Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-12-29
FROM WASHINGTON.
Ger spondence Of the Alexandria Gazette.

rumor is current at the Capitol to-
day that Secrt tary Ca!lisle's banking
bill wes altered by direction OF the
President; that tine alteration made 1t
unacceptable to the democrats in Con-
gress, and that the Secretary is so dis
eusted with the interference to which
he is constantly subjected from the
White House that he would resign at
once if he had anything else 10 do:
A contest is now in progress tnat Is
exciting the Kentucky congressional
delegation. 1t is for postoffice in the
"dark and bloody ground" The con
testants are Miss Todd, a neice OF Pres
ident Lincoln's wife, and Mrs. Moore.
Senator Blackburn and Representative
Paynter were st the Postoffice Depart
ment to-day in conference with Mi.
Bissell on the subject.
The Howgate case was continued IN
the Criminal Court to-day. The coun-
sci for Howgate fought for an adjourn
ment on three pleas in abatement.
They claimed that their client was in
dicted by the grand jury on unsworn
evidence. The pleas in abatement de
clare that the grand jurors consld-
cred statements relative to es-
sential matters in the indictments
from witnesses who were not
sworn. 1t was claimed that none of
the Jurors had any personal knowledge
oft6ese matters aud that the defend
ant was ready to verify this claim.
Judee McComas refused an adjourn
ment to-day and offered to hear further
argument. Attorney Wilson then rest
ed his argument on the pleas in abate-
ment and Judge McComas- took the
pleas under consideration. After nall
an hour spent in their examination, ne
ruled that they were insufficient 10
form, and denied the motion to quash
them. District Attorney Birney then
moved the arraignment of Capt. How
gate, but before this was done, recess OF
an hour was taken.
The Postohice Department has been
informed that the letter carriers OF San
Francisco have issued circular, "eX-
tending wishes for a merry Christmas
and happy New Year to ALL" AS let
ter carriers are prohibited by law from
Soliciting New Years gifts, and as the
circular referred to is looked upon IN
the light of soliciting, it is said at the
Department that the offenders Will be
reprimanded.
Of the fifty million gold loan recently
taken by the banks OF New York, more
than half has already gone back into
the vaults of those banks, and the ne
cessity for another loan is common
talk at the Treasury, especially as the
rumor is Strengthening that vigorous
effort will be made on both sides of the
Senate to defeat the appropriation for
the collection of the income tax, or so
DELAY it as to make it ineffective.
Messrs. Shelabarger & Wilson, OF this
CITY, have been engaged as counsel by
Mr.. Borland, of Norfolk, who is con-
testing the seat in Congress to which
his democratic opponent, Mr.. Tyler,
was elected.
Mr.. Burns, the English labor leader,
arrived here to-day from Pittsburg,
where ha was severely ''sa upon" last
night in convention of miners and
operators, and will address the laborers
here at Convention Hall tonight. i'm
mediately upon his arrival he called
upon Mr.. Wright, labor commissioner.
Mr.. ]. E. Clements of Alexandria
county was informed by the president
of the Washington and Georgetown
street railroad company to day that
that company would do every thing it
could to speed the progress of any and
all the roads that are trying to get into
this CITY via the Aqueduct Bridge.
The legislature of Virginia passed a
bill to compel the Pennsylvania Rail,
road Company, the owner of the Ola
Washington and Alexandria turnpike,
to improve that road, but neither the
State nor the Alexandria county officers
rave attempted to have that law exc
cuted. As the road is almost impassa-
bic this wiuter, Mr.. Frank Hume of this
city, one of the supervisors of Alexan-
dria county, through which the road
runs, recently wrote @ letter to the
president of the Pennsylvania Railroad
to the effect that Alexandria county
would now accept the offer the railroad
company made some time ago to
turn the road over to the county.
To this he received the following an
swer to-day from Philadelphia: "At
the time l suggested to you the pro
priety of the county authorities taking
the turnpike was not supported by
our officers here, and therefore the
matter was dropped. There may be
some changes in regard to this turn
pike Immediately south of the Long
Bridge when we resume work on our
Georgetown branch, which was sus-
pended some time ago, when ali new
work was stopped, owing to the de-
pressed condition of the times. This
branch wac almost entirely graded and
we intended to lay the track thereon
and open freight station opposite the
Aqueduct Bridge, but it was deemed
advisable to close the work up entirely,
since which time nothing has been
DONE"
DR.. Bradley of Prince William county, Vir-
ginis, U. S. commercial agent at Panama,
who has been here for some time on furlough,
has started for h 8 post of duty.
Mr.. L. W. Richie Of this city has just
bought from Mr. P. T. Birch fourteen acres
of land betwees The Aqueduct Bridge and
Ballston, in Alexandria county, on which he
intends to erect several buildings.
The democratic" negroes of this city held
meeting last night and passed resolutions
endorsing the colored recorder of deeds, and
the President for appointing him
VIRGINIA NEWS.