The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-07
A FUNNY THING.
Many Curious Questions That Come to
the Congressional Bureau.

the Congressional Bureau.
WASHINGTON. August 6.-Special-
The funny things you see when you
haven't got gun DO not compare In FUN
niness with the questions that come TO
the Congressional Information Bureau az
Washing on.
This bureau is rather pretentious in-
suuu0u which proposes 20 furnish inlof-
nation OF AN sorts on all subjects 10
rrybody-reasonable compensation OK
course, being a part OK the game.
a few days ago man from CALIFORNIA
sent iu This series OF queries.
"What does "a marriage license cost
Where can it De obtained2 How old do a
man and woman have 20 De before thcy
can DE legally married? Does a man have
% prove that he really SIS engaged in or
der 10 procure O. license;'
Think or O man I'm q great marrying
country like the United states OF America
who would send a letter three thousand
miles FUN oi questions Ike these
A recent woman cpondent OF the
bureau. who might 0aTo teen from Chicd-
go. but wasn't. wanted TO know whether,
after divorce. presents given 90 her before
marriage belonged 20 her or tO her muse
band on 90 both Jointly
A client in Arkansas whose mind de-
spiscd not the day of small things sent
in this letter.
Dear slrs.-I have read that y0u turn-
ish information of an sorts on all SUBJ
fects on application tO people throughout
tho country As white weasles are very
good 10 clear ont rats and mice and sel-
dom III ever trouble the hens and chick
ems around % barn, I would Ike TO know
whore i cam get them. Please let me
know where I can set white Weasie3 *
you possibly cam. Yours truly
A correspondent from staid old Mass1-
schusetts wanted TO know how much lt
would cost 70 probate a Will; man from
suu county. New York, wished The
bureau to- pick him out o. lawyer ln New
York city: am embryo politician In Kan
sas wanted 10 know how he could pc
elected fo Congress. q woman IN Nevada
wanted 20 know whether Mrs. Mckinley
I'm curling her hair used curling irons or
rolled 60 i'm kids over night; fellow from
the District of Columbia desired 10 DO lH-
formed whether President Mckinley as
commander-in-chisf OF tho armies ana
navy of tho United states would person
ally lead "our glorious hosts 90 Cuba
Drt Questions OF this Character have no
monopolv I'm fhe bureaus attention A
guueless Teunesses1n, who old not even
enclose stamp for reply wished O. DO m
formed by the next mail or the name or
a German paper that advertised some
years ago for the hens ~ the estate Oh
- An Illinois man wished % know
ff the Bureau made q business OF iftcius
heirs and if it could fnd out n no had
any IN London or rot. QueGuons OF IA
sorts. serious and comic, tecnnio4l ohI
simple legal and historical ana De"flns
on every phase OF IRE ana peaio 0o"''
piling in for solution.
mi ~ % "r
IS a new concern. ambitious for growth
and AZ never turns a question down. IL
duly answers every one IN somo shape
and sends a circular and writes leilef
which are Designed TO get more business
During the last session OF Congress
Amos j. Cummings the famous Tam
many congressman and newspaper cor
respondent who has more Information or,
more subjects than nearly anybody ana
knows its value us well, introduced n
bill which provided for Government
bureau OF liberation for the general pub
lie.
Ills I'm sets forth y comprehensive plan
and provided for the employment or a
chief and n number OF assistants 10 carry
on the work Congress was too economl-
cal 10 pay any attention 10 the PROPOSE
ton. II was recognized as good thlns
but II was believed that free Information
10 everybody would involve more compli-
cations and clerk hire than was wise IN
times Ike these. The essential purpose
81 the plan however had been anticipated
before Mr. Cummings bill was INTRODUCED.
Frank l.. Wells n good lawyer ana bet
ter statlsiician and Claude n. Bennett
an enterprlslng newspaper man who has
had large experience I'm Washington as
a correspondent and a. a government Of
fetal, had gotten their heads together
and had organized what they hoped TO
make the filing OF a long-felt want IN the
name Of the Congressional Information
Bureau
The idea was IN establish n sort Of gen.
eraI secretaryship 10 Congress They
knew that congressman often wanted a