davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1897-02-15
OUR POSTAL SYSTEM
Postmaster General Wilson's Lecture to the
Geographic Society.
A Graphic Account Of the Colonial
Defects Of the Modern System.

Postmaster General Wilson delivered an
Instructive and thoroughly interesting ad-
dress before the National Geographic So
ciety Friday night at the Congregational
Church on "The Development of the United
States Postal Service He sketched rapid
ly and picturesquely the origin and growth
of the old colonial post, which, through a
charter granted Thomas Neal and a serv-
ice established in 17l0 by Andrew Hamil-
ton, gave the American people their first
postal facilities. =. system extended from
Falmouth, Me-, to Savannah, Ga, and the
| mails were carried by stage coaches and
mounted riders. From little manuscript
| book, the report of Hugh Findlay. postal
| Inspector, who went over the line in 11I3
Mr.. Wilson read several most interesting
entries, showing what that first rude postal
system was. Under the Continental Con-
gress the colonies took upon themselves
their own postal service, with Benjamin
Franklin Postmaster General. Under
the constitutional government Samuel Os-
good was the first to hold that Office. Not
until 1879 was the Postmaster General
made a cabinet officer. Until 1s45 the old
colonial methods of carrying mails by stage
coaches and al rates controlled by distance
prevailed Then the modern era of postal
progress began. Stamps were authorized ir
1917; in 1853 stamped envelopes: in 1865 reg
istered letters provided for: in 1863 free
delivery was undertaken in 1864 the money
order system was established: in 1865 the
railway mail service, or moving post
Offices" was set in operation: in 1873 postal
cards were first used in the United States,
and in 1877 the international postal union
the greatest of all postal improvements, "
was attained.
In closing Mr.. Wilson said the people paid
and were entitled to penny postage. 1t
would be possible but for the abuse of the
mails in shipping periodicals or second
class matter. The government gets G cents
a pound for carrying letters and postal
cards, and but l cent a pound for carrying
the periodicals. The letters afford $63, 600,
600 revenue to the department, and the
periodicals but 100000. The law is such
that the Postmaster General is powerless
to prevent this abuse, and the people dc
not understand the matter.
Mr.. Wilson outlined the reform he would
make in the management Of the postal
service He said there were too many post
masters. Instead of 1900 presidential and
about 5000 other postmasters there should
be about 10000 with the others as subor-
dinates. thus articulating the whole service
and relieving the department and the Post
master General of much unnecessary labor
Mr. Wilson said our postal system is run
ming behind $10CO0.0OO a year, while that OF
England is ahead s1S.0o0,0OO every year
Ours, with proper legislation. might be
self-supporting.
Evening star., 1897-02-15
A JOINT COMMISSION,
Suggestion Of One to Devise q Ffnnu-
cfaI Measure.

a suggestion that Mr.. Mckinley will
favor the appointment of a commission
composed of members of the two houses
of Congress to devise a financial measu
eNcites considerable interest among the
f1ranciers of Congress. There is such a
division Of opinion on the general subject
Of banking and currency measure en-
tirely apart from the bimetallic question
that the House committee has not been
able to accomplish anything during this
Congress. Those members of the committee
and of the House who believe 1t to be i'm
portant to have a reform of our financial
system, have very little hope that there
VIII be any material change in the situa-
hon when the next Congress comes in il
the matter is left, in this, to be dealt
with by the banking committee. 1t is be-
lieved that if any legislation is to be had
special effort must be made by the new
administration, and the matter must be
left to commission organized for the ex-
press purpose of treating the one question,
the selection of members being governed
by the consideration of their capacity for
such work
1t is said that if Mr.. Mckinley favors a
joint commission OF the two houses to con-
slider the whole currency question there
Will be no serious difficulty in the way of
getting an authorization for the commits
sion.
Evening star., 1897-02-15
MRS. PATTEN.s WILL.
The Case 'secided in the Supreme
Court Today.

