The Philipsburg mail., 1899-07-07
WASHINGTON GOSSIP
AND DEPARTMENT NEWS.

| mOuntt t1lp .j.WVD or -f,Ot CLERKS VINO
will be required during the next three
years. The employees of the last census
were scattered through half dozen
| buildings. which was awkward and in
convenient and caused great waste of
time Several Of those buildings were
erected by spectators 10 accommodate
| the census people, and the rent was
large enough TO reimburse them for the
| cost of the structures and leave II hand.
| some profit For example. one build.
! ing. which was erected by n syndicate
| of which the chief man was a United
States senator, cost about $4,000 all
| told, and the government paid $50 0CG
| a year rent for ii for five years Dr
| Wines argues that a two-story brick
| building with plenty of light. ventila.
| ton and all the convenences necessary
| for the accommodation of the census
l. bureau need not cost more than $3.50
! 600. whereas the government will be
compelled to pay nearly that much
| every year for rent OF buildings
Washington scientists predict that
compressed air is going to be the mo-
| tive power for automobiles in prefer
ence to electricity. gasoline or any 9th
! er method. and there are already sever
al patents pending which apply COM
pressed air to wagons, buggies, car
! ringes, cabs, bicycles and other We
| hcles. as we'll aS street cars. A promi-
| nent western manufacturing concern
! has designed a simple. inexpensive and
| apparently effective method Of moving
a vehicle by means OF a tank Of com-
pressed air concealed under the seat,
and promises to supply the attachment
| to any vehicle ut Il cost not greater
than $40. IT does not propose to man
| ufucture the vehicles themselves. but
| is getting ready to furnish the tanks
and the necessary apparatus to car
riage and wagon builders ut a cost not
greater than the sum named. II is 40
! arranged that il can he applied
| 10 any vehici" at Il slight expense.
| The tank of compressed air can be
taken out and retillcd or another sub
| stituted in two or three minutes, and il
| is proposed to furnish tanks. filed
with compressed air. by express OF
! through bicycle dealers. carriage deal
ers or ordinary grocers. Pumping sta.
| tionS will be tabliShed at convenient
intervals. at which empty tanks can he
exchanged or refllcd and for an en,er-
gency pump will he attached to every
! W
! few moments will furnish enough com
pressed air to carry the vehicle three or
! four miles TO the nearest pun,ring or
| tank station. The ordinary tank will
| contain sufficient force to carry II fifty
miles.
| The Post says: General Oti4 has in.
formed the War Department that he
will be sal istd If The army under hi-
command be kept AT II maximum OF
| 10000. The President will give him
this number. The situation in the
Philippines waS the Sunjec1 or an ex-
| tended conference to-day between the
| President and .Adjlltant General Cor
bin. In view of the more or less alarm
| ing reports which have been sent to
the United States from Manila. it Ia
| important TO know that the President
does not share in the anxiety which
these dispatches have nearly created
General Otis has Kept in close toucl,
with the authorities here, and If he
was i'll tight POSITION. which the
press reports ;.e~nl to indicate. II iS
felt that he would not hesitate about
making his dilemma known. On the
contrary. the advices received from
him show that he is not in need Of
ilStIt lii'ItHStt iIIIS. fI6 mas tdDieu
that press reports Of activity OF the in
surgentS south of Manila have been
greatly exaggerated, and he thinks 30
eco men will be ample to meet all re-
uUiremcnts. The present strength Of
the army in the Philippines. including
volunteers who are still in the service,
is $4,000. When the volunteers return,
some 24.oDO regulars will remain. or
he pcf n tod
as necessary by General Otis. The re.
Inducements now rp route to Manila
or under orders TO depart, will bring
the total regulars up to the required
figure, but AS there will Be consider
able loss through sickness It is pro-
posed to decrease the companies now
stationed in garrisons in this country
TO the minimum and increase the com
panies in the Philippines to the maxi
mum.
A newspaper correspondent speaking
of the revenues of the government
says: The monthly report Of the con-
dition OF rhe government finances.
which will he issued from the treasury
tomorrow. will show unprecedented
prosperity The revenues from all
sources exceed the expectation of the
most san@ullc. They are nearly 20 per
cent. greater than the estimate submit
ted to Congress. and ii is u,lsally the
other way. The receipts from import
dues under the Dingley tariff laws are
considerably in excess Of the predic-
tiOnS mad" by their author when he
was tryin" 70 get votes for the bill in
the House Of Representatives, and the
proceeds Of the war lax are beyond the
highest calculations. Yesterday was
was not an unuslEl day. vet the re-
reiptS at the treasury from ordinary
sources were only $1,000 less than So
NO.OOO. and tie receipts for the month
of May. with one more day to hear
from. will exceed 81 100000. Already
there is an excess of 5000. .545 over ex-
penditules. and the disbursements
have been unusually heavy-$3S.238
600 for twenty seven days. This in
i.lnIpS SD lttI fn, xf