The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-09-06
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Tie Weeks D3iags at The Ma
iional Capital


present Executive Mansion rs 2 residence LOT
The President has been clearly demonstrate,
and several times projects have been SCI on -Coy
To remedy the matter by providing a new -
ecutivc residence and adopting Hhe Nheis %
the White House TO Office ana stare purposes
Whenever the subject has been brought up
with view to obtaining legislation on tii5
subject d horde OF rapaclous cila-ea AafS DS-
qua nj once to quarrel ever tue ioeal5oh s1sA
set desiring srrh selection as W6utl pest oot-e-
fit the5r owu little interests and utterly lghoF-
inc chat rreqtcr quantity, the puol1c good.
F1,-za s,a, i lei mo Interests have thus Tar &c
feafad rho scheme but I hear that 3here Is now
being prepared plan TO present at the next
session 0I Congress, which, u sGecessltl, wa
carry cut the original ideas Of the Board 81
Commissioners that located and laid ont the
District, and win add GROWING glory to thls
beautiful Capital.
The location settled Bnoa IS that at the crown
c. the nights narth Of the city, taking su1il-
cient ground. between the extended lines OF
Fifteenth and Seventeenth streets 10 provide
a spaclaus park, and have the new mansion
placed facing south directly down Sixteenth
street to the White House. lit Is fact that
one Of the early piats Of the District submitted
TO the Beard OF Commissioners designated that
very Eroaal for such purpose ia the future,
bur The Board declined 10 adopt any places for
reservations beyond the city boundary lines
There is no enc spot within this District Of
Columbia from which such a beautiful and
comprehensive view of the whole city OF Wash
inEtoR can be had. The hill slopes away TO
the city boundary 1T its foot SO that it looks IS
thUngh She skilled eye OF ga artistic landscape
garGc1e- had sGp1riutcaaei its formation IN
stead CT Dame Nature herself
This 5aarter las been discussed for some time
past and the gentlemen who are Interesting
themselves have very carefully avoided cen
feuing EltA or tGkiDg nto their confidence
any syndicate Of property OElers or real-e5tato
-fr f7s ffsrr=l xxi FE va
the good OF the Capital city ~ heart, and are
anxious For its still further GdornmeDt, and
nearly all are owners of residences here; not
few Of them are now Senators and Representa-
tiVes in Congress, and most 81 the Others have
been. or else have held or hold ROW high Gil
cial positions. II is known already that very
considerable uEuIbcr 81 Members OF tie present
Congress have expressed their approval OF the
plan, both on account Of tbe need Tor an official
residence and because Of the beauty Of the 10
cation.
Ir connection with this the same gentlemen
are planning out another improvement which
has long been suggested, but il Is yet uncertain
wbesher tAis wiz be sufficiently matnred 10
present to Congress at tue same time
This other protest is - condemn and Pur-
chase ceIts5n whole or hSlf squares Of ground
on Sixteenth street, on which the United states
shall build and main l3in suitable residences,
10 be occupied by the several members 81 the
Cab.u5t during their respective terms Of oiscc-
IL isa Well known fact that frequently able
statesIneu have felt iIfclloa ID decline places
in tie Cabinet. where their services would
have been e value 10 the country, because
they felt gsaJle 10 make The pocaniary sacri-
fee to DO So. The main expense IN Official life
here b the pGblic CuttEtal ming which the III
ez0rable Law Of custom Ess made almost lL--
perative q pom Cabinet c.accT.
To obey tAat law requires very much
larger outlay annually than lie salary attached
20 the position amounts 20, and the 5rst rc4nl-
site is q house sufficiently c0mmoaious and
WelI-a8gointCi ID perform those social duties.
Such house furnished throughout, would al
most absorb iurCnt alone 1hcc entire 5000 that
the Secretaries receive annually, TO say Moth
ing Of the amounts necessary Scr servants 10
keep such house in order; and al this is be-
fore E5ag5e cent Is expended for entertaining =.
