The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-06-02
GOSSIP OF THE CAPITAL.
Democrats Who Ask tho Retention
Of Republicans Treated to
Surprise
Marine Hospital Authorities Fear
no Npidemio Of Cholera
This Summer.
The NuudrsAth Annivsrsary 81 the Lay
Ing Of the Corner stsns Of the
National Capitol.

WASHINGTON. Mar 31.-1ome Of the demo-
cratic congressman who have recommended
tho retention of republican ffiends In the
treasury department., and have su~coeeded
in having them retained. have been very
much surprised afterwafd to find the re-
tanned psrsons charged up 10 them a. origi-
nal appointments. A certain congressman
soon after The rehabilitation came IN
asked for tho retention Of two men from
the District Of Columbia IN the mssssnRers
roll q the treasury department. He re-
Gently visited the department to ask TOR
tho appointment Of . democrat from his
stats a. . messenger and was told no had
already had all the appointments OF this
GLASS he was entitled 10. He protested That
he had nos yet received IN appointment.
but he was shown the two District OF Col
umbia men charged to his district. Ihis
rule was adopted TO prevent q few congress.
men from getting more than their share OF
patronage in the treasury department BY
frat getting republicans retained and then
having democrats appointed aftsrward to
other places and thus securing more places
than they would DO entitled to on an equal
distribution OF the Offices among the con-
gressional districts.
Secretary Herbert's order assigning the
Chicago as flagship Of ths new Eurorsan
station was a great surprise to navy otneers
here, who leok with disfsvor upon sending
a ship In her condition 10 20 important .
naval station ~ flagship. where all ships
are subjected 10 4 severe critical tess 81 she
foreionsrs in comparison with their own
crafts. II was expected shat II the station
vas to be revived at once the San Francisco.
or some ship whose machinery 10 in good
order. would be chosen for this gilt-edgs
service. and as the Chioago's boilers nse
known to be inefficient and unreliable anu
badly In want of attention IL was generally
believed she would be lnid mp at some navy
ward, where temporary repairs might be
effected and later entirely new machinery
placed aboard to take the place of the an
t~iouated beam engines which have been in
her since she was launched in 1888. The
Chicago has been almost constantly IN SCR
vice since 1889, and her boilers are SAID to
require repairs which would detain ner fof
severnl months, II 10 doubtful il she can
make more than fourteen knots when doing
her best. , 90.
TO receive favorable reports as to the chol-
era Ia Europe. The probabilities st pres
ent seem to be all against anything moro
than local outbreaks Of the disease In some
of the localities where little or no attention
has been given to sanitary drainage and
proper water supply. The epidemic of laat
summer set some Of the best physicians IN
every country in the western world to Wo'k
making Investigations into the causes and
nature OF the disease. The mes lesult Ii
that far more is known about than ever
ASz.> o~1 uoAdiNpl man 0AD0rAUV believe
It will not be long before tho disease Will be
under the control of science as effectually
AZ tbs once fatal and dreaded smallpox
now is, A great step in advance was made
BY the establishment Of the fact that the
most important factor In The dissemination
Of cholera germs is water, and that tho city
shat has a pure water supply IS mucn less
liable to suffer from an epidemic or tine
disease than one where the water comes
from an impure source OK is contamlnated
by the sewage of other cities nearer the
source Of ths supply. A physician VINO
has given the matter much Thought eala
recently he would rather pass Though an
opidem;o of cholera If the people were all
snnplied with pure water than be would to
have IN epidemic Of grip to deal with. Tie
advocates, as moro important even imam
quarantine, the most scrupulous clean!!-
ness. both personal and municipal, and the
admission Of plenty Of atr ana sunlight into
all lnQaDltSo Dulldih8ot soNosAoH
use Of filtered water.
On the 18th day of September, 1893. Pres
ideut George Washington laid the corner
stone Of the capitol building in the federal
city. It il now proposed to celebrate the
hundredth anniversary Of that Interesting
event in Washington. Inc laying OF TINS
corner-stone ia we'll worthy Of a celebration
which shall commemorate it and revive the
historical incidents connected with the Law
ING ont of the city Of Washington. Iht
stone which Washington laid is IN the south
east corner of the original structure. which
did not include the wings which now COD
tain the halls of the two houses OF con
eress, Tat gavel which WAS used at TIN
cornerstone LAYING was presented by Wash
inoton to Mr.. Valentine Rsintzell. master o
Masonic lodge No. 9. of Maryland, from
whom it came to Potomac lodge OF Wash
inston, by which lodge it is still preserved
The capitol was one of the first building
begun in Woshinston. gstovn wa
then a fourishlng town. with conslderahl
trade brought in boats from the upper Pc
tomao and r%oshipped. Vessels came from
Europe and from American potts. But tn
site of the present city OF washington wa
swamp and forest. and shantles had to b
made to shelter the woxkmen engaged i
building the capitol. The ceremonies c
the corner stone laying we've conducted b
the masons, who composed the major pa
of the I'M, o.iug procession which marche
to Capitol hill. After the company ha
gathered around the corner stone a silv'
platc was presented bearing the followir
insori,tion which was read by order OF u
commissioners:
"This southenst cornerstone OF the Ca
toll OF tho United States Of America, i'll Il
city Of Washington. was laid on the 49,
dey of September. in the year 1893. in Il
thirteenth of American independence.
the first ear of the second term OF I
presidency of George Washington. who
virtues In the civil administration OF
county have BEEN as conspicuous and be
efcial as his military vaior and pruden
have been useful In establishing her lib'
ties, and in the year Of Masonry 1898,
the Grand Lodge of Maryland, sever
lodges under Its jurisdiction. and Lodge
Of Virginia, from Alexandria, Virginia."
The plato bears the names of Thorn
johnson, David stewart and Daniel Ca
TOLL, commissioners James Ho5are q
Stephen Hallette. architects; Joseph Cha
grand master. and COLLEEN Williams,
master mason. The plate was der osited
tho corner stone by the president. Coz
wine ana oil were ''dcposed on it," says I
contenporaneous account" when
whole congregation joined in awful pay
which was succeeded by Masonic chan,i
49, 81