Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-08-26
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette
WASHINGTON, August %.

In regard to the disposition of Kate
Fields body now lying at Honolulu,
Mr. John Bowles, of this city, a person
al friend of the deceased authoress,
writes: The last time met her our con-
versation rounded upon the philosophy,
wisdom and justice of cremation. Both
of US being members of the New York
Cremation Society, she spoke very
frankly on the subject, and closed by
saying: II have in my will made ex.
press provisions for the cremation Of
of my body in such terms as no friend
or foe of mine would think of disre-
garding, even after am dead" So
there is no doubt in my mind that when
Kate Fields will turns up. there will
be clause providing for giving back to
mother nature that part of the perish
able garments with which she clothes
all her children, through the process Of
cremation. The New York Cremation
Society will be found ready and willing
to perform this sacred rite when the
body of Kate Field is delivered into
their custody.
No news of the reported loss of the
cruiser Monocacy at Tien Tsin, China,
had reached the Navy Department in
any official form up to 1:45 p. N. to-
day, but navy officers expressed no sur
prise at the rumor. The Monocacy is
a third-rate cruiser of ancient aonstruc
ton, of 1870 tons displacement, and
carrying six guns in her main battery
Her hull is of iron, but so worn by long
service that for years the navy Off
Gals have hesitated to move her
and have just let Ler rest on the mud
ofthe shallow Yueng Ling and Picking
rivers, fearful that if she foated into
deep water she would go down. No
apprehensions are entertained that any
loss of life has attended the reported
disaster, if disaster it can be called. II
such had been the case the Navy De-
partment would have been promptly
advised.
Gen. John B. Gordon was here to-
day. He says he is practically out OF
politics aud would absolutely retire
from political life at the end of his pres
ent term in the Senate.
People here to day, who were pres
ent at the democratic meeting in Lees
burg last night, say Mr.. Bell, Of the pen
sion bureau, made speech that remov
ed all the doubts that any of his audi
euce may have had respecting the adj
visibility of the resumption of silver
coinage. Mr.. Rixey, the democratic
candidate for Congress in that district
was also present and made some ap
propriate remarks, deferring his speech.
however, upon the issues of the cam
paign, until September court. They
say the free silver club of Loudoun
county has about fifty republican mem
bers, and that the democratic majority
there will be about thousand. Mr..
Rxey says his majority in Culpeper
will be 500.
People here now who were at the
recent gold boilers meeting in Char
lottesville say by far the larger part OF
the audience was in favor Of free silver,
and that almost every body else is, in
that whole region, with the exception
of few rich men and some of the pro
fessors of the University. They say
ex.Mayor Strauss, OF Alexandria, was
at the meeting as spectator, and that
he is pronounced in favor ofthe Chicago
ticket.
The following changes in the fourth
class postoffices of Virginia were made
to-day Alden, Prince William county,
A. S. Eichelberger appointed postmas-
ter, vice G. E. Hayth, resigned Barren
Springs, Wythe county, c. A. Morris,
vice T. E. Painter. resigned Burk
Fork, Floyd county, J. D. Palmer, vice
w. II. Weeks, resigned; Kunath, Lu-
nenburg county, Mrs. II. a. Williams,
vice W. T. Robertson, resigned.
An Indiana democrat here to day
says that in Rush county, in his State,
last week, a meeting of silver men Was
held, but that there were so many re-
publicans among those present that
they took entire control of it and de-
clared for free silver and for Bryan and
Sewall; not for democracy, but for a
government that would be conducted
in the interest of the people and not
solely in that of the rich.
Missouri people here to day say the
facts that Mr.. Francis, the new Secreta-
ry of the Interior, has no other business,
and never had, than that of specializing
in grain, and is therefore not popular
with the farming element there, will
not help to increase the Mckinley vote
10 that State.
New Workers here to-day say the
fact that the Kings county democratic
convention of that State, composed OF
six hundred members. last night de.
clared, practically unanimously, for
BRYAN and Sewall, is only a fair sample
of the feeling of the democratic masses
of the State of New York, and that
though the milionaires and the subsi-
died democratic press of that State,
NAV assert to the contrary, the Empire
State. now that Cleveland has left the
democratic party; will cast her electoral
vote for the national democratic ticket
next November.
There is still some doubt here about Gen.
Joe WheeiePs denomination, which, it is said,
cannot be settled until the meeting OF the
convention on the LIST prQ1imo.
Right Hon. Jos. Chamberlain. Secree
tary of State for the Colonies, accom-.
panied by Mrs. Chamberlain, formerly