Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-30

Eh .lj4sTTI s,H5J3$ - tionaI difficulties and
fiEA kTsYG, Hzs2 affairs like Burr's con-
9E'CS,tf SsE44 RS spiracy-all we're spread
e.3A AA upon the pages of his
tory-and have picked
S'SASSIA< " out such bits of Incl
dent and description as may help to
give an idea of the old Washington. II
Is hard for us now, with our present city
about us, to imagine the old town and how
hard it was for Congressman to get to it and
what queer place he and his fellows had to
meet in after they reached it.
The water and land stages were still flourish
ing when my grandfather started from Phil
adelphia to attend the session of 1867.
There was no hurry. On his arrival he wrote:
December /, 1861 arrived last eve ing after
passage much less disagreeable than had
reason to expect. Before we got to New Castle
the wind totally ceased and we we're obliged to
tow down for about four miles. We left New
Castle at q quarter before and arrived at
Court House Point at about IL at night
We left Court House Point at l and landed at
baltimore on Saturday about l o'clock in the
afternoon. I left Baltimore at half
after yesterday and arrived about in the
evening.
Both houses have formed quorum and the
PRESIDENT will send his message tomorrow at IL
O'Clock. i am at present going to look for
Street cars and herdics were unknown and
the walking was not good.
December IL, 1906. We have had an
almost continual succession of stormy and dis
agreeable weather. 1t is now blowing strong
from the northeast. with q violent sleet. 1t is
Of course, not very agreeable to be obliged to
trot through such weather about three-quarters
Of mile"
1t was not much of a town that We had for
our capital and not much Of building for the
houses OF Congress to sit in.
December IA, 1S06.-We have again . visit
from the all-cheering rays Of the sun. The
weather is fair and serene and there are no
traces OF the late storm excepting the ground
being covered with frozen snow. The uniform
wilderness adds to the monotonous appearance
OF this place, and the only novelty is the small
number Of sleighs which glide past us at inter-
walls.
THE ROOF LEAKED.
'During the falling of the snow and sleet the
ceiling Of the chamber in which We sit leaked
in such manner that we became much alarmed
for the safety of our heads. The plastering is
so heavy and 80 i'll put on that it seemed threat
ening to fall upon us every instant Two years
ago about ton weight fell in the Senate cham
Der during the night and broke off the arm of
the chair In which Gen. Jackson had been sit
ting, and last year large quantity fell in the
lobby leading to the place in which the House
OF Representatives is accustomed to assemble
immediately after it had adjourned. Had it
fallen half an hour sooner it would have per-
haps killed some of US. the remembrance
OF those circumstances induced the House
to order an inspection and to have
the ceiling secured from falling. 1t has been
done and the minds Of the most timid are
quoted.
1.-The manner in which it was effected was by
boring holes through the plaster on each side
OF the joists and letting down ropes, by which
boards have been raised up and fixed under
the ceiling and fastened above the joists. This
is sufficiently secure, but it gives the room a
very awkward and grotesque appearance, as
the ceiling is perfectly striped, drst a board
and then an interval of white plaster and then
board again. The room intended fer the Rep
resentatives will not be finished before next
year."
The proceedings Of the House show that Mr..
Williams David II. of S. c. moved on Deem
Der that the Speaker of the House be au-
thorIzed to cause immediate measures to be
taken for pulling down the plastering or other
wise securing the ceiling of the chamber in
which the sessions OF the House are now held"
On the 9th action ON this resolution was sus-
pended, the Speaker having said that unless
special order was taken he would cause the
ceiling to be secured We have seen above
how adroitly this Was done.
CHRISTMAS LETTER.
Instead Of writing about music at the Capitol
on Christmas day he says: December Is,
1906. continue to be very much
employed. have SO many committees to at
tend to that am obliged in some cases to be
guilty Of an an apparent delay. This, however, is
The records Of Congress show that he was
In demand for committee work. He was put
on the ways and means committee Immediately
upon entering Congress for his first term and
served on that during his three terms.
Outside OF the routine Of government work
there m hava no l,tfl ~ int
amusement going on. In this same letter, after
two pages about Burr's conspiracy and the
hope that his plans had been completely
destroyed. he says: II have written you an un-
interesting letter Of politics and conspiracies,
but have nothing else to write"
ANOTHER ACCIDENT AT THE CAPITOL.
In February came a cold snap and another
accident at the Capitol. February 7, 1907.
Last night was the coolest have felt
for great while; tho thermometer stood at 8
degrees at about half-after 10 and between 8
and degrees ut a little after sunrise this morn
ing. Yesterday the wind blew SO excessively
hard it actually blew in a pane Of glass in the
room in which the House of Representatives
sit Several members are ill in consequence"
l suppose he was not OF the number, for he
adds: II am going to Georgetown to dine with
Geo. Mason, and the carriage is waiting
The proceedings of Congress show that on
February 6, while an amendment. to the bill
outAoiiZiuS tAc isSuiuS VI Oepeutur6S In Ger
tain cases was being debated, MIR. d. L. Will
Jams had spoken some time in reply to Mr. j.
Clay. when the glass Of one Of the windows of
the Representative chamber was broken and
blown into tie room by the violence of the
wind, and the members in that quarter were
obliged to leave their seats. An attempt was
made to secure the window by closing tho shut
tiers, and they were blown into tho room.
Whereupon, in this crisis, on motion of Mr. d.
Il. Williams, the House at clock adjourned"
FROM JOHN RANDOLPH.
My worthy grandparent wrote to his wife al
most daily, but it seems he did not always like
to write to others. In June his intimate
friend John Randolph wrote to him: "You
asked me 80 earnestly at parting to write to
you that my vanity suggested that you would
surely put sufficient value on my letter to an
swer it; but as vanity often does (and always
ought to do, you may say) mine has yielded
nothing but vexation of spirit. But as have
no great relish for this bitter fruit, wholesome
as tbs said to be, will toss it out OF my win
dow ut once"
In one OF his letters my grandfather, grum-
bling about the time wasted in Congress
writes: Randolph says he never winds his
watch while in Washington; he does not con-
slider the time spent there worth taking into
consideration"
our LnLpUTIAN NAVY.
During the session Of 1867 there was con-
slant danger Of war and there were frequent
debates about the national defense. The ques-