The Case 's,cided in the Supreme
Court Today.
The Supreme Court of the United States
today affirmed, with costs, the decision of
the Court of Appeals Of the District of
Columbia in the case of Augusta P. Glover
ct al, appellant, against Mary E. Patten
ct al. This is a bill in equity filed in the
Supreme Coz TT of the District of Columbia
by Mary E. Patten, Josephine A. Patten.
Edith Patten and Helen Patten against
their sister. Augusta P. Glover, wife of
John NJ Glover to construe the will of
their mother, Anastasia Patten, and 20
charge the estate with certain claims of
appellants prior to the general dis,ribu-
tion of assets.
Mrs. Patten died in this city September
u, 1888. leaving a will executed in San
francisco December 23, 1879. The records
ot .he case snow that upon the marriage of
Mrs Patterns daughter to Mr. Glover the
daughter was given government bonds with
an actual value of $1O2 500 A sum sufti ,ient
to give the other four daughters each SILL
100 was set aside. The lower court held
tnat the money so paid was a part of the
distribution of the estate. On that decision
the case was brought to the United States
Supreme Court by Augusta P. Glover
The Supreme Court of the United States
also reversed, with costs. and remande9 to
the court below, the case of Martha Hop
klnS, Martha NJ. Lee Stethney Forrest et
AL, appellants. vs. William H. Grimshaw
and Mary ]. Brooks, appealed from the
Supreme Court of the District of Colum-
bia. This is the case involving the property
used as burying ground of the Union
Beneficial Society. In 1883 the municipsl
authorizes of this city prohibited further
interments In this burial ground, and since
then all the bodies have been removed from
the same. The appellants asked that the
said property be partitfoned between ap-
pellant and defendants. and the court re-
versed the decision of the Supreme Court
of the District of Columbia and remanded
the case.
Evening star., 1897-02-15
The Ynle's New Quarters.

Many signs point TO a steady improvement
in the commercial situation. One of these
is the action Of the Yale steam laundry in
moving into magnificent quarters at SIS
10th street, which is to be the main office
No expense has been spared in fitting il;
up. The ceilings and side walls are of
sieel. in bas-relief figures and scrolls, en-
ameled In light tints. The counters and
cffice furniture of highly polished
quartered oak, With hand-carved oak pam
elings. Two long oak side cases run the
cepth of the room, with frosted glass
fronts and shelving, for protecting the hun
dreds of bundles of snow white linens
awaiting their owners or delivery The
success of the Yale steam laundry, under
the management of Mr.. Frank Walker
frlly demonstrates what business ability
enterprise and good work, coupled with
1udic'ous advertising, can accomplish.
Evening star., 1897-02-15

vail Tuesday in the southern states with
cooler weather tonight
Tide Table.
Today-Low tide, 12:11 am and 1o.,a
pm; high tide, 5:47 am. and 6:23 nm
Tomorrow-Low tide, 1854 am. and 12.57
PM; high tide, 0:37 am. and 7:l2 nm
The Sun and Moon
Sun rises, 6:52; sun SETS 5:37
Moon sets at sunrise tomorrow morning
Tomorrow-Sun rises, 6:51.
The City Lights
Gas lamps all lighted by GAS p.m.. extin-
gushing begun at $50 am. The lighting
is begun one hour before the time named
Public arc lamps lighted at $50 pm. and
extinguished at 6:14 am
Condition of the Water
Temperature and condition Of water at &
am: Great Falls, temperature, 36: condi-
tion. 4. Receiving reservoir temperature.
80; condition at north connection. 4. condi
ton at south connection, 5. Distributing
reservoir. temperature. 49, condition at in
fluent gate house. 3; effluent gate house. 2.
Temperatures for Twenty-Four Hours
The following We're the readings of the
thermometer at the weather bureau durinp
tie past twenty-four hours, beginning at 1
o'clock yesterday afternoon:
February IA pm, So; pm, Al: mid
night, Al.
February 154 am, 3S; 8 am, ss; 70 m.
40, and pm, 80.
Maximum, So at 3 pm, February II.
minimum. 30, at 8 am, February Is.
Evening star., 1897-02-15
CON DENSED LOCAL S

