The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-02-17
A MAGIC LANTERN.
Walter WelIman FaVors us with
Some Washington Views.

The National Capital Presents Such a
Daily Panorama or NotabiIities and
Activities as Csanot Be Duplicated in
Any Other American City.
! Especial Correspondence
. WASHINGTON. Feb. 11.-f man vino
mad a magic lantern lecture to prepare
could think of no better topic, he might
come to the capital city and photograph
few of the interesting scenes and Incl
dents which are here SO plentiful as tc
escape observation and comment. Surely
no other city presents day after day such
a panorama of notabilities and of the rep
resentative personal and social activities
of the American people. In explanation
OF this statement cannot do better than
to tell you of few of the things which l
saw and heard during single day ram
ole about the capital. On my way down
town in the morning saw in front Of
the palatial residence of the richest man
in the senate-Mr Stanford, Of Califor-
nia--a little old chap with coonskin hat
on his head and a smile on his weakened
face dancing jig and whistling ''The
Mocking Bird" The old fellow was the
proprietor of hand organ, which, under
the manipulation of an Italian, was at
that very moment grinding out Johnny
Get Your Gun" Every morning for
weeks have seen this same performance
going on in front of Senator Stanford's
house, and on inquiry learned that the
senator is steady customer of this mu-
steal brigade, and that every morning ex-
cept Sunday he throws out fifty cents to
the little old minstrel Senator Stan
ford's favorite air is the one which have
Just mentioned and it is never omitted
from the morning programme.
/ Not far from Senator Stanford's, be-
fore the house of a member Of the
cabinet, | saw carriage standing, the
driver on the box fast asleep. l knew
the jehu from inquiries which l have
had occasion to make Of him concerning
the whereabouts of his employer, and so
lstopped and woke him up, fearing that
if caught asleep at his post he might get
into trouble. He had driven up at 9
IN the morning to take ''Mr. Secretary"
to his office in the "office carriage An
office carriage, the uninitiated should
know, is vehicle owned and maintained
by the government for the use Of cabinet
ministers. Uncle Sam buys the outfit,
keeps it in his own stable and hires the
driver and other help. The driver Of an
official carriage is about the hardest
worked man know of in Washington.
His cab is used for all sorts of purposes,
not only by the cabinet minister, but by
the members of his family. The first
thing in the morning is to take the sec
Rotary to his daily toll Then some of
the ladies of the family want to go shop
ping. At l o'clock the secretary must
be driven to his luncheon, and the after
noon is put in racing about the city
making social calls After dinner there
is theater party or evening reception,
and the ladies of the family must be
waited for. Often ball keeps them out
till 9 in the morning, but it does not
matter how late the hour, the official
carriage must be at hand the moment it
is wanted. No wonder my acquaintance,
the driver, was fast asleep on his box.
"lt is pretty hard work." said he, as |
woke him up; ''hard on the horses and
harder on me. During the winter we
keep two pairs of horses for this car
rage and wear them both pretty well out
before summer. do all the driving"
At noon | called at the war depart
ment to see Secretary Elkins. ! found
him in the corner of large and mag
nifcent apartment, caller on one side
of him and stenographer on the other.
MIR. Elkins beats all the workers ever
seen in the war department.. Ever since
he came into office he has had the easy
going and leisurely subordinates OF his
Office, who have become accustomed by
years of experience to careful avoid
ance of haste, hustle or excitement In
the transaction of the public business,
sitting on tenter hooks over his methods
of work. Secretary Elkins will see
about thirty callers in an hour and
make every one believe he has had ten
minutes conversation.
| On my way to the Capitol Isaw on the
street one of the well known figures of
Washington. It was to all appearances
the figure of man who had just come in
from the country districts and had clean
shave and was out seeing the sights. But
in fact it was Chairman Blount of the
foreign affairs committee Of the house
who was brought conspicuously befors
tho public eye by the Gillian incident
Mr.. Blount, whose good sense and good
Judgment, as well as his patriotic spirit,
men of all parties are praising, never
has any business transactions with tail
ors, and it is said could never be prevailed
upon to wear a dress suit. When he
goes out into society, Which is rarely in
deed, he dons an old fashioned swallow
tail, probably left him by his ancestors,
which. though hardly up to the latest
style, answers very well for dress gar
ment. In Congress Mr.. Blount wears
always ready made suit of clothes
which could not have cost more than
twelve dollars, and on the street he may
be picked out of a thousand by the way
in which he wears his soft felt hat well