The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-12-17
LATE WASHINGTON NEWS
IN BRIEF.
DEC. 10Th, 1897.

DEC. 10Th, 1897.
Congress is now hard at work, about
two hours day is the averiAe time
spent. Perhaps the great volume of
matter to b. legislated upou requires
long and arduous lab r. Gu a. cur
rency reform, eXtravaganl public ex-
penditures, and the sho gun MARI age
Of Uncle Sam and Miss Hawaii-W hich
neither country WISH nor desire, arr
the vital questions which will agi ate
the gray-matter of our statesmen.
The social world is a,itaied as TO
whether he death OF Mother NJ Kiuley
will omiSthe early winters program al
the White House. However, the opera
aud afternoon teas wi !. in me isur-,
break the monotony of life until the
official notification of the rece tons
and dinners are sent out.
Much valuable information on mush-
rooms is to be found in the pamphlet
made public by the Department of Ag-
riculture. It's preparation was sug-
gested ny the recent death of Count de
Vecchi from eating poisonous mush-
rooms. The work mentions the vari-
Gus species-edible aud poisonous
which are found over nearly all except
the arid p prtious of the United States.
During the last session of Congress
sum of money was appropriated for the
purpose of building hospital for con-
lagious diseases. The Commissioners
failed to secure site for the building,
owing 10 the opposition of the property
holders of the places selected. PERMITS
sion was given by Providence Hos
pital-an institution conducted by the
Sisters of Cbarity-to build ward on
their grounds. Now comes an ardent
patriot, who seeks to enjoin the U. s.
Treasurer from paying out money for
the building, 1t being, as he alleges,
against the provisions of the U. S. Con-
stitution to eXpend money for sactarian
purposes. "Oh, liberty! what crimes
are committed in thy name"
Has the District of Columbia an in
expensive form of government? When
we consider the character of it, the fol-
lowing figures, taken from careful
compiler, is quite startling During
the year ending June 80, 1897, the Com
missiOners received from the people of
this District and the U. s. Government
the sum of 1925, 459.49. This amounts
to $26. II for each inhabit2nt or for every
man, woman and child residing there
in, while the annual expenditure of
Greater New York is less than $lS for
each inhabitant." New York is usu-
ally credited with being The most ex-
pensively governed city in this country.
The shop keepers of Washington are
well equipped to meet the demands of
holiday shoppers The counters are
heavily laden with useful presents in
every line. American craftsmanship as
well as the cunning of foreign artisans
have produced beautiful things in
plenty and to suit all purses.
A very clear example of the demand
by the American people for things
modern is the downfall of the Belt
Line Street Railroad here, line
having one of the most valuable frau
chises in 1.-THE city. Before the advent
of the cable and electric systems, the
Belt Line paid handsome dividends.
1t, however, continued to use horse
power, with result that the receipts
have fallen off and the receiver has
petitioned the court for permission to
discontinue operations and sell the
horses, because he is unable to feed
them or pay the drivers. j. b.