The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-03-04
WASHINGTON NOTES.


inch guns swept six miles up the Po-
tomac River toward the city and
dropped into the water just little
short of the sleepy old town of Alex
andria. Fort Washington, twelve
miles below Washington, some time
after the war was abandoned as a
fort, and since then has been in charge
Of an orderly sergeant: but in the past
five years the authorities have been
expending thousands Of dollars con-
verting ii into a modern fortress, ana
within very short time there will be
such formidable array of guns and
mortar batteries there that no fleet en-
tering the river could ever get above
it The new emplacements, where
eight and ten inch guns are to be
placed, is on a high bluff where the
river makes turn. Opposite, and not
over n mile distant. will be Fort Sher-
iian, which will be supplemental to
the main defences. Here the channel
is not over 300 yards wide, and al
ready there is a torpedo system ready
to effectually prevent the passage OF
any ships. Every gun when in ac-
ton will probably be 200 feet above
the water, and commands not only
sweep of twelve miles down the river,
but the entire channel up to the city,
eight miles away. On the opposite
shore will be Fort Sheridan, mounting
probably four Pinch guns and two or
three eights. Fort Washingtons bat
terry, when completed, will comprise
five S-inch guns several of the old 10
inch smooth-bore mortars, which are
now in place, and capable, it is be-
Heved, of sinking any but heavily ar
mored ships, besides the submarine
mines to be worked from batteries
well protected under the fort.
The Sayres bill, providing for the
taking of the twelfth census, does
away with the former separate office
of Superintendent of the Census by
providing that the Commissioner of
Labor shall have charge of the work.
It also makes the salary of the Com
missioner of Labor $4,000 and gives
him the power to appoint an Assistant
Commissioner who will get $1,000
year. There are to be five expert sta
tisticians at $4,000 per year each, and
many other places that the Commits
sioner will be at liberty to fill without
consulting the wishes of the President
of the Senate.
The etiquette between the outgoing
and incoming Presidents is exact and
rigid. Mr.. Mckinley will go to the
White House and drive to the Capitol,
simply a citizen, sitting by the side Of
President Cleveland. On the way to
the Capitol the President lifts his hat
to the cheering crowds occasionally,
although the new man does most of
the bowling. But coming back he
keeps his hat ON, having then ex-
changed places with the simple citl-
zen who drove down sitting on his
left, and returns sitting on his right
and President Of the United States.
On the return to the White House
luncheon is given by the outgoing to
the incoming President, at which the
frst-named is host and the guests are
the members of the two cabinets and
their families. When this Is over, the
outgoing President takes his leave, the
incoming President escorting him to
the door Of the mansion. But this
may not be the last time he enters It.
On every, OCCASION that an eX-President
visits Washington his first obligation
is to call at the White House. He Is
Immediately received, no matter how
The head usher acts as his escort, and
he is paid more personal attention
than any guest who ever enters the
house.
Not great while ago notices were
put up in the House wing of the Capt.
tol prohibiting smoking in the corri-
dOrs, the public offices, statuary hall
and the elevators. Employees of the
House were specially prohibited from
smoking. The dOOrkeepers and the
Capitol police were instructed to rig
idly enforce the order. The members
Of the House, of course, do not pay the
slightest attention to the regulations,
and some Of the police say that mas
much as the order is not signed by any
one they do not believe they could
rightly arrest man or boy should he
insist on smoking. 81 happened to be
Standing at the end of one long corri-
dor the other day." said a policeman.
~and suddenly l saw a large body turn
into that same corridor and come my
way. l thought there was a chance to
sall man down for violating the or
ders. He came rocking along, had an
unusually big cigar in his mouth, and
you would have thought it was a tug
hOat from the clouds puffed out. l was
about to yell Smoking is not allowed
in this building when to my great as
t0nishment l discovered it was Speak
er Reed himself. l felt like telling him
he was breaking the rules, but on the
second thought concluded he was too
big and mighty for me to joke with.
30 l did not even pretend that | saw
him."
"The heating and boiler plant of the