Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-04-18
FROM WASHINGTON.
correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette
WASHINGTON, April IS.

/
WASHINGTON, April IS.
After three years of idleness the Ben
nings race course opened this afternoon
for the spring meeting. Since the prop
erty passed into the hands of Mr.. Bel.
mont, last fall, extensive improvements
have been made in the buildings ana
track. There was a large crowd at
the opening to-day though the weather
was hot. This is the first meeting TO
occur under the provisions of the new
law nominally prohibiting betting. a
number of bookmakers are on hand and
more are expected next week, and
among the attendants were many OF
those whose faces were familiar at the
tracks in Alexandria county. The
horses suffered great deal more from
the hot sun than those thatran in cold
weather when the Alexandria tracks
were operated.
During the debate in the House yes
terday evening on bill to put hos
pital steward on the retired list, Mr..
Meredith, who had opposed it, said 1t
was an insult to the fighting soldiers.
The promoter of the bill, MIR. North
way, republican of Ohio, said Il will
take nv chance of that kind OF an ln-
suit" Mr.. Meredith replied "And |
will take mine; and you will find, let
me say to my friend from Ohio, that |
am not man to undertake to escape
any responsibility that attaches to me-"
Lille F. Cox was appointed postmas-
ter at Peach Bottom, Grayson county,
Va, to-day, vice Solomon Jennings,
dead.
Virginia republicans here to-day shy
there is no doubt that Colonel Lamb
has seen the handwriting on the wall,
and has offered his opponents in his
own party to do anything they ask, if
they won't exercise their power to turn
him down. They say he has been
tried and been found wanting in all the
qualities of successful leader, and
that he, himself, now realizes that
such is the case. They say that Gen
eral Brady and Colonel Bowling will
be the delegates to st. Louis from the
Petersburg district, though that is
black district
Almost every day this week Mr.
Meredith has attempted to catch the
Speakers eye in order to call up the
bill to pay j. Saipman of Fairfax
county, $4,000 for government work in
West Virginia, but has not succeeded,
He repeated the effort to-day with the
same result.
Mr.. Hit, who introduced the famous
Cuban resolutions, says he has received
no intimation from any quarter as to
tie course the President intends to take
i the matter.
The silverites at the Capitol to day
claim the following States, West Vir
ginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas,
Mississippi, Texas. Illinois, Missouri,
Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Mon
tana, Idaho, Washington, Utah. Ore
gon and Arizona, and they put To-
diana, Ohio, Alabama and Florida, as
doubtful, though people from those
States say they are as sure for silver as
any of the others.
The election committee has reporte d
in favor of removing the only demo
cratic member of the House from Hi
nois, Mr.. Finis Erving Downing, a ma.
tive of Virginia.
There was no session of the Senate
to-day, and the House, after passing a
few bills to remove the charge of deser-
ton from Union soldiers, devoted the
rest of the day to eulogies upon the late
Mr.. Cog of Massachusetts.
Congressman Meredith says he has
been unable to get any seed as yet, and
that as soon as he shall, he will dis
tribute them.