The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-25
A HOT DAY IN WASHINGTON.
MERCURY WAY UP WREN THE SEN
ATE PASSED THE TARIFF.


How Real Hot Day Is Passed in
the Capital.
Washington, July A-The sun hung over
Washington like a copper bah when the
| tariff bill as amended passed the Senate.
II was a hot day--so hot that Pennsylvania
avenue was nearly deserted and resembled
a street at high noon in some equatorial
city. The heat was more than oppressive.
| 1t created a lassitude that induced SOM
Violence. and men We're seen asleep in
restaurants and on the street cars. They
were even more sleepy in the galleries of
the Senate. The debate dragged YEARLY,
and the intonations of the speakers became
drearily monotonous. The Vice President
listlessly famed himself and members of
the House who thronged the Senate cham
Der INDUCED in catnaps on the sofas.
While the senator's and representatives
were gasping for fresh air, the atmosphere
outside of the capitol was much worse.
Many of the asphalt pavements became
softened under the action of the sun. and
tremendous waves of heat arose from the
streets. Negro hucksters went to sleep
| upon their wagons, and hackmen on the
capitol plaza crept within their vehicles
to escape the rays of the sun while wait
| ing for fares. Hardly breath of air was
stirring. The flags on the marble edlhce
hung limp and motonless. and the very
dome became torrid. A few wheelmen APP
peared in the streets, moving over the
hot pavements mechanically but listlessly.
The concrete walks became springy, and
those using them frequently left foot
prints behind them. The robins dlsap-
peared from the parks and even the do
nestle sparrow (frangella homestead sat
in the plinths Of the corinthlan columns
painting for breath.
1t was as hot day as has been seen
In Washington In many year. Congress-
men had been broiling in a similar heat
for three days. Crash suits were In great
demand. Scores suffered from prlckly
heat, and burnt flour and carbonate of
! soda were In great demand. Dogs dropped
| in shady places with lolling tongues and
! legs drawn out. Flies settled In swarms
| In the beer shops. The great green house
in the botanic garden fairly steamed with
heat, while the rare palms and exotlcs sur
| rounding. 1t were watered morning and
evening
Fifteen thousand employees In the depart
| ments sweltered in shirt sleeves and
challe waists. while their chiefs of divis-
ion, arrayed in light flannel, pongee and
| crash suits, sought comfort in breeZes
| created by electric fans. These fans we're
| furnished at the expense of the people,
and cost from twenty to thirty-fve dol
lars apiece. Electricians say that the
running expenses for each fan average
from four to six dollars per month.
There were some startling surprises
| nrnopO fhp stqteqf11an In the canifol No
two were dressed alike. Some wore crash
| suits with belts, and others the same with
| out belts. In most cases a crash waist
| coat was discarded. A few were exceed
| ingly natty in appearance. notably one gen.
| tleman from Pennsylvania. He had a
| bongee coat a white silk shirt and a flow
| ing tie of the same material. His trous-
| ers were of fine white duck. He wore no
| waistcoat and the trousers we're held In
| place by a white leather belt with a sill
| yer buckle. The suit was set off with Hight
| tan shoes and a fine Macknaw hat. 1t
| was the neatest rig seen In the capitol on
that day. everything being perfect in fit
| and harmonious I'm color
| Then there were others-old-timers, who
| wore broadcloth coats and doeskin trous-
| ers without waistcoats. Some varied the
| costume with ancient alpaca coats. The
| value Of the coat was sometimes indicated
| by the stain left upon the shirt collar un-
| der profuse perspiration Light cassimeres
| were used in abundance some close-fttng
| and others baggy and loose. There were
white duck suits so thin as to show the
| color OF the stockings and underwear. The
| white flannel seems no longer popular, and
| the seersucker suit. once so common, has
entirely disappeared.
| A southern senator, known from the st.
| Croix to the Rio Grande, wore calfskin
boots and a black broadcloth suit, antique
in style, but extremely roomy. The legs OF
the trousers were nearly as large as the
| smokestacks Of a Mississippi steamboat,
and the ouble-breasted frock coat as COM
| modious as the mansion OF a southern
| planter before the war. This apparel,
| however was thrown into the shade by a
suit worn by a representative from the
Pacific coast. He was attired In snuff
| colored raiment with a bright yellow
walstcoat, a Splnola collar and a light
colored knOtted tie. The tout ensemble was
| rendered complete and unique by pointed
| patent leather shoes, fawn-colorcd gloves
and a chimney pot hat that would have
excited the admiration and envy OF the
| Prince Of Wales
Speaker Reed was dressed plainly and
| inconspicuously. lie wore a dark sack coat
| and dark trousers, with tanned shoes,
black derby hat and Wadras shirt Of
| pink hue. n was In admirable contrast
to the suit worn by him In the hot days
/ attending tho FIRST session Of the Fifty
i
| IA "a seersucker suit and negiige shirt,
wearing oxford ties. a straw hat and n
dark blue SILK sash. knotted NJ the side.
Another strange combination was coat
and waistcoat OF kentucky tow, a mar
row lie Of white lawn, and trousers OF
| light cashmere II was worn by the
| chairman OF one OF the great national
committees IN the last campaign. A re-
nowned western senator, breezy and port
| ~. wore n blue serge, ample IN dlmen-
| aions. and apparently extremely comfOrta-
BILE A New England senator, who never
turns "A hair no matter how hot the day
or debate. appeared In Hteol-colOrcd
French cashmere. The hitting was the
Inspiration OF tailor far above the av-
erage. All the statesmen were IN summer
/ rarb, giant and pigmy tat man and lean
| Cooling drinks we're IN demand in both
cloak room and restaurant and butter
milk drinkers were surprised 20 learn that
the supply had given out before o'clock
while the atmosphere was enervatlng
IN tho streets ~ Washington Il was abs0-
/ iutely enfceblnR for those approaching
i the city by railroad. The trcmulouH
l ssfnurn ~ heat nFInIuu from tho fifW tQnra