The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-31
GOSSIP OF ADAY.
Protection for MOtOrmen
( Against Storms.
Why the President Is Inaugu-
rated on 4th of March.
Increase In the Price of CurrantS
and How II Came About.

That trolley car collision over near
Phillipsdale Sunday afternoon is said to
have been caused by the beating of the
rain into the face OF one of the motormen,
thus preventing him from seeing that the
car ahead OF him was stationary instead
OF going from him as he supposed. At
first blush it looks as though this partic-
ular motorman was altogether too careful
OF his own eyes, and too careless of the
safety OF his passengers, and the COM
psny's property, but that aside. 1t must
be admitted that the motorman' position
is not so easy as il seems. In winter,
especially, with the wind driving sharp
edged hail stones into his face, II IL
wonder that he can see at all. Companies
In other cit les have adopted method
which will operste TO prevent such ac-
cidents as that OF Sunday. On their cars
the front platform Is enclosed by glass,
which, while permitting the motorman
an unobstructed view OF the track ahead
and the road on either side OF him, pro-
tects him from the snow, hailstones and
rain. Glass partitions OF this kind are
not only a protection to the motorman,
but to the passengers as well, for they
serve to materially lessen the chances OF
accident.
This being presi Jential year, people
generally are interested in all matters re-
iating TO the election of a national ex-
ecutive. Over in the city hall this morn
ing several gentlemen were talking on
the subject when one of them asked II
there was any particular reason Tor IN
stailing the President on the fourth OF
March. No one seemed to be able to
answer the question Tor some time. Then
one of the party made this explanation:
when our government was first put in
operation 1t was the Intention TO have
the presidential electors chosen In the
several states on the ijrst Wednesday in
January, and that they should meet and
cast their votes on the first Wednesday
in February. The inauguration of the
President was planned to take place on
the first Wendseday in March. Thus the
whole matter OF choosing presidential
electors, eleciing president and induct-
ing him into Office was to be accom-
plished in exactly two months. The first
Wednesday in March in 1859 fell on the
4th day of the month, and as the presi-
dental term was fixed by the constitu-
tion at four years 1t necessarily ends on
that date. Washington was not inaugu-
rated on the sth of March, but his term
of service expired on that date, neverthe-
less.
Then. came up the question OF why 1t
was that Washington was not inaug-
urated on the the 4th or 5th Of March as
subsequent presidents were, but on the
30th OF April. The reason for this delay
Is readily explained. In those days they
didn't have any mile minute trains as
k.~ 80. lt.,a~
sarily slow and uncertain, cnd Washing
ton did not reach New York by March 4,
or for some time afterward. The notice
sent him acquaintina him with the fact
that he had been elected was late In
reaching him and after he set out on his
journey be was retarded by bad roads,
which had been made worse than unsual
by heavy spring rains.
"I don't believe that those old fighters
we read about in ancient history we're any
bigger men than those we see about US
today" said friend who has penchaut
for looking up odd things to the Gossiper
to day. 81 have been digging into the
matter little lately" he went on, sand
everything find convinces me that those
men were not the giants we have been led
to fancy them but ordinary mortals pos
ssssed of no more strength than the aver
are man OF the. present day. Hereafter
I'll take no stock in those stories that are
floating around about the deterioration
of the human race. The mummies of the
Egyptian kings who reigned 1000 years
ago show they were men OF only average
size, while the masks taken from the
bodies OF Agamemnon and his companions
by Dr. Schiiemann fit the face of men OF
ordinary stature. Then those belts taken
IN NJ ka ho ~ Muaanaa mi
from 80 to Al inches which shows that
the girth of those old-time warriors was
only about that OF the average soldier of
the present day. At Eerculaneum and
Pompeif they dug up collection of arms
which can easily and readily be welded
by the men OF the present day, while the
armor of ancient and mediseyal time Is
none too large for the average man living
today. All this Convinces me that the
ancient warrior wasn't half as big fell
low as the chroniclers have made him out
10 be-"
"Do you know" asked wholesale
grocer this morning, "that currants have
gone up cent pound at wholesaler"
The Gossiper confessed he was not up on
the currant question, but lac knew the
dealer had story To tell so he evinced an
interest, II must be admitted that was OF
the -for-the-occasion kind, and soon
had the dealer explaining the cause OF
the recent rise i'm cnrrants. "It is all be-
cause of a decision in the United states
District Court out I'm San Francisco" he
went on. "Uncer the Wilson tariff the
duty on Taute currants was one and one
halt cents pound b,lt the New York
merchants objected and gor ruling from
the general board Of appraisers sustaining
them. Out in San Francisco the collector
kent on assessing the duty on all impor-
tetions until the dealers out there heard
OF the decision Ia New York when they
began suit against the government for
rebate. The end of that suit was a de-
cision against the merchants and the re-
suit has been the pushing up of the
price OF currants one cent pound by the
wholesalers in New York, and elswehere,
because IL Is believed the full duty will
be assessed and collected on all future
importations.
There arc good many "holes I'm the
ground" that pan out more prohtably than
q good many OF the gilt-cdge gold mines
out nj Crippie Greek. The coal tnfnes of