Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-19
They Will Parade the Streets During
the Templar Encampment
PAVING CONTRACTORS METHODS
MIR. Barber's Fine Hand Shown at the
Capitalize objects Not So
Much to the rrice as to
the Contractor.
WARRINGTON BUREAU, THE OMAHA BEE,
513 FOURTEENTH STREET.


reports from subcommittee which are
making arrangements for the coming grand
encampment. The committee on excursions
reported that they had hired the steamer
Columbia for two days and the carriage
committee announced the engagement of fifty
vehicles for the use of the officers Of the en-
campment on the day of the parade. The
committee decided that it was advisable to
hold competitive drill, but each division
will give an exhibition. Chairman Parker
stated that the parade would be about two
miles and half in length and in view Of this
fact and the splendid condition of the Wash
ington streets none of the marchers were
in danger of being overcome with fatigue. 1t
10 the intention of the local commandery
TO make proposition that all of the future
conclaves shall be held In Washington.
Colonel M. w. Parker, chairman of the
Trier NAL committee says that General
Charles Room, grand master of the knights
Templar, is strongly in favor of Washington
as the permanent place for all future meet
ings of the body, and intends TO use every ef-
fort possible to make 1t so. The knights
Templar are law-making body, said Colo
mel Parker, US well as congress, and he
favors Washington because it is the national
capital.
"How many knights will be in attendance
on the conclaveln
Between 1000 and $1,000 have already
been quartered, and there will probably be
10000 in all. One Of the most novel features
of the occasion will be the presence of twen-
ty-seven boys from the Masonic home at
LOUISVILLE KY. The home is situated a
few miles out from the city of Louisville,
and is one Of the prettiest places ever saw.
The home contains about the same number
of boys as girls and all are kept until they
can be comfortably settled. The boys will
yp;rr 1Nxrtn
receive lot of attention. 1 think it would
be an excellent idea myself to have home
of the same kind in Washington, and letters
have been received from commanders in
number of different states urging us to hold @
exhibition drills during the conclave, for the
purpose of raising funds to erect the same,
which will probably be DONE"
A SLEEK PAVING CONTRACTOR.
1t has got to be the custom for municipal
reformers to point to the government of the
District of Columbia, which means the city
of Washington, as the place above all others
on earth which is nearest the form which
will be found prevailing universally when the
millenneum strikes us. 1t Is urged mi behalf
of the commissioners scheme Of govern
ment. or government without representa-
ton, that there can be no iobbery no trick
cry, or any waste in the distribution of pub
lie moneys for public improvements. 1t Is
claimed that the absence of the susceptible
board of aldermen and the watchful eye
winch congress ulllnbdluS over tuc audTS VI
the capital city serves to prevent anything
like jobbery. The fact that the improve
ments of the streets are paid for out OF
fund, and that there is no necessity for buy
ing up committees, or aidermanic bodies for
the purpose of securing the contract, makes
it impossible for rings to rule; but Washing
ton is just now entering upon an experience
which shows that this utopean theory Is not
we'll founded.
Congress at its last session provided for
4 ,rfo onir, rnff fhn nj pnv w AMI np
Pennsylvania avenue, between the capitol
and Seventeenth street. The district com.
missiopers, who form the municipal govern
ment, awarded the whole contract undcr an
old bid Of the Crawford Pavement company.
Immediately the pioneer of asphalt streets,
A. L.. Barber, who is reputed to have made
millions out of his monopoly Of the product
of Trinidad, entered formal protest against
the price proposed to be paid. He insisted
that it was altogether too high, and that he
was ready TO give bonds to do the work at a
much lower figure, which would have re-
suited in the saving OF many thousands OF
dollars to the taxpayers OF Washington and
the country at large. Mr.. Barber appealed
to the courts to issue an injunction, restrain
ing the commissioners from closing the con-
tract with the Crawford company. He was
turned out of court, however, practically on
the ground that he was an Interested COM
petihve bidder and that he was not acting
for the public welfare. Then Mr.. Barber in
duced some of his friends, who are largely
interested in district real estate, to renew the
protest which he mad made. Atfidavits were
secured as easy as patent medicine certiti-
Gates to the effect that the contract proposed
to be entered into was against the public
good and that there was no reason why it
it should be put into effect, lnasmuch as the
the Barber Asphalt Pavement company
stood ready to perform the work for lower
figure. 1t looked for a while as though the
contest between these two corporations
would result in delaying the resurfacing of
the avenue long enough to prevent It's use for
| the knights Templar concaye, but all of q
sudden there was a cessation or hostility, and
now it is announced that A. L. Barber &
| Co., will pave about two fifths of the street,
| while the Crawford company will do the re-
| mainder. 1t is also stated that Barber will
not be known in the contract, but that he
| will simply act for the Crawford company,
| and that the price which he will receive will
| be just tie same as paid to Crawford for the
| work which he (Barber) will perform. This
| subject is interesting IN that the Barber COM
| pauy is prominent competitor for paving
| contracts in number of the larger cities In
| the United States
THE SECRETARIES DWELLINGS.
The residence on X street, leased by Sec
retary and Mrs. Noble for their next sea-
sons occupancy. was originally owned oy
| Ben Halliday. Upon his death the property
| one of the most complete and elegant man
| sions in the city. The secretary has taken
| it upon a lease of three years and will have
| for his near neighbor Assistant Secretary
| Clarkson, who will occupy the dwelling ad-
| joining that of Senator Sherman, thus form
| ing a pleasant circle of near neighbors
| among the new officials, should the secre-
| tary of war decide favordblv In regard 10 the
| st nton house as future home. Secretary
| Rusk is not far off in his house on
| Massachusetts avenue, near Fourteenth
street, and Secretary Tracy and Postmaster
| General UWanamaker will be within one
| square of each other. Secretary Window
has not as yet Deen able to suit himself with
| future residence in Washington although
| numerous handsome houses in the west end
have been under consideration.
| VALUABLE COMPILATION.
The state department has recently sent out
| TO all consuls circulars instructing them to
| report to the department the laws of the re-
| spectiye countries respecting liens, mortgages
| and the collection OF debts. When the re.
| plies 10 this circular shall have been received
they will be compiled and published in book
| form. 1t is expected that the result will be
| one of the most valuable legal compilations
| ever issued by the government. 1t will
| prove especially valuable in commercial
| cities where business is done with foreign
| countries. and the department expects that
there will be a great demand for the volume.
THE CANADIAN QUESTION IN CONGRESS.
Congressman K. X. Hit, Of Illinois. and
| Congressman Butterworth, OF Ohio, will
| probably be the leading figures on the house
| side in one Of the most important affairs OF