The hydrant at the corner of New Jersey
avenue and street is in need of repair.
There is a dangerous hole in the road
way at Sth and NJ streets southeast.
Lieut.. McCathran reports 4 bad hole in
the sidewalk in front of 637 I'd street south
east.
Lieut.. Kelly reports a dangerous hole in
front Of 619 I'd street northwest.
The pavement in front of 1923 34th street
is in a dangerous condition.
The pump at the corner of Bath and S
streets Is out Of order.
Lieut.. Gessford reports that the pump at
the corner of 7th and Irving streets is out
of order.
Dangerous roles We're reported this morn
ing by Lieut. GeSsford in front of l23g 1th
street. 1875 w street and Florida avenue
and w street northwest.
This mornings reports of the police lieu
tenants show that thirty-seven policemen
are detained at home by reason of sick
ness and nine are on leave.
The police made forty-nine arrests dur
lrg yesterday and last night.
The pavemonts in front of 11O9 AZ street,
1st and N streets and I'd and NJ streets
southwest are in a bad condition.
Professor Wood of the National Museum
delivered an entertaining lecture Friday
evening on The Habits and Language of
Lower Animals and Birds before the Chris
lan Endcavor Society of the Church of the
covenant. His remarks were very enter
tanning, and at the close of his lecture he
cnimicked with astonishing fidelity the.
voices of the morning in the BARNARD. In
Guiding the Growing of the rooster cack-
ing OF hens, blea ting of sheep, lowing of
cattle and twittering and cries of birds
MUSICAL numbers were interspersed through
out the program.
Rev. J. S. Lemon, PhD, lectures tomor-
row afternoon at 4:3O O'Clock at Columbian
L GnlVel Sity, before the Society for Philo-
sophicai Inquiry, subject, '.Determinism in
Ethics"
Charles r. Buckland, editor of the Amer
lean Economist the weekly publication of
the Protective Tariff League, has been
seriously Ill for some time, by reason of
oVerwork during the campaign. When he
is better he will go away and take a long
rest.
Fire was discovered in the grocery store
OF F. f. Baber, 1123 18th street, at an
early hour yesterday morning The dam
age amounted to about 500; fully insured
Cause not known.
Mrs. Julia Lucas, a color ed woman about
forty years of age, was found dead yester-
day morning at her home. 6S G street
northeast. Death was caused by a hemor-
rhage and the coroner isued a death GER
tificate.
James Simmons, a colored man. was ar
rested by Policy Detective Watson about
: o'clock this morning at the Aqueduct
bridge. When searched at the station
house policy slips were found in his pock-
cts He will have hearing when business
Is resumed in the United States branch
of the Police Court.
Evening star., 1897-02-15
FAIR TOMORROW,
But If You Go Out Tonight Bett
Take an Umbrella.

but II You 60 Out Tonight Better
Take an Umbrella.
Forecast till 8 pm. Tuesday-For the Dis
trict of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia,
fair Tuesday, preceded by threatening
weather and probably light local showers
tonight; southerly winds, shifting to west
erly.
Weather conditions and general forecast
The barometer has fallen, except to the
north Of the lake regions and from Texas
westward to California. There is a slight
depression covering the Ohio valley, but
the barometer is lowest to the northwest
of Montana and highest over California.
1t is warmer generally throughout the
central valleys and on the Atlantic coast.
1t is colder north Of the lake regions and
from Texas northward to Dakota.
The weather is generally cloudy over the
central valleys and the lake regions. with
local showers south of the Ohio and local
SHOWS in the lake regions and upper Mis-
sissippi valley.
The weather Sunday morning was fair,
except in the northern portion of the lake
regions and in northern Texas and on the
north Pacific coast, where local SHOWS or
showers were reported.
The indications are that the weather will
be cloudy and threatening. with possibly
local showers on the Atlantic coast to-
night, followed by clearing and fair wealth
er Tuesday. Fair weather is likely to pre-
Evening star., 1897-02-15
PATHETIC FEATURE.
Little One Dead and the Husband I,


Jail.
The pathetic side of she arrest of Lewis
Nick. Turner. charged with theft of valu-
able documents fromseathea Congressional
Library Will appeal strongly to those who
have been interested in his case.
When he was arrested as9 noted in The
Star his faithful young wife was severely
Ill and his little slx-Weekstold girl baby
was at the point of death from what was
at hrst thought to be membranous Group.
The little one grew worse each day, and
died Saturday night at the, home of the
parents. 1o2 9th street southeast. The
father. who has had strong hopes of se-
curing bail and who has borne up strongly
under ms misfortune, was deeply affected
anu gave evidence Saturday night of break
lng down. 1t is said that the kind hearted
omciais sllowed him to Cd to his home
Tor few hours Sunday night in charge
OF an omeer to console the heart-broken
wire as much as possible. The baby was
inferred In Rock Creek cemetery Sunday
afternoon The frail wife had to be as
slsted 10 carriage to attend the funeral,
wnich was In charge OF Rev. w. e. Par
son, So0 New Jersey avenue southeast.
Health oncers think the baby died from
diphtheria.
Two other children Of the afflicted fam
lily, hve and three years. are Ill. Much
sympathy ts expressed, for the bereaved
father and mother.
Evening star., 1897-02-15
Torpedo Boat Cushing.

