Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-09-02
SHADES OF GEO. wAsHIne1oNl
And Now Here Comes a Mortgage ON tn
White House.


white House.
WASHINGTON CITY, Sept. 2-Recent agi
tation about building a new aud more OK
tensive presidential mansion has brought to
the surface an old mortgage ON the White
Houss, that has been forgotten or lost sight
OF for a long time Mr. NJ B Harlow,
secretary and treasurer OF the Mount Vernon
Avenue association Is the man VINO brings
forward the claim. In an interview about
the proposed new executive mansion, he
says: II am glad to see the subject agitsted,
and hope It will be taken up and pushed by
congress.
Origin Of the Claim.
when II Is, our association to whom the
Virginia legislature has transferred its
claim against the government for money
borrowed by Gen. Washington to build the
present structure, will present that claim,
and ask for payment for the old before 1t
commences the now. The claim. which is
for sl2j,OOO, has never been denied by the
government, nor can It he, for we hnve the
promise Of the government made through
Washington TO pay the money back &c
Virginia, should it ever he able to do so.
w"n't Be Rough About IL.
ave wiz not perhaI ask that the claim h
paid IN money, but will probably sugges
that congress defray the expenses OF build
ing the proposed national highway TO Noun
Vernon. ID they agree, will transfer ths
Virginia mortgage ON the White House a,
her contribution TO the project
Special Agents for the Census Bureau.
WAsHINGToS CITY, Sept 2.-Superin
tendent Porter has announced the followin.
appointments of special agents for the cen
sus bureau: James H. Blodgett, of Rock
ford, Ills, special agent to collect statistic
OF education throughout the United States
DIR. Charles A. Ashburner and John II
Jones, special agents to collect coal statistics
Joseph ID. Weeks, Of Pittsburg, special agen
10 collect statistics Of petroleum, coke, nat
ural gas and glass, and James NJ Swank, o.
Philadelphia special agent to collect sta
tistics Of iron and steel The gentlemen ar,
all eminently fitted for their work by educa
ton and training and have made reputa
tions in the fields in which they are TO work
Mr.. Blodgett Is a native Of New York, bu
spent his boyhood mainly in Illinois. Afte
the war he was in charge of the West Rock
ford, Ills. high school for fifteen years. II,
was special agent in the tenth census til
near the close Of tue office.
Petition from Railway Brakemen.
WASHINGTON CITY, Sept. 2.-The follow
ing petition, signed by 9,6s2 employees Of
various railroad companies, has been re-
ceived by the Interstate commerce corln1is
sion:
"GENTLEMEN:-We, the undersigned, res
pectfully petition your honorable body t.
take such steps rs you may deem proper tC
bring about tue adoption of automatic
brakes and couplers Vn freight cars on the
railroads in the United States. Each of the
undersigned is in actual service as a railroad
brakeman or has been so employed a suffi-
cient length of time TO become fully ac-
quainted with the duties and porils of the
position, aud although some of us have
been promoted, most earnestly appeal to
your honorable body b. urge upon congress
the necessity OF national legislation In this
matter.
Final Resting Place for Gen. Grant
WASHINGTON CITY, Sept 2-The Pos
publishes responses from the governors d
seventeen states and { rritories in reply 10
requ Tor an expression Of opinion respect
ing Gen. Grants final resting place. Tn.
Post summarizes the replies ms follows
~Seventeon responses have been received anc
these almost with one accord favor the re-
moval Of the remains from the neglected
tomb at Riverside, N. Y, TO the National
cemetery, at Arlington, OF tho Soldiers
home, where monument creditable to the
nation would 10 erected 10 the memory OF
tho greatest hero Of the age"