The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-12-25
Washington News and Gossip.
From our Special Correspondent.


WASHINGTON. d. c., Dec. 20, $50.
Mr.. EDIToR.-The President has recov-
cred from his rheumatism and has appar-
emily recovered his old-time vigor. The
usual public receptions were held at the
White House during the week
The production of 'Rienzi' at Albaugh's
Opera House, by Lawrence Barrett and his
company, during the past week, was
grand dramatic as well as social success.
The play was splendidly mounted, and the
leading members of the company acquitted
themselves with credit. Seldom has there
assembled at single gathering more dis
tinguished audience than that which greeted
Mr.. Barrett upon the rising of the curtain
on Wednesday evening. One of the lower
boxes was occupied by the President and
Mrs. Cleveland, accompanied by Mrs. Villas,
Miss Villas and Col and Mrs. Lamont.
The box directly opposite was occupied by
Chief Justice IVaite and several of his as
socates, while the faces of General Sher-
man, General Sheridan, and several of the
prominent Cabinet officers, Senators, and
members of the foreign legations were
conspicuous in the audience More than
two thousand persons were present, and
the audience was made up of the leading
social lights of the National Capital, many
of the ladies being in full evening dress.
Mr.. ingalls, on Tuesday last made a very
spirited attack upon the railroad companies,
which for so long time have occupied the
streets of Washington to the great disad-
vantage of private property interests. Mr..
ingalls, introduced bill forbdding the use
OF streets by any corporation without first
obtaining permission from Congress. 1t is
hoped that this action by Congress will
result in compelling the railroad companies
to build union depot upon the outskirts
of the city. Mr.. Ingalls, is looked upon by
the citizens of Washington as the best
friend they have in Congress. He has
always taken an active interest in District
matters. OF the several measures in which
the Senate is particularly interested, and
which he proposes to urge during the pre-
sent session of Congress, one relates to the
construction of memorial bridge across
the Potomac, and another to the building
of a new Postoffice.
The annual sale of the articles which
have accumulated in the Dead Letter Office
has been in progress during the past week,
and has been well attended. The fact that
the packages are not opened adds an in
terest to the sale, as it is something of a
lottery. Few of the purchasers have the
courage to open their packages before leav-
ing the sale, but await an opportunity to
retire to some quite corner in order to dis
cover what Dame Fortune has brought to
them. The bidding seldom exceeds a
dollar upon a package. A more miscel-
laneous and varied a collection of articles
could hardly be gotten together.
The work of demolshing the buildings
occupying the site ofthe new Congressional
Library is rapidly progressing. During the
past week, in tearing down the walls of the
Carroll buildings, which occupy a portion
OF the site and are among the oldest in the
city, the wall collapsed, carrying with it six
of the workinen, all Of whom were seriously
injured. The Carroll buildings are fraught
with "reminiscences of ye olden times.
After the battle of Bladensburg, during
the war with England in 1872, they were
used by the British as hospital. In the
course Of the late Civil War they were a
part of the noted Capital prison, and in
taking down the walls there are found many
souvenirs of their former occupants, among
whom are many notorious characters.
1t is said that necessity makes strange
bedfelows. No better illustration of this
adage can be had than is afforded by the
Night Lodging House, or Cramps Hotel"
as it is familiarly called, where during the
recent cold snap many Of the disappointed
oilice-seekers and others stranded in the
Capital City found shelter from the wealth
er. Although the Lodging House was only
established few years ago it has grown to
be one Of the features of Washington.
When a visitor arrives he Is required to
give full statistics concerning himself, after
which hearty supper of hot soup and
bread is served; he is then required to take
bath-this feature is enc of the invincible
rules of the house-after this being com-
pleted he is given comfortable bed for the
night and breakfast in the morning. II.
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