The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-01-19
WASHINGTON NOTES.
Special Correspondence


some hundreds of thousands of pack.
ages-and letter offices accumulations
Sometimes something worthy of at
.ention as to value arrives. 1t Is put
by itself In n separate parcel, and
suitably described i'm the catalogue
There Ia no deception in this business
A couple of years ago one of the pack
ages was declared to contain an opera
glass holder of gold and pearl. 1t was
further advertised that the name OF
kosalind Bright was engraved on the
article in question. A man came along
who knew Rosalind Brigham actress
she was, II appeared. Nay. more. ac.
e0rding to his account, he had been
one of n committee which presented
the opera glass holder in question to
tie lady. Nevertheless, the dead let
ter Office could not deliver 1t to him,
because he was not the owner. Miss
Bright was communicated with. and
astonishing to say-she declared
that she had owned such an article
but that 1t was still in her possession,
The solution of the problem was that
Miss Bright had instrusted the holder
10 gentleman of her acquaintance
who was to have II mended. lie
dropped 1t, accidentally, in the Chicago
postoflce, whence 1t was forwarded to
Washington. Not wishing to acknowl
edge his fault. he had another made
as nearly as possible like the original
by a local jeweler, and handed it over
10 the fair Rosalind.
vt 80 hiovn1oc oh,
sprocket-wheels, tires. saddles and all
sorts of other stray fragments of
wheels, float i'm to the dead letter office
and have to be made into suitable par.
cells for auction. Cheap jewelry has
been more plentiful in lost bundles
during the last twelvemonth than ever
before. This seems to be because SC
many publishers nowadays send out
such stuff IA premiums to subscribers.
Tobacco firms also. and soap-makine
concerns. give jewelry in exchange foi
specified number of wrappers re-
moved from their own panufacturcd
products Even the most respectable
Insurance companies have gone into
this sort Of business.
Thomas JEFF" rson's Library.
In his search through the Congress.
sional library for the books formerly
belonging to the collection OF Thomas
Jefferson. Librarian Young has sue
eeeded In identifying between 600C
and 5000 volumes by the secret mark
inserted in the books in Jefferson's
own handwriting. These books are tc
be gathered together and preserved be
hind glass doors, in a room adjoining
the reading room for the blind. The
new library building is in a very large
measure monument to the venerable
Senator Morrill, who Is nearly 80 years
old, for 1t was under his fostering care
that the project grew in national In
terest and application.
American Besr In Hong Kong.
According to recent information
from Hong Kong, China. II appears
that since the arrival there Of thu
American squadron, at least thre,
brands of American beer have firml!
established themselves there and on,
brand Of whiskey. Canned meats ant
fruits have also come to stay. Ou
bicycles are favorftss; but as the op
portunity Of using them is restricted
the demand can never be great o
worthy of serious competition. With
In the last three months the agent o
m American sewing machine obtaine,
an order for 1900 machines from al
English firm, and at the same time al
order for a considerable number o
bicycles which his company make
with the same plant that they use TO
the sewing machines. There will b
an increasing demand for cheap sew
ing machines among the Chinese. an
energetic measures ought to be take
to control the market.
The Chinese Trade.
The trade with the Chinese is a pt
culiar one, requiring much patience
tact and perseverance. General
speaking, the class of goods most /
demand is of cheap, flashy natur,
commonly known as Birmingham
wares, and those Of a kindred class
.'made in Germany" in imitation. Th
Germans are the sole importers of tn
latter, and their small commission
and methods of doing business enabl
them to compete keenly with the 70
y
ness is peculiar to the East. Cred
OF from three to four months is usual
given, but it is worthy of note that II
observance is oftenest respected in I'll
breach. In consequence of keen con
petition, the agreed term is often di
regarded, the Chinaman taking deli
cry and paying for his goods in il
StaAments to suit his convenience.
Division of Parties.
Is Imperialism to divide parties an
sever close friendships? 1t begins
hook SO. Think of Senators Hoar an
Vest working for the same end Ii
deed, party fealty seems to have lit
influence whenever this question
considered. And If this is so in Co
gress, how much more striking is Il
list Of. anti-imperialists among publ
men. Take the vice-presidents Of Il
league, for instance: Andrew Csrnegj