Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-02-16
GAuSHT HApPlHG BY GROVER,
THE PRESIDENT WATCHED ]
LIGHTHOUSE BURN.
Queer Coincidence That Cost Care
less Keeper His Position--An I'm
promptn Meeting of the United
Stntos Cabinet.

Here Is a story that President Glove
land is telling with great gusto;
Early last winter the president took
trip down the Potomac In light
house tender, accompanied by Secre-
tary Gresham, Secretary Carlisle and
Capt. Evans AS Secretary Carlisle is
ex-ohlcio president of the Lighthouse
Board. and as Capt. Evans ia naval
secretary OF the board, they thought to
combine business with pleasure by in
specting the lighthouses along tho
route.
The first stop was at Cedar Point,
whore they arrived in the evening and
cast anchor. intending 10 so ashore in
the morning TO make their inspection,
but, oddly enough, while they lay there
late in the evening the lighthouse
caught FIRE and burned up, the presl-
dent and his party witnessing the
burning from their vessel
The next morning when Capt Evans,
accompanied by Secretary Carlisle,
went ashore to inquire into the cause
of the confagrntion. they found that
the lighthouse keeper had been absent
from his post OF duty the previous
evening contrary to rulee, and that
the lighthouse had burned up during
his absence.
The president AMI HE party proceeded
on their voyage. and. some days later,
when they returned TO Washington,
one of the matters which Capt. Evans
found awaiting his attention was Il re-
port from the inspector OF tue Potomac
lighthouse giving an account OF the
burning Of Cedar Point Lighthouse,
and recommending the dismissal OF the
keeper from the service for neglect of
duty The captain promptly directed
that a letter to the secretary, recon-
mendlng the keepers dismissal. should
be prepared for his signature. This
was done and the Keeper was dis
missed.
One day about n fortnight after this
| event occurred one Of the secretaries
OF the Lighthouse Board was sitting
| at his desk in the lighthouse Office In
! the treasury when n member OF con-
| grcss entered, accompanied by the dis
charged Cedar Point Lighthouse keep
! er. The man was from the members
district. and had been appointed upon
his recommendation, and the member
had come to have him restored. He
was very indignant because his mnp
| had been removed without any con-
| sultation with him,
II want to know who wrote the letter
recommending this mans Dismissal"
| said the congressman.
The polite secretary invited the mem
Der and his friend to be seated and
touched his bell, says the Chicago
! Times.
81 viii send for copy OF the letter
and you shall see TT yourself" said he.
II suppose, said The congressman,
| taking n seat; that the dismissal was
made on the report OF some id in
| spector who didn't know half the facts.
! / am going 10 see Capt. Evans about
it and have the matter fixed"
BY this time the letter-book was
brought, and, placing 1t before the
| member the secretary said: you sec,
the letter is aligned by Capt. Evans"
"oh, Bob Evans signed 1t. did her
/ Then, reading the letter, he added: 1T
is lust rs 1 though. He has based his
recommendation on the report OF an
inspector. Give me a copy of that let
ter: | am going 10 sec Capt. Evans
about it,
Certainly" replied the bland Sec
/ rotary, II Will have a copy prepared at
| on-e. But--ar-I believe that Capt.
Evans is personally advised Of the
! faots in this case"
personally advised What does he
] Know hUpuA Nlt AllHhhtA NNGfHA li0All
! this inspectors reportY
"Well, you see. 1t happened that
/ Capt Evans was at Cedar Point when
1 the lighthouse burned"
Evans was there himseif?"
Eyes, he was there at the time on one
OF the lighthouse vessels. and think
| he made some inquiry into the matter"
oh well, II IA. captain was there
and has signed the letter i suppose
there Is no use Of seeing him Give ms
the copy. though. and | win 30 and
1 see Carlisle"
Certainly; OF COURSE; the copy win
be ready in a moment But think
the secretary. too. knows about tho
matter. as he was also at the light
| house at the time
Carlisle was at Cedar Point when
the lighthouse burned up?"
Yes: no and Capt, Evans were there
together"
there's no use Of my seeing him. ri
have to 10 TO my friend, Gresham
| he'll fix II for me. Let me have the
copy, all the same"
Yes. TO be sure. but--er-general---
the fact is--er-~that Secretary GrGsh'
am was also there
"Do vol mean 10 say that CarlIsl,
and Gresham and Bob Evans were all
at Cedar Point when the lighthouse
burned up?"
yes; II Just happened that they
were all there"
"wen. III be iiggered. This IS very
strange. I'll have TO see the old man
himself: III 20 TO the president. 1s that
copy reahy?"
Yes, II has Just come; here II ~
but--perhaps I ought 10 say. that The
| president probably knows about tho
case. as he was hAewise az Cedai
Point"
'The president was there2 Great
| Caesarl Wen. Smith," turning TO hil
| man. II guess your goose Is cooissd
Wen have TO give Il mp"
In Hungarian village recently a
farmer tried 10 shoot his tonth wife