Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1890-02-27
washington Letter;

From our regular correspondence
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. "a, 1890.
The friends Of civil service reform
are not cast down by the exposure of
Commissioner Lymau's duplicity. His
testimony is only surprising In that it is
hardly usual for a man accused by the
newspapers and denying most vehement
ly all the charges to 70 upon the wit
ness stand and confess everything.
Lyman confesses, in short, that he had
his daughter examined for an appoint
ment when she was not eligible, and
promoted his brother-in-law Campbell
twice, after that interesting individual
had purloined lists of questions for the
use of a lady friend who desired to be
examined for promotion. Lyman says
that he did ''reprimand'' Campbell,
and when asked whether he would not
have instantly discharged any one else
for the same pffense refused to answer.
With very few exceptions, newspapers
that have always been distinguished as
advocates of civil service reform are
calling loudly for Lyman's resignation.
Thus far the investigation by the house
committee has not revealed anything
detrimental to Messrs Roosevelt and
Thompson, and it's to be supposed that
it will not. The friends Of the system
do not forget that upon the integrity of
its officers depends the success of any
system, and the dishonesty Of Lyman,
Campbell and their associates no more
reflects upon civil service, than does an
absconding cashier condemn banking.
The commendable propositions ad-
vanced in the Senate for the building
of additions to the White House, and
several other public buildings, together
with new government printing Office
building, has reopened the old scheme
of purchasing the land south Of
Pennsylvania avenue from the Capitol
to Fifteenth street. THIS was . pet
plan Of the Congressman of fifty years
ago, who saw in their minds eye q vista
of public palaces extending in one ma
jestic line up the avenue for two miles.
For these many years the owners Of
property in that locality have looked
and louged for the day congress would
make the appropriation. Patience has
given out in some cases and expensive
warehouses have gone up. The other
day Senator ingalls, even reported in
favor of allowing an additional railway
depot upon this section. The value of
the land has always been kept high In
anticipation of this gigantic deal.
Business has moved away from Penn
sylvania avenue to F street and now all
the big furniture and dry goods houses
that used to compose the north side of
Pennsylvania avenue have sought other
quarters. Still the price remains big.
The expense however would be but a
small consideration had not nature put
her ban upon the plan. Twice within
the past year, and previously at inter?
walls Of three or four years, the major
portion of this land has been covered
with water, backing up from the river,
and many of the streets have been three
or four feet under water. The land is
mostly made land, marsh having been
there once, and old inhabitants tell of
duck hunting in its wilds. The cellars
are still useless, being liable to be
flooded during any heavy rains.
Photographs of different floods in
this district are displayed In places
along; Pennsylvania avenue. They show
business houses flooded to the middle
of the 6rst floor, water tapping the
store floors as far as the north side of
the street and hotels like the St.
James with the lobbic flooded. And
yet this is the sort Of property that
sharks try to sell the government. l
believe that despite the amount Of
money the combined land owners can
give to lobby lobby bill, the scheme
will fail. So long as there is dry land
to be had Congress will hardly be in
duced to buy marsh.