Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-06-01
WASHINGTON GOSSIP
AND DEPARTMENT NEWS.

/. ment that the government has, by de
cree Issued on the 2Sth instant. rescind-
ed the interdiction upon the importa.
tion Of American cattle. The decree
took effect May 3lst. The State DE
partment - very proud OF Its achieve
meut In securing the reopening OF the
Belgian markets to American cattle,
they having been closed since 1891.
Contractor Mcintyre VIII be- given
another chance to finish building the
IDenver mint. The superintendent OF
obstruction has issued IN order not to
enforce the revocation order until June
, 10th. II by that time Mcintyre indi-
cateG that he can live mp 10 the terms
OF IL contract. can finish the job In II
huTEY, and can draw the necessary
alnount Of granite each day. he Will
probably be allowed TO finish the job.
The War Department has received
the following message from General
Leonard Wood, In command OF the
province OF Santiago: Il have Just re-
turned from nn inspection Of the prih-
cIpal interior towns on the north coast
In this department. The people are at
work, there IL no hunger and there
were no applications for personal as
sistance during the trip. The people
are absolutely quiet. There are no Gu
han troops under arms anywhere In the
province and no brigandagc.
An adjustment was reached Tuesday
OF the grievances presented by the
mnchinists employed nj the govern
ment arsenal nt Rock Island. Illinois.
the department holding that petitions
may he presented by the men to their
commandant Individually or by some
one or more of such employees who
may be selected to represent them. but
not by representations other than from
the men themselves. This decision Is
in line with the rules and regulations
Of the War Department and appears
to ignore unionism.
The President has given n commits
sion to Charles l.. Whlpplc. n New
York artist, to paint n portrait of Mrs.
Mckinley, and the sittings will COM
mcnce soon. Mrs. Mckinley is to he
neated in her favoritc chair. just ms the
President sees her every time he goes
into her sitting room. and she Is TO
wear a white brocndc that was made
for her In Chicago last fall. He conSid-
ers II one OF the most becoming gowns
she ever had. The background will be
a tapestry loaned by Mr.. Foulkc of this
city, who purchased the Bnrabini col
years ago. Mrs. Mckinley has never
had her portrait painted. The Prcsi-
dent has sat for three Of four artists.
and Mr.. Whipple has just finished por-
traits of him and Secretary Long.
1t is now expected that General Co
lmez will come to Washington. The
President has been anxious that he
should do SO, and when Robert +. Por-
.xo,, Lot l,n FMS nhinf InS CT
ter he bore an invitation. General Go
mez did not think 1t eXpedient to ac-
cept Mt that time. He had been accused
of what President Cleveland would
call ''pernicious activity" in the inter-
est of the Yankees. and IL he came to
Washington he feared the Cubans
Awou1d think he had gone over entirely
to the Americans and he would lose his
influence with them. Now. however,
matters have progressed so far that he
can visit the United States without be-
Ing suspected of seeking bribe or try
ing to curry favor with the President.
Private dispatches from Cuba say he
may be expected within the next few
weeks.
Secretary Gage has taken great inter-
est in the application of the competi-
tive plan for the selection of designs
NOT KOVefuuleHl DullNlllSS. ht he"
custom house in New York. which is
to cost $2,75O,OOO is the largest build
Ing to be erected under the present nd-
ministration, and will be regarded as
Ian experiment. Twenty Of the foremost
iarchitects in the country have accepted
Invitations to submit designs on Sep
,tember 9Th next, and the selection will
be made by n committee consisting of
the supervising architect of the treas.
ury and two architects or engineers OF
national reputation. Their selection
must be confirmed by the secretary of
the treasury. the secretary of the in
terror and the postmaster general. a
commission of > per cent. is to be given
to the successful competitor. which
will make his fees something like S125.-
300. This Secretary Gage thinks is
sufficient to Justify the risk taken by
the different competitors. The same
rnle will be applied to smaller build
ings, and the secretary is anxious to
interest the younger generation of ar
chitects.
The United States geological survey
has lust issued an important volume
prepared by Il. II. Newell. relating to
the use of water for power. irrigation.
and other Industrial purposes. being
the product of ten years of experience
and systematic measurement. II gives
facts concerning the rivers in various
localities from Maine to California ana
shows the greatest. least ana average
flow by the months. The greater part
of the volume is given to facts con
cerning the rivers of the West. pariic-
.ularly those used in irrigation. inc
Missouri river and tributaries in Mon,
tana and wyoming are described ana
figures of the available water inserted:
"A large number of measurements "l
the head waters of the llatte river III
1,olorodo were also given. and the in-
Inortnnce of its stream to the develop
mont of Nebraska shown. In Il similar
way the Arkansas river is descripsu
and data bearing upon the great prop
lem of Interstate water placed on rec
ord. the Kansas farmers claiming tha'