The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-11-06
Washington News and Gossip.
From our Special Correspondent.

WASHINGTON. ID. C., Nov. 1, $50.
MIR. EDITOR: The Capitol is lust now
undergoing the annual honse-cleaning
process to which it is subjected during
the few weeks preceding the opening of
session of Congress. Workmen are
engaged throughout the building in
painting and cleaning, carpets are being
laid and desks placed in position. Nor
is the scene of activity confined to the
interior of the building. Work upon
the marble terraces upon lhe west front
of the building is being prosecuted by
an army of wOrkmen, and ground has
been broken for the grand staircase
provided for by Congress at its last ses.
sion.
The plans for the Mexican legation
building have been returned approved
from the City of Mexico. and the work
of tearing down the houses which cover
the site has been commenced. The
building. when completed, will be three
stories in height, and have frontage
of ~ feet. 1t will he constructed of
stone and brick, ard when finished it
will be one of the finest buildings in the
city. 1t will be located IN the heart of
the social centre of the city, and in the
immediate neighborhoud are the fine
residences of eX-Secretary Chandler.
MIR. John w. Thompson, Chief Justice
Waite and Mr.. John w. Foster. the
former minister to Spain. The action
Of the Mexican Government in thus
erecting a legation building, will. it is
thought, induce other foreign govern
ments to secure building sites before
the value of property advances further.
The English and German Governments
are at present the only foreign govern
ments that own their own residences in
this city
An illustration of the power of the
press has been evinceh by the rpcrn'
change of the title OF the Presidents s
country residence. The new title Of
"Red Top originated with Colonel
Preston of the Washington staff of the
New York Herald. During a rccen,
discussion of the title"Pretty Prospect,
which had been given to his new home
by the President, the Uerald man en-
tered MS protest against the title. He
insisted that as the roof had been paint
ed blood red color that Red Top
should be its name, and he laid a wager
OF dinner that he would make it so,
lie wrote an article to his paper calling
the place Red Top" and the name was
at once adopted hv all of The paueps and
the public generally and he won his
wager.
Ihe National Museum has received
some very valuable and interesting ex-
hl6lts during the past few days from
Africa and other foreign countries.
Among them may be mentioned rinn
OF brass, weighing ten pounds. which
was worn upon the ankle of an African
princess as an ornament. Professor
Hendley, the modelcr of the museum.
whose marvellous productions IN plaster
have given him the tide of the"Wizard,"
is now engaged upon a life-sized figure
of Geronimo, the Apache chief. The
work, although copied from photo
graph, will, when finished. be life-like
representation of the notorious Indian
outlaw, and will form a very interesting
addition to the collections of the mn,
scum.
The committee engaged in pcrfecting
the arrangements for the grand national
competitive drill, to be held in Washing
ton in May next, report that upwards
of $4,000 has been subscribed toward
defraying the expense, and the project
is considered an assured success. Mill
tary comnanies from nearly every state
in the Union have announced their
intention of competing for the prizes
During the eight days of the meeting
the varions military organizations will
encamp in the park surrounding the
Washington Monument, and the camp
is to be called Camp George Washing
| ton. II.