Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-04-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.

days. 1t cmbodies the best parts Of
the several bills heretofore presented
and is very different from the Morri-
son bill. Under it the revenues will
be cut down about $25,0O0,0O0, the
principal reduction being on wool
and sugar. 1t opens up wide field
for discussions, and what the fate Of
the bill will be no Scion can just now
predict.
When ex-Treasurer Wyman's &C:
counts were overhauled at the time
of his resignation, large quantity of
silverware, iewelry, portraits, watch
es and other articles were brought TO
light. These articles were deposited
in the Treasury by the Secretary of
War In 1869, as property captured by
the U. y. Army during the late war.
1t is desired to restore the articles to
their rightful owners, and with this
object in view bill was introduced
in Congress this week. 1t is also con-
templated TO restore the famous Van
Buren, jewels to the family Of the late
Mr.. Van Buren,.
At this season of the year the Ag-
ricultural Department is one of the
busiest in the city. The assortment
and distribution Of vast quantities of
flowers and vegetable seed requires
an increased force of clerks, who have
q hard time to keep up with the de-
mand. Over two-thirds of the seed
sent out by the department go to
Members of Congress. The quantity
TO which each one is entitled will fill
eight large mail sacks, and as there
are over 400 senator's and representa-
tives, IL will be seen that 1t is no
easy task to put the seed up in small
packages, label, seal and distribute
them as each member directs. The
seed are used by the Congressman as
a reminder to their constituents that
they are not forgotten and that their
representative does not propose to be.
Excursion parties to the Capitol
from various sections Of the country
are a feature Of the season in Wash
ington. There are several here now.
and there is not day in the year
that scores of tourists may not be
seen, singly or in troups "doing" the
Capitol, the department buildings,
the monument and the many other
attractions. Some of these visitors
one day this week, after the severe
rain and wind storm, saw in the
Washington Monument what they
thought was crack Of such size as
to excite fears as to It's safety. The
discovery spread like wild fire
throughout the city, and under such
circumstances it does NOT take hours
for multitude Of people TO congre-
gate at the scene of danger. The Of
ficials having special care of the i'm
mense shaft of marble were not long
IN assembling, and soon quieted the
fears of all. The examination dis.
close the fact that what was supposed
10 be crack was nothing more than
streak Of discolor flowing from the
joints between the blocks of marble
in which dust had accumulated.
Without exception every men,
Der of these excursion parties
call upon the President, and he il
kept busy in hand-shaking. AT hi
reception OH Thursday there wert
five hundred persons present for {
shake of his hand, and they all got it
1t looks now as if works of al
sorts in the building line will b.
suspended here after May 8. Tit
mechanics have all given notic'
that OH and after that date the,
will demand eight hours fol-
days work, and $500 a day
as wages. The master or bos
mechanics have organized and de
} termiped to resist the demands of In
workmen and to shut down all worl
rather than submit to the demands
The material men have agreed /,
furnish material to no master me
chanic who is not member Of tn
master mechanics society, and in re
taliation the workingmen have adop
: ted resolutions declaring that the
: will work on no building or jo
+ where the material is furnished b
material men who discriminat
against employers who accept tn
s eight hours rule. The plans 70
: many a projected large building hav
t been withdrawn, and 1t is estimate
5 that several million dollars will b
|. withheld from circulation owing I
i the settled "dead lock" between en-
Z ployers and employees.
: Congress has at last passed the bi
!. providing for the National Librar
/, Building and the President will sig
a It without delay. 1t will take b.
l. tween one and two years 10 erect I'll
Q structure, but when completed it wi
D be the finest of the kind in the worlt
d The building will be an oblong squai
10 with rotunda in the center 100 fe'
4 in diameter canopied with glass.
O will have capacity to shelve 4,723
100 books, exclusive of newspap'
files, unbound pamphlets, music
!, sheets, etc. The site selected is Il
u ground just east of the Capitol. I'll
d estimated cost is $2,323,600. III
= plans are those of Smythmeyer al
/ LEM, architects of Washington, wi
u competed with % other architec