New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-16
WASHINGTON NEWS NOTES


| Washington September ~
| CHAIRMAN RAY IN WASHINGTON-Amn
| recent arrivals in Washington is Represent,,,
| Ray, Of New-York. He is the new Chairman a, ~.
Committee on Invalid Pensions and part O, hs
business here Is to look after the ARRANGEMENT and
classification OF the work Of the mmittee so tho,
| there may be no unnecessary delay when Congress
| reassembles in December. About two thousa nd hin.
! relating to pensions introduced in the House
OF Representatives and referred to the com,,,,..
| at the special session. and probably twice as manv
more will be offere. before the expiration Of ,hs
for the relief Of enlisted en o 81 serY ae 6 bin.
Ing the war and for the dependent widows Of
| man Ray Is a Union veteran He served faithfuiv
York n a and ns @ Of New
| from the service In 1855. He Is also a lawyer OF
ability, and has been for several years a prominent
Judiciary WV
| TYPEWRITERS IN ENGLAND.-"I am pretty
well acquainted in London. and know of only three
/, hotels there where one can procure the help OF a
| typewriter" said w. r. Sargent OF New-York AT
| Chamberlins land these hostleres that ara
largely patronized by Americans. For some reason
our English brethren do not take to the writing
| machine. and though at some period they win
utilize 1t extensively, its introduction will be grad.
| ua compared with It's career in the United
| States. was In the Bank OF England last winter
engaged in conversation with leading Official and
noticed that quite corps OF clerks were employed
| but not typewriter in the lot. on remarking at
the absence of these, my bank friend said that the
od-fashioned ideas of the who controlled the
great financial institution would not permit the
| innovation. Everything must be written out in
| orthodox longhand. according to the custom OF
| the conservatism of the British character"
| FLORIDA EXPORTING SPONGES.-"Fiorida
| for the first time in her history, is now shipping
| sponges to Europe" said Frank II. Hayfeld OF
Key West. land the shippers are receiving good
| returns on all that reach the London market Tho
| variety Of sponge chiefly demanded is the grass
! sponge. Good grass sponge brings on an average
| from 20 10 Co cents bunch. The sponge industry
| has long been an important in Florida. For
many years the principal dredging has been in
| progress Bailey's Point. Now. however. the
crews of the spongins vessels have begun to re-
| move their kraas TO Anclote Key. Several rea.
sons given for the change in place Of operations
| the most important Of which Is the fact that the
| water around Baeys Point was being used TOO
| rapidly on account Of the large number OF sponge
| men there. There are many kraals at Sea Horse
Key also. but they are used only IN winter when
| Decker, one or the prominent sponge men OF the
State, recently shipped in one day nineteen bales
| were valued AT 5000 With good crops of fruit and
splendid sponge finds, prosperity surely should come
| down our way
| A HINT FROM AUSTRALIA.-"We have found
! way of utilizing the telephone in coun.
| try" said J. McIemore, of New-South Wales 1T
| consists Of taking one of the wires of the wire
| fencing that incloses a stock station cattle
making 1t answer all the requirements Of an ordi.
nary telephone WIRE the chief difference being that
this improvised line is without insulation. But II
answers well its purpose OF quick communication
with distant stations and even with market towns
a good many miles away. OF course there are
Of the wire, Which impedes the operation Of the
| phone in danny weather, but on the whole these
station lines have been great success
NAVAJO INDIAN WEAVING.-"In the art Of
weaving the NavaJos excel all other Indians in the
limits Of the United States" said r. G. Johns Of
Santa Fe. I'm fneness of finish, artistic design
and variety Of pattern. the Navajo blanket is ahead
Of any of the handiwork of the other tribes. They
are clever enough TO weave blankets with the
different designs the opposits sides. but oftiats
years their work has deterioratcd somewhat be.
cause OF the substitution Of inferior aniline dyes
bought from the traders for permanent native
dyes formerly used, and also on account Of the
yarn got from the same source. instead OF that
aboriously twilied by the bands OF the lndhA
They great at weaving belts. sashes. garterS
ard saddle girths The Navajo woman finds her
quisi;on of money is by no means the chief motive
that actuates her IN producing ing, blanket tia. ,
while. Till the charm OF newness is gone. she will
for her - time and labor The wealthiest Of the
tribe viii weave Just as assiduously as their poor
gard lit more IN the light Of pastme than tot
NO YELLOW FEVER AT vICKsBURG-
'vicksburg has not been touched by the yellow
fever scare" said c. Henry Lecompt, OF that city
The disease has been around us for some time but
| don't believe that there Is a possibility Of It get
ting into Vicksburg Every precaution is taken to
proven: the importation of any suspicious cases
and 1t has been determined by the city officials to
quarantine against New-orleans. Biloxi and all tn:
expect expect 10 be bothered vcksburg is naturally
ton and having every known facility for handling
all epidemcs there would be no danger OF .
a1 az he 9 pn "A
should break out We feel perfectly safe, ana
think that what remains OF the disease Will soon %
stamped out In the affected cities
COUNTING SILVER DOLLARS.-The count OF
money In the vaults OF the Treasury is still in prog
and will be finished for several weeks. The
unusually long time occupied IN the count is due 70
the cautiousness OF Treasurer Roberts. In all prs
vious counts the money has been weighed in bags
there being 1900 silver dollars in each bag. Two
tests would be applied to these bags, depending on
bag OF 100 new and unused dollars weighs about
hfty-eight pounds and fifteen ounces. \ bag 9.
badly used dollars weighs about hfty-eght pouhyys
and nine or ten ounces difference of s. or u
Counting this way the count did not take so ions
the vaults In which old silver dollars are storea
each dollar shall be counted TINS is now 9e sar
many feet throughout the Treasury Twensy-0nI "
the vault which held the new silver dollars tns
count made In the regular way ana the goo
In the vaults will be counted by weight
TO STAND BY THEIR GUNS.-The spirit with
which any suggestion OF harmonizIng the conflict
Ing elements in the Democratic party is received
in the South Is illustrated by views expressed y D.
Representatives Wheeler OF Alabama. Gaines
Tennessee and Livingston OF Georgia TO star
reporter The three together. ana
simultaneously declared that the silver peopN
were more stiN-backed and determined In the nsAs
than ever before They declared that there ws
absolutely no loss OF strength in the South. pu5
no
the Gold Democrats they said, were either CONNIE
back without condition or were going over 70 Wv
Republican party very few holding 10 their lndepen
dent attitude Mr.. Livingston said that the sI..esi
men had concessions to make. but tod me Vo ,s
-. .L. a-a,LIl .lth