Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1889-08-30
WASHINGTON NEWS.

The president upon the recommendation
OF the civil service commission, has ap-
proved an amendment TO the rule governing
the railway mail service, excepting from
examination clerks employed in that service
exclusively as porters in handling mail mat
ter in bulk, in sacks or pJucnes and not
otherwise and clerks employed exclusively
on steamboats,.
The civ service commission has amended
regulation Z, concerning cartiication, 50 as
to provid3 that eligibles not having claim of
preference under section 1, 754 of the revised
statutes shall be entitled to three certifica-
lions Independently of any certifcltio that
may be glveI them in connection with DR.
sons having preference claim. This pro-
vision Is deemed necessary in view of a
recent opinion by the Encouragement that
appointing officers are under obligation to
give effect to the statute by selecting and
appointing the preference claimants
Secretary Window has decided to make
change in the present method of appoint
menJ OF special agent of the treasury. Here
after they will be designated for appoint
ment at stated compensation, and must
then appear before board OF examiners for
the purpose of testing their fitness Thu ex-
animation will be non competitive and not
technical. Assistant Secre ary Tichenor
has been named as the president of the board
In Washington.
As early as the last of March Secretary
Window declared that he would not paw
fancy prices for bonds. Nothing has hap
pencil sin % hen to indicate that the policy
OF tn treasury with regard to bond ur-
chaSes has been changed. Acting Secretary
Bachelor says the market is very high. The
lde of the department has been that it is
bettsr 10 let money accumulate in the
treasury than pay such high prices. The
question: is under consideration now, how
ever, by Secretary Window, whether he
shall raise the price.
Tne postofllce department has received
samples of the new style Of street letter box
recently adopted, and which will hereafter
be used. The disa ivantages of the old style
OF boxes was that they were easily robbed
by the ue Of a gummed stick, piece Of wire,
or pair of curved nippers designed especi-
ally this purpose. So many robbaries
occur cd that the department appealed to
the inventors for something more secure
than the box at present in use. 1t was also
desired to have tuem more secure from the
weather as in driving rains contents Of
boxes have fr quently been badly drenched.
The new box is exceedingly simple in its
construction and overcomes the objection to
the box now in use. The slot is not visible
until knob is pulled down. This opens the
slot, but at the same time raises
tray within the box, which divides it
into two compartments all mail previ : sly
deposited being in the lower compartm mt
and the tray fits so tightly that nothing Gun
, be inserted through the slot that will reach
to the bottom. A letter inserted in the box
remains on the tray until the knob is re-
leased when the tray falls down like stage
trap door and the letter is secure. As long
as the slot is open the contents Of the box
are covered by the tray and are inaccessible.
The arrangement also prevents damage to
mail matter deposited by the blowing in of
snow or rain. The design was accepted out
Of 140 presented. The boxes will be made in
three sizes instead of two as heretofore. The
additional siz9 will be much larger than any
now in use. The present boxes will not be
disturbed, but when damaged will be re-
placed by the new style.
The United States Life Saving corps on
Long Island are opposed to the order from
washington, requiring them to wear uni
forms after Sept. 1. Their pay is $50 per
month, and out of this they must support
their families and keep themselves clothed.
The men say it will take a months pay to
provide the new outfit, and declare they
cannot afford 10 buy uniforms The oldest
and most experienced of the life savers, it is
said, threaten to resign.
The government is arriving at an amica-
BILE un Outstanding with Great Britain upon
The Behrlrg Sea question.
Ex Gev. Alexander R. Boteler of West
Virginia, member of the tariff commission
and various other public bodies, has re-
signed the office of pardon clerk in the de-
partment of jus,ica.
1t is reported that E. W. Halford, the
presidents private secretary. has begun suit
against firm of cigarette manufacturers ID
prevent the use of the photograph of his
daughter Jeanette in cigarette packages.
Aror 0 1902 $50 - A. OF ,Obo =,
treasury department has purchased $G2, 94S,-
500 per cent. bonds, aud Sll6, $3.50, 500 al
per cent. bonds or total of $l19,S7O, 100.
These bonds cost $207 135, 093 At maturity
these bonds would have cost S2I3 6iq, ,746, so
that the government has made saving of
$780, 513,653
Constructors Bowles and Gatewood and
Assistant Constructor Taylor have been an
pointed board to thoroughly revis, the
calculatlons as to spaces and weights of the
armored battleship Texas, to be built at
Norfolk and ascertain whether there is real
necessity for change IN the English designs
In order to make the vesS / SeaWorthy and
sui able for naval servica. The chief con-
structor OF the navy has recently presented
TO the secretary report saying that the ar
mament of the vessel and other weights
which the bureaus desire to introduce in the
Texas are 800 tons in excess of the weights
as calculated by the designer. Some of the
officers OF the navy seem to have a power
full prejudice against carrying out the OF igi-
nal English plans which were puroaesed by
Secretary Whitney.
Advertisements have been re.ssued from
the navy department for bids tor the con-
structlon OF three 8000-ton C ui-ers Tho
new advertisement is the same as the old.
with certain important differences that are
expected to induce contractors to offer bids
that will fall within the approprial ions.
The department makes several conc assons to
this end, The bids will be open Oct. 26.