The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-12-23
THE NAMESAKE OF MANY SENATORS.
Each sent Baby Present and NOW
Everybody Laughs.
Postmaster Briggs Has Secured Bet
ter Facilities for Portland.
Bath Mechanics Will Build the Big
harbor Defender.
Especial to the Press.l

WASHINGTON, December pa most sur
prislng swinde has been perpetrated upon
the United States Senate and that august
body, which Is so good at deliberating and so
slow at acting, Is furnishing quiet entertain
ment to the town. During the past week
an acute observer in the Senate galleries
might have seen numerous self congratula-
tory smiles chase each other over the coun-
tenances of some of the more distinguished
statesmen who occupy places on the floor
but, until today, the reason for these mus
cular chuckles was not apparent. Grave
and reverend Senators, to some of whom the
delights of early fatherhoOd were but
memories, sent out and purchased silver
mugs and silver spoons aud had names en-
graved thereon. Others folded up SAMPLES
of the newest and most crisp five or ten dol
lar bills. All of them wrote nice little letters
to accompany the bullion or the promise to
nay and. singularly enough, all of them adj
dressed their gifts to the same person at the
same address. Today there is more of humor
than seriousness In the Senate. 1t has been
found that nearly all the Senators have re-
ceived letters Importing to come from Will
liam Duvall of Baltimore who informs each
Senator that a boy has been born to
the house OF Duvall who has been
christened after the Senator. A certificate
ndu6 out III leBdl IUTIl accompanies The let.
ter To the venerable Senator Morrill, of
Vermont it was duly certified that the child
had been named Justin Morrill, Duvall, and
it is said that the Vermont Senator sent the
boy five dollars with his blessing. There
was also a William Evarts Duvall and an
Algernon Paddock Duvall. Leland Stanford
Dnvall, George HOar Duvall, Eugene
Hale Duvall, a Levi 2. Morton Duvall, and
no one knows how many more. RumOr cred
its nearly all of these Senators with being so
or hrf he lFNli nnnf hat th.a
syndicate is rcner by sundry silver spoons,
mugs and five dollar bills. Each was ignor-
ant that another had been similarly honored
until this afternoon, when Senator Paddock
OF Nebraska stumbled upon the whole plot.
1t is said that legal proceedings will be taken.
Postmaster Briggs of Portland has been
here In consultation with the officials of the
post offlce department In regard to making
certain improvements IN the Portland office.
and has succeeded In getting the Portland
Office better facilities for handling the busi-
ness.
The contract for building the large ram for
the new navy was today awarded to the Bath
Iron Works, the Bath people having with.
drawn their objection to the seventeen knot
clause. This is much greater undertaking
for the Batn people than the two gunboats,
each of which S small vessel compared
with the new ram.
The Ammen defence ram is a vessel de-
signed for little over 1000 tons. She is to
be used wholly in home waters. Armed
with a powerful ram. and provided only
with rapid firing pieces, she Is intended to
engage and destroy her enemies by means of
her powerful beak. Further to insure her
fighting efficiency she is to be provided with
water compartments which. on being filed,
will sink her deck to within few feet OF
the surface of the water. This deck will be
heavily armOred. and will effectually pre-
vent the ingress of any hostile shells. The
ram is the design of Rear Admiral d. A.
Ammen, United States navy. 1t is calcu-
lated that one or two vessels of the Ammen
type will effectually prevent the passage of
hostile fleet up New York harbor. The
ram must be completed inside of two years
after date of issuing of contract. She was
authorized by Congress during the last ses-
sion. She will cost in all little over one
million dollars,