The torpedo boat Cushing arrived at Nor
folk this morning and will be put out of
commission. Her officers and crew have
been ordered to repair at once to Bristol,
r. l., for the purpose of bringing torpedo
boat No. 6 around to Washington in order
that members of Congress may have an
oppe rtunity OF seeing that swift craft
speeding through the quiet waters Of the
Potomac. No. was built by the Herre-
shofs ard has a speed record of nearly
Twenty-Five knots an hour, making her
by far the fastest vessel in the American
navy. She Is being prepared for the cruise
and will probably arrive here by the end
of this week or the beginning of next She
will be known simply as mo. g. until a
more suitable name shall have been Sc
lected
Evening star., 1897-02-15
Engineer Changea.

Lieut.. Col. William Ludlow, Corps of En-
gineers, has been ordered to take station
at New York to relieve Col. George L. Gil
lespie. Corps Of Engineers. of the duties
pertaining to the fortifications and river
and harhor works in that vicinity, and will
also act as engineer of the third lighthouse
district. Colonel Gillespie has been placed
in charge of the northeast engineer di-
vision, formerly in charge of General VIII
son. before his promotion to the office OF
chief Of engineers. Lieut.. VIM. v. Judson,
Corps of Engineers. has been ordered to
duty at Willets Point, N. Y. Lieut.. James
]. Meyler has been ordered to duty at San
Francisco. He IL now at st. Augustine.
Fla.
Evening star., 1897-02-15
The De souter Case.

Friends Of the family who have been in
vestigating the AFFAIRS OF Joseph De Souter
who was killed by inhaIing Illuminating
gas. have discovered that several errors
were made in the published reports. The
first wife of the dead man was never MAIN
tained in any hospital by charity, and she
was buried in her own lot in Congressional
cemetery. George E. Strubel, tr., who was
connected with the case. was stated to be
a married man, but is still living in single
bleasedness.
Evening star., 1897-02-15
The Congress of Mothers and Its
High Aims.
PRACTICAL And UNIQUE FEATURES
An Exhibit Of Nursery Equipments
and Necessary ParaphernaIia.
THOSE WHO TAKE PART

1.-The old. old primer, the avant courier of
the pretty little illustrated trifie that makes
learning easy for the babies of today.
opened with the trite couplet:
In Adams fall,
We sin-ned allv
"Of course, Adam meant Eve too, for
she was the great and only original mother
of all living. and to her came the curse,
even more heavily than 1t did to Adam.
Ever since Eve bore Cain and his brother,
Abel, mothers woes seem to have multi
piled. A celebrated writer has given it as
his opinion that the best time to begin the
education of a child is at least one hundred
years before it is born. Just how this theory
would have worked In the case of Eve is
not open to demonstration, yet 1t is e. fact
that the first child that was born into the
world was the worlds first murderer, and
Evening star., 1897-02-15
Ira nsfers of Real Estate.

American University Park p. Croissant ct
al. trustees. Geo :. EneIs,n. ipts ~. II. %,
bk- s. $lJto.
sth ST. bet d and f sis.-Thos. L. Wag.a-
et al. trustees. to Samuel a DrIry. bot 81.
saI- si2: $3.50.
11th 81. fexterdstii near Howard &ve--Jno. II.
Gray IT to Chas. ii. Smith. part lets III and
lis, Pleasant Plains. $1,000.
9TH NV bet ard sts-H. ii. Bersmann
cJ al. trustees lgna titus Miller, part original
lot >, 81 il9. 81. 100.
Howard and Spruce SIT. Lawton Nor
wood to r T. Jackson Company. lots ~ y, 80,
y. 80. blk. $. lie Droit Park $40.
Tenn ave. ne. bet Y rnd 6 sts.T1os Nor
SO.
Mass NV. bet Goth and 21st sts-Jno T.
SO.
Alley bet f and F. North Cap. and lst sts
Lot III. SO. 62s: Si,I.
y. j. NV. bet. and G sts-Ma,v T.
Elliot TO Lydia Schwartz. lot Is. si. 63i: So 900
Evening star., 1897-02-15

