San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-07-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(From oar Regular Correspondence
WASHINGTON. July II, 1889.

WASHINGTON. July II, 1889.
Owing to the pressure of the work
of the census which is now being
mapped out by the superintendent
Mr.. Porter and mis- experts, he finds
that it will be absolutely impossible
for him to give any time to applica-
tions for positions in the bureau. He
has therefore decided that no more
applications will be considered and
no more appointments will be made
except those already determined upon,
until after the first of September.
The time for preparing for taking the
census Is short, and important
action involving the expenditure
of large sums of money must be
taken. Mr.. Porter says that he
wants now to give his undi.
vided attention to mapping out the
/ work of the special agents who will
have charge of the special inquiries
that will be conducted by the bureau
All these special agents have been
appointed with the exception of the
two to be placed in charge of the sta.
tistics of agriculture and fisheries
| Under the present census, statistics
will be collected relative to mining,
manufactures, mortality, education,
metals, vital statistics and several
other subjects of Importance. Mr..
Porter says that he hopes to be able
to complete this work by the time
Congress meets and have the agents
prepared to organize their depart
ments. He then intends to take up
the subject of the appoin tment of the
| supervisors of the census. There are
! l75 of these, and each will have
| charge of one of the districts into
which the entire country is divided.
Each supervisor will have the APP
pointment of about 500 enumerators,
and Mr.. Porter expects that by Feb
ruary the supervisors will be able to
get out their instructions, so that the
enumerators will be prepared to be-
gin operations on June 1st.
Secretary Tracy has at last con-
sented to order the removal of the old
frigate Constitution, of revolutionary
| fame, from the Navy Yard at Ports
mouth, n. H, TO this city, to be used
as a receiving ship in place of the
Dale. The latter vessel is too small
for the purpose, and quarters on her
| are very cramped. 1t has been the
| desire of Capt. Meade, commandant of
the Washington Yard. to have the in
teresting relic brought here for some
time, both as an additional accommo-
dation for the recruits, and also as an
adornment for the yard. The Secre-
tary agreed with him that this city is
the most appropriate resting place for
the old hulk, and that on account of
it's historic memories it will attract
many visitors to the yard.
There is but little of the original
frlgate now left in the old hulk, bear
ing the name of the Con stitution,
which fought SO CALAMITY in times
when American independence was at
stake. Age and the ravages of war
and sea have shattered her, and from
time to time she has been repaired,
until now all that remains of the
first structure is some of the in terror
framing, number of timbers and
here and there patch of planking.
In fact, there are but few old salts
who know just which parts are origin
al and which have crept into the
frame through the necessities of re-
pair.
Still she is "The Constitution" and
as such is dear to many an American
heart. She represents the spirit of
that good old ship which was so pc.
tent factor in the struggle for
national life century ago, and as
such will undoubtedly be Mecca to
many patriotic pilgrim to the cap
ital.
AS a result of a deficiency in the ap-
preparations nearly all the quarantine
stations of the country will have to be
closed by the first of October. There
are four or five quarantine vessels be-
ing built that will soon be ready for
service. There is money especially
provided for their com pletion, but
there will be no money to run them
after they are turned over by the
builders. The Chesapeake and Del
aware breakwater stations are among
those that must be closed. The only
stations that can be kept open are
some of the gulf and the San Francis
co stations. A hundred or more
trained employees of valuable expert
ence will have to be dismissed. One
of the new vessels, which is to be COM
pleted in August, will run for month,
perhaps, aud then it will be sent
down. r.