Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-03
THINGS HEARD AND SEEN

terror Department. While nothing may be
said again st the chiefs of these bureaus, It
must be acknowledged that the men who
are known as Assistants are competent to
rrn the offices, and for a large share Of the
time they have been doing so. First there
Is First Assistant Secretary Sims of Missis-
sippi. Hoke Smith has left the department
several times in his charge and has return
ed to find 1t running as smoothly as when
he Is at the helm. Gen. Armstrong, the Sec
end In command. knows as much about In
dams as any man In the United States He
brought to the office deal Of practical
knowledge He was for more than four
years Indian inspector, and has visited every
reservation in the country. He not only
knows all about the Indians, but he knows
the people who live adjacent to the Indians
There was never a better thing done In the
Indian service than to give Gen. Armstrong
such full sway in the Indian office In the
pension office, Dominick Murphy probably
knows more about the details of that great
bureau than any other man in the building
He was for years chief clerk. and he then
knew great deal, but now he know 1t from
top to bottom. In the land Office Assistant
Commissioner Bowers is well inforemd. He
was at one time settler in South Dakota,
where he took q primary course in land
matters. He was a special agent under
Clevelands former administration, which
added to his information Then he practiced
as an attorney before the department dur
ing the time the democrats were out to
grass, but came back as assistant commits
sioner with -four more years Of Grover"
He has enc great fad, the preservation of
forests, and he has devoted valuable time
to studying the problem. If he has time
enorgh and can get tractable Congress, he
may succeed in inaugurating reforms in this
direction which will make him famous.
There are many other subordinates in the
Interior Department who are not only eff
cient officers but are budding statesmen,
who will no doubt be heard of in the future.
Capt. Platt. commander Of the fish COM
mission steamer Fishhawk, is a firm be-
lever in the future greatness of Chesapeake
bay. Like our old friend, Col. Mulberry Sell
lers. he believes there's millions in it,"
But the captain does not think it is such a
visionary matter as were Sellers schemes.
He knows that 1t will take work and time
to develop the richness which underlies the
waters Of the Chesapeake. He claims there
Is enough in the oysters and fish, if properly
cultivated in this great bay to make many
people wealthy. 1t requires time and pa
thence to do all this, and the fish commits
sion is doing the best 1t can to develop the
fishing industry of the bay, and add to the
oyster output. During the coming season
the F1shhawk will cruise in the bay and
Capt. Pratt will make a thorough investiga-
tion of the interests which the commission
Is just now forwarding.
Capt. Platt was in command Of a. vessel
which many years ago took a scientific
party to Greenland to witness an eclipse Of
the sun, an event that proved a great phe-
nomenon in that region, because they went
far enough north to be in the land of per-
petual sunshine. it being the season Of the
year when old Sol peeped over the pole,
which Mr.. Wellman will try and see some
other year. Ever since then the captain has
been more or less inclined to the scientific
In his navigation, although, when the war
broke out, he took a prominent part in the
naval battles, which were nearly all won by
the Union sailors. Capt. Platt Is an inter-
esting man, who has seen a great deal Of
the world. He has seen what is called a
sea serpent but which he names a sea
monster. He says he does not like to talk
about such things, because there are people
who will irreverently ask what kind Of
liquor was being served on board about that
time. For many years since the war Capt
Platt has been on special service, although
he still remains an honored member of the
gallant United States navy.
There is a considerable desire shown in
many western states to get on the Indian
rolls. In fact, 1t pays 10 be able to prove
that you have Indian blood in your veins.
This Is especially the case in Indian terri
tory, where members of the tribes there
draw from three to four hundred dollars
apiece annually. simply by signing their
names. This money is the interest on the
sale of lands and the receipts that accrue
from rentals Of large tracts of common or
tribe lands. All the time .here are applica-
lions from men to be placed upon the In
dian rolls, so that they may become beDe-
ficiaries Of this soft thing. for out in that
country man can live very comfortably
uron the income Of these Indians. 1t Is no
easy thing for a man to prove himself of such
q rih no nf Tn1i dofA alma
themselves whether or not the man belongs
to them, and as his admission will decrease
their own annual income a certain amount
they are very careful to make him prove
his blood. Gen. Armstrong of the Indian
office says that he has Seen Il take twenty
years to make a white man Of an Indian,
but he has seen white man made an In
dian in twenty minutes.
Gen. A. B. Nettleton, assistant secretary
Of the treasury when the late VIM. Window
was secretary, has decided to make WASH
ington his future home. Gen. Nettleton has
some large business interests in various
cities. and he finds he can best look after
them here in Washington. Gen. Nettleton
Is an old newspaper man. Many years ago
he was editor and proprietor of the Tribune
in Minneapolis Deacon Nettleton the
boys used to call him, but they liked him,
and there are none of his employees floating
about the country now who will not say
good word for the Deacon"
There Is In the office of Commissioner
Lamoreux Of the general land office a law
clerk who served his time as a confederate
during the late unpleasantness. He saw
hard fighting, too; none of your make-be-
lieve soldiers. The other day he mad
case to decide, or to prepare an opinion
for the commissioner to decide which in
volved the title of an old soldier, who had
fought on the Union side. He made 1t
elaborate and pointed out how this man
had lived on a claim in the west when the
war broke out, had enlisted and served
four years. and though he did not return
to the same lard, when he sought to take
other land his rights should be respected.
He went further and pointed to the fact
that the soldier drew pension, which he
thought was a badge Of honor conferred by
his government. 1t was as eulogistic Of the
Union soldier as could have been penned
by any professional old soldier. The COM
missioner approved the decision, which thus
goes on the records of the land office.
VIII somebody please rise and explain
why 1t is that so many people go along the
street and appear In public places chew
ing their lips and twisting their mouths
In many different shapes. 1t is. of course,
women who have their minds busily en-