Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1891-07-17
wAsH1NeToN LETTER.
WASHINGTON. Inly I3. IS.

WASHINGTON, July -, 1891.
Secretary Rusk who has been working ut
usually hard-he is never a drone-siuce hi
return from the Pacific coast with the Pres
/ ident's party, owing to the transfer of tn
/ Weather Bureau and other departments
business incidental to the beginning OF
new fiscal year, will leave Washington thi
week for a vacation He will be accOmpan
| led by Mrs. Rusk and his son Blaine, and a
/ Chicago the family will be joined by Mis-
Rusk, who has been visiting the daughter
| of Secretary Foster, at FostOria, Ohio. The
family are all looking forward TO a delightful
rest at the old Wisconsin homestead,
Secretary Foster, like the level-headeC
man that he is, declined to make any speci
fic answer to the five column TRADE which
Mr. Powderly has launched in the shape o
an open letter addressed TO Mr.. Foster, con
corning the trouble about the discharge o.
the seven knights Of Labor from the Bureau
of Engraving and Printing, further than t.
characterize it as being SO abusive and uu
truthful as to place it under the suspicion OF
being intended to be used as a Democratic
campaign document. The publication of this
open letter shows very bad judgment on the
part of Nj. Powderly, and incorporating
therein "a copy of letter which he knew
was taken from the desk of Secretary Foster,
without his knowledge or consent by one OF
his colleagues on the Knights of Labor ex-
ecutive committee Devlin andHays-dur
ing the committees conference with Secre-
tary Foster, was still worse.
No more interesting soldiers reunion was
ever held 10 Washington than that Of the
TweMty-fifth New YORK cavalry, which con
vened here on Saturday. On that day twenty
seven years ago, the gallant men Of the old
twenty. fifth although only about 100 in num-
Der, by an exhibition of soldierly nerve that
was not surpassed during the civil war, sue
ceeded in preventing the capture Of Wash
ington by Gen. Early, who had sw0oped
down upon the town with 10000 men eX-
pecting 10 hud 1t entirely unprotected.
When the 25th boldly mounted the breast
works aud marched to meet Edrly's advanc-
ing line Of battle he supposed them to be
the skirtnish line of the Sixth corps which
he knew was expected at Washington aud
he retreated, thus throwing away an Oppor-
lunity that was never to come again. It was
very interesting to hear the veterans tell of
how President Lincoln, IN a long linen dus-
Ter and black SLOUGH hat, circulated amoug
the men on that memorable day and spoke
words of cheer to them notwithstanding the
gloomy outlook The old soldiers met with
4 hearty welcome, as they deserved to, from
he Washiugtouians many of whom reinem-
Der the Joy with which these same men, and
heir comrades now gone to answer the last
oil call, were received on that other July
lay.
The scientific party from the Agricultural
department. is now on its way 10 the arid sec
ion of Western Kansas, where the attempt is |
o be made on a grand scale to produce rain |
y artificial methods The party carried |
ixty balloons, ten feet il diameter when ex-
4 4 -. 4
alton Of oxygen and hydrogen gas and eX-
loded high in the air BY means Of an cleo
nc wire attached to the balloons; 100 kites
We feet high, to the tales Of which are to be
ttached dynamite bombs and other explo-
ives aud a lot of wood mortars to be used to
lrow bombs from. These things are TO be
catered along a prairie for a mile or two,
nd the intention is to keep up the explO-
ons continuously for at least two entire
avs The result will be anxiously looked
" here, for while there is nobody who has
AIRED to say that the thing cannot be done,
iere are many who are more or less skepti I
Il about it, Fit is a success it will rank /
one of the greatest discoveries of this age S
great discoveries, and will make many mil a
On acres Of land, now almost worthless, very
lluable for agricultural purposes. G
The controversy between Mr.. Nicolay, Of T
-ashiugton, who was Mr.. Lincoln's private S
cTetary and other gentlemen as to whether v
r. Lincoln favored the nomination of An
ew Johnson for vice President in 1904 is &
entirely useless one, and except for the o
arth Of more important news it would v
yer have gained the prominence that has f
en- Given it for some days past in the news "
pers, and even lift were an all important q
bject the exchange ofabuse between Mr..
cholay and Col. Mcclure, editor of the al
ilade lphia Times would throw no Light n
on it, Ct
Washington is in dead earnest about secur-
uext years encampment Of the G. A. r. fs
i the delegates to Detroit will carry with e.
m a cordial invitation and the assurance
It S1oo, 900 has been subscribed by the cit Il
rs Of Washington for the entertainment of
veterans next year A committee Of
iminent citizens may also 20 to Detroit