having been collected in
great haste. One of the most curious things
in the collection is an old fashioned Eng.
lish bulls eye gold watch, with its rystal
q quarter of an inch thick. There are also
some seals, craven with heraldic device;
and a number of precious stones, diamonds,
pearles, topazes, and others. The articles
are waiting for some one to claim them and
prove their ownership.
ES@rax- NnhSoo