Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-05

The Department Restaurants.

hardly more than the cost of destroying
them.
The Department Restaurants.
As 1 said, the sale of this pulp to souve-
mir makers is the only source of revenue
which the government has from the huck-
steering which is carried on in the public
departments. Even the restaurant keepers
who occupy space in the governments
buildings pay no rental, and in the case of
the restaurants at the Capitol. the govern
ment furnishes most of the material with
which the institution is operated except
the food Furniture, ranges, fuel, are all
supplied by the government. This matter
is to he made the subject of inquiry by the
Senate if Mr.. Allen gets his resolution
through that body.
The Senate restaurant is under the con-
troll Of the committee on rules, and the
theory on which it is run is that hen the
government supplies so much for nothing
the prices charged for food will be proper
tionately low. This is a good theory. but
Mr.. Allen thinks that il does not hold in
practice, and he proposes to learn why.
There are reStai rants in all of the depart
ments and in the National Museum, whose
owners pay no rent to the government.
These are established for the convenience
of the employees of the government in the
belief that if opportunity is offered to the
clerks to purchased luncheon within the
department buildings they will be less
likely to go outside and waste the govern
mcntS time.
All of these restaurants are run on a
cheap plan. They furnish the 10 and To-
cent luncheons which be had at any
one of dozen places outside each of the
department buildings. Their prices and
the qua lily of their food are under super
vision, and they are likely to lose the priv
ileges of catering al any time when they
fail to give satisfactory service for rea-
Sonabls price. These restaurants are for
the Use of the government employees eX-
clusively. The restaurants at the Capitol,
however, are for the use of the public; and
while the prices paid by visitors are TO
higher than these paid by Senators, the
Senator gets a larger portion for his
money.
Mount Vernon Souvenirs.
One Of the liveliest places for souvenirs
in the neightorhood of Washington is
Mount Vernon. OF course, there are relics
to be had at Arlington and at almost every
other point of interest. 1t is just as well.
pei laps, that there are things to be bought
in these show places, for il there was not
the visitors might take it On themselves
to make relics, they did in the case of
the Washington monument, which has
been Clipped and hacked in a most un-
comfortable way
But the craze for souvenirs seems 20 find
its greatest exemplifcation at the home Of
the father of his country. All the way
down to Mount Vernon you have the souve-
mir thrust on you. There are photographs
and books to be bought, and there are
plants to be had, and the ancient colored
man who loiterS about the tomb will sell
you little baskets cut from peach pits. The
browning souvenir event is the taking of a
photograph of the visitors in a group to
sell to those of them who wish to buy.
These souvenirs are all source of reve-
nue. to the Regents Association, anu they
help to keep the house and grounds in or
der The most popular souvenir of Mount
Vernon. however, is not source of reve-
nue. The visitors who pick up gravel in
front Of George Washington's tomb to car
ry away with them are SO many that the
path in front of the tomb has TO be re-
newed at short intervals.
GEORGE GRANTHAM Balm.