Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1898-07-09
FROM CAMP ALDER.

CAMP ALGBR, June %, '9s.
MY DEAR MoTHRR:-Received
your letter this morning and will
answer right away az you did not
get my last letter. I wrote several
days ago and enclosed an article
for the magazine.
I just returned to camp after
spending thirty.six hours in WASH
ington. They had stopped letting
the boys go in and thought that I
would never see the city, but day
before yesterday the captain got me
a leave of absence for 30 hours and
sent me to town to get some things
for the company. I will try and
tell you of my trip just as saw the
lefty of Washington. / left Camp at
8 a. m, and drove three miles to the
station where I took the electric
car. The cars run to the bridge
across the Potomac river, where
you have to get of and walk for a
quarter of a mile, then you take the
car again and 60 down the far famed
Pennsylvania ave., to the capitol
building. The first place visited
was the congressional library. The
rotunda of this building is the
grandest piece of art I ever expect
to see. The ceiling is two hundred
feet high and the walls and floor
are of pure white marble sculptured
aud engraved at cost of hundreds
of thousands of dollars. In this
building lie copy of every book or
pamphlet ever published in the ..
S. I next went to the capitol. the
corner stone of which was laid by
George Washington. This great
building 10 composed almost en-.
tirely of marble. The senate was in
session and Mark Hanna, Vice Pres.
ident Hobart, and the other big
guns were in their places. They
were discussing the Hawaiian ques-
ton. In the House OF Representa-
tives I saw Speaker Reed and the
members, visited Statuary hall, the
Presidents reception room and the
members reception room. BY this
time I was getting hungry and
went to dinner. II was the first time
I had put my feet under table
since leaving st. Louis. After din.
ner 1 went out to Washington's
monument and climed up lz60 steps
to the top, So feet. 1 tell you 1t IL
"some up" People on the ground
look like flies. II 10 a wonderful
tower. rode down in the elevator,
and went over to the White House;
was shown through the grounds
and house by guard; saw the
President at his desk, but did not
get to speak to him. 1t is not as
pretty house az I thought the ex-
ecutive mansion would be. The
next place was the Smithsonian
Institute, reputed to be the fines,
college in the United States. They
have very fine collection of birds,
a specimen of every variety in the
world. From here l went to the
National Medical Museum; here
they have specimens of everything
known to the medical science.
The most interesting place was
yet to come-the National Museum.
1t 10 worth coming 10000 miles to
see. Everything in the history of
10 ;sSpresented here, but
featest are those from our own
try. All of Ge-- Washington's |
c,onal effects are { exhibition.
"a uniforms. swords, camping
the tents he used at
Valley Forge and many other
things. LaFayette's saddle is h ere.
The first locomotive invented.
Morse's first telegraph instrument,
and-well there is no use trying to
tell you on paper what they have
not got. Wait until come home
and can take a month to il. As
had taken in the principal sights in
town took the train and went TO
Mt. Vernon, Washington's home
and buryiug place. 1t ia IS miles
out. It is just like the pictures we
see of it, but they are not like see.
ing the place itself.
Gen. Rob't. +. Lees old mansion,
which is near our camp. is a great
deal like it.
Took in the theater in the even
ing and was tLen tired enough to
go to sleep.
It was the first bed have been in
since leaving home.
This morning I attended 10 the
business I had and returned to
Ny trip cost me S., hut il
was worth ten times that amount
and l don't begrudge It.
never felt better in my life, ex.
cept for my arm. We were all vac
aud my arm 10 SO sore that
I am relieved of all duty.
We were out on out post duty for
two days last week. We were sta.
toned five miles from camp and all
we had to do was guard the farm
house from foragers.
We were all issued new Spring
field rifles, and are now fully
equipped.
Ten thousand men will leave this
week, but of course we were left be-
hind az usual. Expect we will be
left here to guard the underbrush
all summer.