Ia Gen. Grants first Cabinet was p Secretary
who Cgsa u4audcd the respect Of The whole
country for his ability. lie had been long IN
puafc ile but was not rleb man, and 50 on
accepting his important portfolio he felt obliged
TO continue Wita his family IA the neat lodg-
ines They had occupied loT years while he WAS
q Representative. That very act which should
hEre 5r9Ggbt him praise. brought upon Eim
instead 6 food Of the most Outrageous abE5e
and black guard attacks from caustlc pens al
ever the country. lie gave such formal re-
ceatirn Is le felt that his income warranted,
aud tie hoEl arose, What. 4 Cabinet secre-
tarr giving q reception in a cheap boarding
house. Ee aTas fond u quiet game o. bid
lsr6s yet Ele1 e weHt u orderly and re-
Spectacle i.lasg 60 play tie same writers snecFed
that * lla coal1 llCt afford a house big enough
to have . billiard table at hoIle, lie should let
billiards alone while he is Secretary Of the
-. EsH Hamilton Fish, the Secretary OF
Stale paid 5000 q year rent for his house
fEn3 Ars. Elsa always complained that il was
200 s-lz.!l ana daring the eight years Of his
service IN Grants Cabinet it is estimated THAI
Tg.-
S5eg53 per alHEu.
fancy tl-t nc enc knows She animal ex
peEd5tHEt-s ttGre uf the present Secretary Of thg
Navy, 5is. Whitney. IN keeping up tbs socis
dnties supposed 80 Dc demanded b. his olirla
position, yet I feel safe ID saying that they ar,
fully hree times ~ much IS those Of bis dis
tileHlsA55 lather-in- lax. Senator Payne, o
CHE
FoT almost half century It has been urgei
thai tie several States Of the Union should
build c-cial residences here for thei
Senators III Congress. That would be goyl
plan TOO but the Senators have 10 such gD0f
argument .arTeg Iiriug och residences Is MON
hers III tile Cabinet Tor tile same laW VI cnstgl
that 0pDFls the latter lets The laTmaksl
elect ga themselves WEetler they shall o. shal
moi entertain largely.
All Eu1o4eau Governments have Official resi-
deacas at their respective Capitals for thei
great officers 81 state. for they do not eZpac
tie officials IT. take service that world eil1e
iEnHegeri-h them or require them 10 live ID
manner g45sdttiug their high station.
s02lETHIisG ABOUT PAgzIAsTEEs.
The retirement oil this date Ft. 6 Of Lieat
william Ell. johnson. Desatv Pag4aaste--f3en
era, II. :. A., on reaching "a years gf age. &c
Gals he acI taat THE legislation ci july Jsss
reducing DE army Pay Corps Is having a SER
Gus eject Oh iae service
WITH lal.Johus6H S retirement, and the com
ing oal os Col. 8aaiel Mcclure Assistant Pay
mssteT-teueFai, Dec. % next, he number q
officers ot GIG grades III the corps vii be q
and Of these several arc permanently disable
for active service.
The .aw O 1ssi fixes the number 10 ID
CORPS IS IS. and Waen the laY WAS passed ther
were 20 50 taat candidates anzious 10 scry
the country I'D dealing oHt money 30 troop
must Hajt until jane. 1884 tuuless death IN
vades Tie ranks before, when tie retircmcu
Of Hai- James Z. Roche VIII create the ar
TaCar.-e.
zE.s branch g t5s service has more iutercs
for clF al aud ez-AuHv lDcn thaH any otle
Tor appointments 70 rank Of AiajOr5 are open
civil IKE. Dftae Glmbgr H0U in the corps.
were appointed direct from civil lie vino ha
never seen day q previous service, 2ne
from civil life Hh0 mad seen service in ii
fed during the rebellion II hid been Volal
~ 49, a.