Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-04-03
From Washington.

rspecial Correspondence OF the Alexa' dAAsiAA'I
WASHINGTON. D. c., April 8, 1885
There seems to be quandary in the In
terror Department as to where to place tne
clerks Last winter Secretary Lamar il'ed
his report in which he spoke of the absolute
necessity of more room, and in rider al
tached to the appropriation bill Congress
empowered the Secretary to transfer the
Land Office to the new Pension building. 1t
seems that there is but one story unoccupied
in this edifice, and as it is ut the very top OF
the building, unlighted except by ak ylight,
with no windows and aired only by
interior yentilators, the Commissioners OF
the General Land Office is adverse to NOV.
ing, especially as his force will be packed
together like sardines. The Commissioner
of Pensions, General Black, is as strongly OPP
posed to the change. Something must Oh
done, and very soon. The Patent Ohce
has utilized every foot of space, and the pas
sares are 80 blocked with model cases as 10
practically bar all access, except to adVen'
turous tourists and enthusiastic explorers.
The railroad division has overlooked
across the street and the only solution OF the
question where to put the constantly IN
creasipg clerical force, is to billet them IN
private houses, rented by the government.
Senator Frye of Maine, says that as the
time for the meeting Of the natlonai repuo.
lican convention approaches, IL LOOKS hole
and moro as if Mr.. Blaine would Do the
nominee of that convention. Such seems 10
be the general impression OF most CT inc
repnblicaps here, except those who think
lightning may strike, them or VINO are per-
sonaIly interested in the nomination oil
somebody else
Present adyices from New Hampshire are
IN the effect that 40 much of Senator Chan.
der's time will he occupied in efforts 10 re-
stat the attempt of Mr.. Gallinger to get his
seat in the Senate that he won't have much
to spend in attacks upon Secretary Whitney.
In the Senate last Saturday evening House
bills we're passed to confirm the title oil
Maria Syphax, coored, to lot on the Ar
lington reservation giving pension TO the
widow of Mayor Reynolds Kirby OF the
Valley of Virginia, soldier of 1872. and In
creasipg the pension of Mrs. Anu Atkinson,
widow of the late Hopeful Toer. A bill to
give Miss Virginia Tayloe Lewis $50, OO0 for
sword she Inherited from General Wash
incton was reported favorably. The bill for
having the claim of the heirs of the late
joseph Maddox of Alexandria, was reached
on the calendar, but Mr.. Mitchell objected
to it's consideration. In the House yesterday
Mr.. Yost introduced bill giving the right
of way through the Arlington reservation 10
the Washington, Western & South Western
RR. Iuthe Senate yesterday MIR. Danielpre.
septed petition of the farmers convention,
assembled at Danville, Va, for the repeal of
the tax on whisky, oleomargarine and 9TH
or articles taxed by tie internal revenue
laws; also petition of Naurozne Grange,
of Diuwidde county, against the adultera-
ton of articles of food also petition OF the
superintendent in the life saving service for
the adjustment of salaries in the 1st, I'd, 5th
and Sth districts. In the House, MIR. Laird,
at the request of ex.representative Libby,
introduced bill for an iron bridge from the
reservation at Fortress Monroe to Elizabeth
City County, Va. Mr.. Bowden introduced
bill to grant an American register to the
steamer Sythian; also petition of Ether.
idge and Moore and others, of Norfolk,
against the passage Of the Butterworth and
Dawes lard bills; also petition of John h.
Nash. for the heirs of Nathaniel Nash, OF
Norfolk county, Va, for the reference OF
their claims to the Court of Claims. Mr..
Wise introduced bill for the relief of Sam
uel Wool.
In the House to day, after good deal of
to consider pension bills, and who, by the
by, were mostly democrats, the House took
up the bill, which had previously passed the
Senate, to refuud the money that was col.
lected under the direct land tax bill of 1862.
Should the bill pass, fifteen million dollars
will be returned, of which sum S5l5 600 will
60 to Virginia, Alexandria city and county,
and Fairfax county getting about one third
of the latter sum. The names of all who
paid this money are on record in the office
of the commissioner of internal revenue, so
that if receipts are lost, proof of the identity
of the payers or their heirs will be the only
requisite for its recovery.
The House Commerce Committee to-day
agreed to report iavorably o resolution for
investigating the cause Of the existing strike
on the Burlington and Quincy Railroad.
The Committee on Naval Affairs agreed to
report favorably bill providing for the
separation of the naval cadets at the expira.
tion of every three years course into two
classes, one for the line and marine and the
other for the engineers, and that there.
after the instruction of those classes be In
accordance with their respective lines of
duty.
An excursion party of three hundred and
fifty people from New England, together
with a goodly number of delegates to the
Women's Council were at the Capitol to-day.
They were afforded an experimental illus.
tration of an executive session, for at
quarter of one o'clock the Sergeant.at. Arms
was ordered to "clear the galleries and close
the DOORS" And they we're sent down
stairs.
Ia the Senate to-day, after the routine business
Mr.. Riddeberger renewed his motion to take up
his resolution for the consideration of the Cana
dian fisheries treaty in open session. Messrs.
Plumb Sherman and Hoar opposed him by parlia-
mentary tactics and provoked him to say he
would not be dragooned, and SO persistent was he
and so clearly in order that at heinstance of Mr..
Edmunds, the galleries were cleared in order, as
he said, that he might say something with closed
doors.
1t is possible, if the executive session be not
too long, that the bill authorizing the Secretary
of the Treasury to purchase bonds. stripped of all
its amendments, will be passed at to-dsys session