The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-26
e. w. NEWHALL s CO.
!, certain street corners along Pennayl


I, certain street corners along Pennsyt
! yauia avenue.
One Of the most singular stories told
about the Washington monument rs
, hardly credible. yet can uo
vouched for as perfectly true
Hundreds of ladies in Washing
ton wear upon their hats the piumags
or the entire skin OF a bird which mas 1851
its life flying against the tai mass "
marble in the ilmness or twilight or Day
break, Every morning one or the waicn-
men who spends the night in the monu-
ment finds about It's base quite a NUM-
her OF birds who have lost their lives IN
this way. This mortality Is not limited
to any one species, but includes nearly All
the birds known In this region. SuaHsc
to say. few English sparrows lose their
lives by flying agains, the monument, but
tho beautiful golden finches. cedar birds.
starlings, tanagers. grosoeaks ana many
others OF bright plumaGe and great rarity
have been found. The Waterman taxes
these birds up town to a taxidermist. VINO
stuffs and mounts the rarer specimens.
which are sold for a good round prtce TO
collectors and the skins Of those less rare
are prepared for the milliner. Hardy
morning comes that there are less than q
score Of dead birds about the base OF the
shaft
Another queer thing to know about the
monument Is that its height and width
vary. 1t Is taller In summer than In WIN
ter and in the latter season Its Width on
the south side Is about an inch greater
than on the north, east or west side. This
is due to expansion under the heat Of the
suns rays. This phenomenon was deter
mined by Capt. Greene during tho cree
ton OF the shaft. Plumb lines were sus-
pended at each corner OF the marble wcll.
and the plumb "bobs'' or plummets were
suspended In pots Of glycerine and mo-
lasses ACROSS the top OF each pot was laid
q finely graduated steel bar. and three
times q day an army engineer "sook or
the registration thus made or the expan-
sion of the walls. 1t was held that the
plummets moved precisely with the points
at which the plumb lines were attached TO
the top OF the shaft, and the giycerine
held them firmly without vibration or os-
citation, SO that the officer would note
any change OF position. All these regis
trations, twice a day every day of the
year, were recorded In a book during the
seven years that were occupied in building
tho monument
J. B. Nelson. Of Seattle. and George U.
PIPER OF Portland Or, have been sight
seeing In and around Washington City
during the past week. They have already
spent about the same length OF time In
-
stop In Baltimore, Philadelphia and Other
Eastern cities before returning TO the Pa
ciic coast. Mr.. Nelson Will taxe an edi-
tcrial position In New York City abou,
December 4.
The principal event of tho stay OF these
gentlemen in Washington was their visit
to the White House and brief but ex-
eeedingly piearant and interesting chat
with President Cleveland. Through Tho
kiponess OF Private Secretary Thurber. an
appointment was made with the president
tho day before. As 1t CHANGED. the hour
named was the one subsequently selected
by Secretary olrey to present to the
president the Grand Duke Abbazzi, nephew
OF the king OF Italy. The duke II iieu-
tenant on the Italian cruiser Christofcro
Colombo. at that time lying In Baltimore
harbor He was accompanied in his call
a. the White House by the Italian ambas-
sador. Baron Fava, and met the president
in the Blue parior. Subsequently the scion
OF Italian royalty visited the various exec
utivc departments and WAS shown al the
principal points Of interest. Assistant
secretary Hamlin escorted him through
the vaults Of the treasury.
But Baron Fava ard his royal guest, as
is frequently the case with such high
10 rsonages, were late at the White House,
and the president. waiting alone In the
blue parlor. bethought him OF his APP
poin,ment with the young Americans from
He returned 10 his office
Upstairs and was interested in talking Of
the political situation in the Pacific North
west when the baron was announced. This
time the baron and the grand duke waited
and the presiden; did no. seem 10 be In
any particular hurry. either.
The presidents visitors told him that
the sound money sentiment In Oregon was
sufficient 10 defeat Bryan I'm that state.
Mr. Cleveland said that he could hardly
think state which had so much at stake
as Washington would imperil It's future
rros perity by voting fer free silver PEN
meyer was another topic touched upon
Any reference 20 the governor who told
HIM IN so many words TO mind his own
business always puts the president in a
good hunor.
Mr.. Nelson told the president he ough.
10 make trip 10 the Pacific coast: tina.
tho people out there had an idea he was
a great, big. fat. helpless man, instead OF
the robust and active individual he really
was. The president laughed heartily. II
suppose the cartoons OF the pentlhffrar
press are responsible for that" he said
''Stln, don't think they do much harm
and ~ they give others as much pleasur.
~ they do me, IL "a all right I should
really Ike very much to visit the Pacific
Northwest and have long intended 10 do
50 al some future day."
The pos'oflces on the Matches river IN
Yakima county. which are to be known a.
SAs and freka- VIII soon be established
by the postmaster general These are the
ofnces for which Representative HYDE has
been working for 80 long and at first with.
out success. owing TO the determination
OF me department. 70 establish no more new
0nces during the remainder OF the year
tnan vas absolutely unavoidable. The OBJ
,ecf OF this. OF course. was to keep down
expenses so that the deficit in the poxt-
once department. should De as email A
possible. making good showing for The
management and at the same time denfet.
ing no more than absolutely necessary a
constantly falling gold reserve. Tn. I'm
portance o. these two Offices have f,naiIv
oeen SHOWN 70 the satisfaction OF the de-
partnsnt ocicials and In due course the