San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-05-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
WASUINGTON. April 26

Editor LIGHT
Sir Julian Pauncefote, the new
British minister, has shown his di-
plomatic quality at the outset of his
career in the United States by his
treatment of the press. 1t must seem
odd to the Englishman of any note,
who at home is left undisturbed by
the reporters, except when he chooses
to place himself at the public dis
posal, that the instant he reaches
American shores he is bounced upon
by group of young men with pads
and pencil in hand, who want him to
state his impressions of the country,
the people, and everything else.
Very often the young men meet with
a rebuff, finding their victim a most
unsociable creature. At other times
they are astonished to hear
only criticisms upon the crudi-
ties of our civilization, the new
ness and veneer which strike him
unravoraoIy al every turn. Iney
faithfully set down all that is told
them and all that is refused as well,
and their readers form an opinion as
to the newcomer as without ideas, be-
cause ne is taciturn or sour-minded,
because he has reached his disagree
able conclusions so promptly. The
first interviews are, therefore, rath-
er trying ordeal to the visitor. The
new British minister has run the
gauntlet successfully.
Every morning now the gates in the
high fence that encloses the big
square of ground in which the new
congressional library is to be erected
east of the capitol swing open and a
large force of men enter. The high |
fence effectually screens from the pub
lie view what is going on inside, but
gangs of men are at work about the !
four-acre excavation in which the |
foundations of the new library build |
ing are being laid. Last fall some work |
was done on the foundations under
the direction of Mr.. Bernard /
r. Green when he took supervision OF
the work. Then operations were |
suspended while congress was con-
sidering whether to 60 on under the |
old plan or new. AS result as is |
known, General Casey, chief of engin-
GERS, was placed in charge of the
work and Instructed to have new
plans drawn for the building to cost |
81 500, 600, much less than the cost or |
dinarily proposed. The plans drawn
for this building necessarily prOvid- |
ed for a smaller building. Gen. |
Casey submitted subsequently, anoth-
er plan of building, to cost Sc, O0O,-
900, having the same area as the |
building originally planned and pro-
vided for the growth of the library |
for century or two, the plan being |
so arranged that the courts can from |
time to time be built up so as to pro-
vide for additional alcoves and stor-
age room. Under this plan, approved |
by congress, the work is now pro-
crossing.
By the adoption of the S6,OO0 900
plan the work already done on the |
site can be utilized. There will be no
change in the position of the building |
in the grounds as ordinarily planned. |
A recent drawing of the proposed |
building represents the front toward |
the capitol. There is broad flight of
steps and a roadway leading up TO the
entrance and a doorway below, pass
ing through porte cochere beneath
the steps. The official reports state
that the new building will be COM
pleted in eight years. If there is no
delay on account of appropriations it
is thought this time may be reduced.
A naval officer of considerable re-
cent celebrity has been in tie city for
the past ten days. 1t is Commander
r. p. Leary, of the Adams, which was
for some time stationed at Samoa dur
ing the recent troubles. He is man
of medium height, about 35 years of
age, with a long, reddish brown mus
tache, and fog bank of silence. He
will talk for three-quarters of an hour
without telling thing about Samoa
you want to know. One thing, how
ever, he denounces all the alleged in
terviews with him since his vessel ar
rived at San Francisco as fakes. r.