Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-01-22
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. Is, 1886.

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WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. Is, 1886.
To THE SoUTu KENTucKIAN: 4
We are literally frozen up and
"snowed in" in this beautiful city Of
marble buildings. The sparkling ol
the snow crystals by the light of the
moon, and the looming up of the
beautiful proportions of the Capitol
on its high elevation, and the other
public buildings of marble and gran
ito imparts fairy like scene to the
city. The jingling sleigh bells and
the merry laugh of excited drivers
add greatly to the gay scenes of the
otherwise unusually gay season.
Such continued extreme cold and SO
much snow has not been seen in
Washington for ten years. Sleighs
that have been in stock for seven
years have all been sold. and just
now one is not to be had for love OIL
money. Last Wednesday there was
a carnival on Pennsylvania Avenue
from the Capitol to the White House,
and although the Avenue is 100 feel
wide, it was hardly wide enough for
the sleighs ON it. The police laws
appear to have been set aside for the
time, and racing on the finest thor
oughfare in the world was engaged
in to the hearts content. The 65
miles of asphalt pavement that Wash
ingtOn boasts of when covered with
even a light snow affords the finest
sleighing in the world, and whenev-
er we have the rare treat of a good
snow all the cutters of livery stable
men are in active demand day and
night at the chilling price of $500 an
hour and are hard to get at even that
figure.
There seems to be no doubt now
but that Congress will be called on
TO contribute some part of the 81 ,000,-
600 to be expended In erecting a mon
ument to Gen. Grant in Riverside
Park, N. Y. This ought not to be-.
lfthc wish of the people ofthe whole
country had been respected by maxi
ing the Nations Capital the burial
site, everybody would have voiced
the. appropriation of the whole ST.
100000. But since New York City
pushed its claims and insisted on hav-
ing the honored dead with her, and
promised the grand monument, now
let her wealthy magnates make good
their promise. In this connection il
may be stated that it is not believed
here that the bill will pass Congress
which was introduced in the Senate
last week, appropriating 100000 a
year for ten years for each of two
monuments similar 10 the Washing
ton Monument to be erected to the
memory of Lincoln and Grant. =
The decision of Secretary Lamar in
recommending the institution of q
suit TO test the validity of the Bell
Telephone patent was nota surprise
to the well informed in patent mat
ters. The Bell people had an init
nation of what the decision would be
nearly a week before it was announo-
ed, and endeavored to change it by
having Ex-senator Mcdonald make
an argument on the Secretary's re-
turn from his recent trip home, but
political influence availed nothing.
The only surprise is that the Secre-
tary recommends the suit to be pros
ecuted at the expense of the United
States. This ought not to be done,
because the people of the United
States are not pecuniarily interested
in the result, but only rival CON-
pany, who wants to break down the
patent that they may use the inven-
ton without the consent of the Bell
Company. The United States, after
a careful examination and investiga.
ton, granted the patent, and should
not now bear the expense ofa costly
law suit to defeat Its own grant when
it does not even admit that the patent
was wrongfully granted.
Word has been received at head.
quarters that some Western fraud
having the same name as Prof. Baird
of the Fish Commission, has been
sending circulars to farmers in the
East offering to stock their ponds
and streams with fish on the receipt
of one dollar. The fraud has realized
a great deal of money in this way,
and farmers should be on the lookout
for him. The Fish Commission fur.
nish fish to farmers when their appli.
cations are endorsed by the Member
of Congress from that district, and
the fish can be obtained in no othel
way.
At the Presidents State dinner OF
Thursday evening there were thirty
guests present, including the Cabinet
officers and their ladies. All the dec.
orations were more elaborate thar
those on New Years day. The centol
of the table was lined with a mirrow
Iencircled by a heavy border of the
most rare cut flowers. and the central
| floral piece was the aShip of State,
carrying, as freight La France roses
and camelias:> The mantels were al
banked with moss and cut flowers
1t would fill column to describe fnl.
ly all The decorations.
eS The Japanese Patent Commissioner
4 has just visited the Patent Office, anG
had a long interview with Commits
sioner Montgomery and some Of thu
other officials, with the view of get
ting better insight into our paten
system, after which the Japanese sys
tenn is modelled, Our system is being
gradually adopted in all European
| Countries, and whenever changes are
made in Foreign Patent laws they
are made to conform more nearly Il
the laws and system of this country
The land of"Yankee Doodle is lead
ing in the inventions of the age, ant
our Government gives the best pro
lection for the least money of any
power in the world. Ii.
The Prison Parole Bill.