The Washington critic., 1886-09-20
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

NHc Oh lue lulCSt HlOTleS Oh MTs.
Cleveland's tact and good breeding
comes from Newport, and Is thus related
by the World: Miss Bancroft, a grand
daughter of the old historian, is a very
clever and charming woman, who Is
we'll known in Washington society.
She has never met the Presidents wife,
but some female newspaper correspond
ent from the Capital chose to represent
them as intimate friends after the In.
genious fashion of repeating all.reports
without taking pains to ascertain their
truth which so endears the Washing.
ton correspondents to dwellers in the
Capital. In consequence OF this re-
port ,everal persons who were not GER
tain as to Miss Bancroft's address sent
notes nd letters to the White House
for her to Mrs. Cleveland care. Sew.
eral of them were forwarded, and with
one of them the Presidents wife sent
few wol ds to say that she had learned
how this mistake had originated, and
was only sorry 1t was a mistake, and
hoped that, though the correspondent
had made IN error, 1t would prove
prophesy. which was very pretty and
graceful thing for the young President.
ess to say. Miss Bancroft was much
pleased, and when they both return to
Woshin gton there Is every prospect
that the correspondents assertion will
be made good.
Henry George is short, sturdy man,
with good physique, upright head,
f,,n hpa hol hi
eyes. He was born in Philadelphia
on September 9, 1889, of American
parents. His ancestors are part Eng
lish, part Scotch. and part Irish, with
bit Of German blood. He went to
school until he was fourteen years
old, and then went to an Office, and af
terward to sea. When he was eigh-
teen he was u printer In California.
He began as composltor, changed to
reporter, rose to be editor, and then be-
came proprietor. In 1869 he ran for
Assembly in Sacramento, where he
was the editor of the Sacramento Re.
porter. He was Democrat, aud sided
with Governor Haight in the fight
against the railroads and other Cali.
fornia monopoles. The railroads de.
feated him for the Assembly, and by
buying controlling interest in the
stock of his paper forced him out of
the editorship. In 1877 he began to
write his work on Progress and
Poverty" 1t took him until 1870, and
when published lifted him at once into
prominence. He went to Ireland in
the dark days of 1880 as correspondent
of the Irish World. and wrote series
of letters TO that paper. In 1881 he
went to England on the invitation of
the English Land Restoration Society.
and in the winter of 1SS4-5 he went to
Scotland on the invitation of the
Scottish Land Restoration Society. He
delivered lectures, giving his views on
the land question all over Great Britain,
where his book attained an enormous
sale. He has also written books on the
tariff and articles In the Nineteenth
Century, the North American Reriew
and oher magazines. AT present he is
publisher, with an ollics at 70 Astor
Place.
NV
"Why is 1t that it takes the Govern.
ment SO long to erect building?" was
asked Of Architect Bell by Mail and
Erpress reporter. ut is DUE" he re-
piled, "to the lack of money to carry
on the work expeditiously. Appropri-
ations come very slowly, and then they
ale not sufficient to carry on the work
Tor any length of time. The annual
app opriaiion amounts to two or two
and a.half million dollars. That sum
is insufficient to continue work on all
IN ht1il Iinrr fn / fn1y fhn
Government should put up buildings
on the same principle that private citi'
ZrLs adopt. When bill authorizing
the erection of building in any city is
pas sed, think the same bill should con-
tain a clause for the amount necessary
Then that building would have nothing
to prevent its immediate erection. 1t is
q simple way, too, and would give gen
eral satisfaction" "Do you think the
Government is erecting too many build
ings 2" mo, there are some cities
where public buildings are needed and
in the long run they will prove cheaper
Than the enormous rents frequently
paid, We have 100 buildings that re-
quire repairs constantly and eighty new
buildings now in process OF erection.
These new buildings will cost from
$50, 900 to 5000 600 each. Progress on
them is regulated by the appropria
lions made by Congress. Every month
photographs of the buildings being
constructed are taken and sent to me.
BY this means can see how the work
Is being conducted"
~
Says New York letter: The ele-
waited roads will reduce their fares to
Ave cents at all hours after October / =,
and there is talk that they will then put
anumber of drawing room cars on two
Of the lines during certain hours Of the
day to qater to fashionable travel. The
charge will be ten or fifteen cents, but
the experiment must be doubtful one
at best. Me-, n while the surface roads
are shaking In their shoes for fear this
will compel them to come down to three
cents, and three cents will hardly pay
for seyen,mile drive, even If the cable
takes the place of horses.
~
Speaking of the engagement of Miss
Carroll of Baltimore to the Blron
Louis de La Grange of France, the
New York GWphjc says; Miss Carroll
Is q daughter of Hon. John Lee Car.
roll, ex Governor of Maryland aud she
Ia great great granddaughter of Chas.
Carroll of Carrollton of Revolutionary
fame. Miss CarrOlls maternal grand