The Senate committee on judiciary today
agreed to favorably report the nomination
of Charles F. Amidon to be United States
district judge of North Dakota. This is
the second time the nomination has been
reported. Senator Hansbrough had 1t re-
committed on statement that certain
charges would be preferred. The judiciary
committee concluded that the charges were
not OF sufficient importance to defeat con-
f1rmation.
Evening star., 1897-02-15

boundary that the memory of our danger
awakens a gloomy and also a grateful emo
ton" Then the writer says that, if age did
not incapacitate him. he would be glad to
blaze out upon this glad occasion, in both
sermons and prayer"
Letters of announcement have poured
into the offices of the committee by the
hundred from ministers and mothers. IA
thers. and many people who are neither.
The letters in themselves would be a mag
nifcent symposium of bright thought and
suggestion If they could be printed, and
would doubtless aid many a struggling
mother to better light the subject Of
child rearing.
Mrs. Hearst's BenevOlence.
This congress is unique In many ways.
1t is little like Topsey, it just 'growed,"
and, like a big snow ball, has gathered
substance in it's travels till it has gone be-
yond the widest hopes of the mothers who
first thought of it, Mrs. Theodore Birney,
who is president, was called away by the
illness OF her husband, just when her dear
est dreams of success for a lifelong project
were about to be realized, and the manage
Evening star., 1897-02-15

aided in the downfall Of Rome and they
nigh. .lead to the downfall of our own
grand republic if the canker of worldliness
were permitted to eat into the hearts of our
American men and women any deeper. We
don't want 1t TO get to the point where 1t
Is perceptitle. and so we propose to begin
In time. This .irst congress of mothers is
the first step In the grand scheme We are
hopeful that out of 1t great good NAV
come"
Originated In WashinxtOn
> The inception of this movement was
evolved from the brain of a Washington
woman, Mrs. Theodore Birney. the happy
mother of nine children. 1t has "wideneJ
with the process of the suns" till the whole
world has been set talking about it, Truly
"a little child shall lead them" when
Europe wakens up to send delegates to this
congress. and men Of science all over the
United states rise up and tell these devoted
VIC mel that they have struck the keynote
of Aeroism at last and wish them God
speed. For three months thousands of min
isters have made this mothers congress
the text for innumerable sermons par
egraph from one old pastor serves to show
how deep the plea for this congress has
sunk into the hearts of those who have
lived long enough to appreciate the good
that may come out of II. How Riad I
am, says the writer, Ito have lived until
this day when such convention as YOU
have set for February is possible and pros
pectively a realization. WONDERFUL / DAFT
from the days when Samuel Adams. Thom
as jefferson and Alexander Hamilton were
the great persons and actors. / was born
before the United States had any history
when 1t was not big enough to go outdoors
alCnc and hal to have a bar or embargo
| to hold Ii back. When Spain held America
even so much of what is now cur best. and
cast nsr shadow SO Tar over to our outer
Evening star., 1897-02-15
VIM. r. ST. JOHN DEAD.

Treasurer of the Democratic Com.
mfttee During the Campaign.
NEW YORK, February 15.-William P.
st. John, ex-president of the Mercantile
National Bank and treasurer of the demo-
cratic national committee, died suddenly
at his home I'm this city last night.
Evening star., 1897-02-15
SURGEON wh1t,.@ \,

Surgeon Whiting Retired.
Surgeon Robert Whiting of the navy was
placed on the retired list today on account
of disability.
Evening star., 1897-02-15
The National Safe Deposit,
Savings and Trust
Company,
Company,
CORNER 18TH ST. AND NEW YORK AVE.
OF the District Of Columbia.

Chartered by special act of Congress,
jan, 1867. and acts OF Oct, 1880. and Feb, 1885,
Evening star., 1897-02-15
Philadelphia. Big Graf. Exports.

PHILADELPHIA, February 15.-The ex-
ports of grain from this port since Janu-
ary / are the largest In years. Nearly two
and half millions of bushels OF corn and
800. 600 bushels Of wheat have been shipped
to Europe.