Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-09-23
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence OF shr Aiaxsndris ga.e:'e
Washington, September %.

Washington, September %.
Secretary Root has adopted plan TO
discourage paleats from senolog am-
davis 10 the War Department setting
forth that their sons who have enllsts
are minors. hs has reached the con-
clusion that such atfidaviis are forth'
coming only at the instance OF the
voupg soldier after he has found by
short trial that army service 10 not so
romantic as he anticipated. Minors
whose enthusiasm does not falter, are
not discovered TO be under age and
their parents do not petition for Their
discharge. Over 1000 boys in their
teens were released upon the applica'
ton of their parents under Secretary
Alper with mere loss o! pay and travel
allowances, bu. Secretary Root hiss
now adopte The rule when such an ap.
plicstion reached him, of sendi"g
the parents copy of the statute which
prescrlbes punishment for fraudulent
enlistment, and calling attention to the
parent that the son took solemn OATH
when he was recruited that he was over
y years of age. The parent is also in
formed that the petition has been re-
ferred to the commanding officer of the
sous regiment with instructions to en-
force the law. Since this plan was
adopted discharges OF minors have fall
en- of 90 per cent.
n. E. Norris of Sodus, n. Y, master
of the State grange, was examined at
the afternoon session OF the industrial
commission. He said the condition OF
agriculture in his State was not as
generally prosperous as five years ago.
Those who had gone extensively into
fruit raising are doing we'll. Prices Of
arm products were low, and the cost
of production was constantly increas'
ing. Theo. G. Schafer, OF Pittsburg,
President of the Amslgamated Iron
and Steel Workers, stated before the
industrial commission today that il
syn6icate5 were controlled by Congress
there would be fewer strikes, labor
would get more wages, and there would
ne more harmony. He thought the
contract labor law was being violated
but not to great extent. He also in
sisted that immigration ought to be
more restricted. The commission de-
c.ded today to appoint additional ex
perts and assistants, all from the North
and to invite more witnesses.
Mrs. Mary Mason Washington Evans
wife of DR.. Warwick Evans, anc
daughter OF the late Lund Washington
of this city. died here yesterday sftel
prolonged illness. She was the re
mining sister OF Col. L. @ Washing
lon. and was one OF the few women o
THIS section who retained to the last tht
manners and customs that we're natura
TO Southern women before the disas
trous change effected by the result o
the war between the States.
a successful business man in the
North, here today, talking about th'
fight young men now have before then
10 order 10 get along said the PROBES
-ions were over crowded, but that there
is great demand, and would coz
tinue 10 be fo- several years, for efficien
electrical engineers, and that that bust
oess ne thought now afforded the bes
opportunity for preferment visible il
this country.
The b=lated official report OF the in
surgents' attack On train few mile
North OF General McArthur's headquar
ters which reached the War Depart
ment this morning is, as follows: I'm
.urgents succeeded in derailing section
Of train yesterday short distance from
Angeles Then made attack on rail
way guards: Result, Capt. Perry, quar-
termaster, Sigh ly wounded in arm
private Chas. Z,emans. hospital corps
killed: private Sam Steele, [, 18th in
iantry, severely wounded, civilian Chas
5 Price, slightly wounded and unknown
civilian killed. Insurgents driven
leaving six dead in their tracks, anC
troops Immediately sent 10 pursuit"
There met in the Riggs Bank today
two gentlemen, each eighty-six years o
age, and both SIS cree; as they were be
fore the war between the States-Col
Barrett and Judge Wylie-the former 6
Confederate sympathiser ann the latter
Union man. The latter, however
1ad convictions and the courage to sup
port them. He applied .or writ o
labeas corpus in the case of Mrs. Sur
rast, and had it been granted sht
would have been discharged. He de-
bounced her death as a disgraceiu
murder.
AS sample OF the i'll effect of the trusts
upon the poor, merchant of this city told
the Gazett5's correspondent this morning thai
four of the large baking powder manufacto
5ies Of the North had recently combined and
formed one The four, previous to the COM
bino employed forty-6ve drumnieIs; the trust
hey formed employs nine, leaving the Other
lhirty-six, at the commencement of winter
without any visible means of providing fol
themselves and their dependent families.
MIR. Hume, who will represent Alexandra
city and county in the next legislature ol
Virginia says if people knew the number oil
letters he receives and the contents there.
Of they would imagine that the writers sup
posed he had the disposition of all the federal
patronage Of his Congressional district.
Surgeon General Wyman's latest advices
are that there were 3S new cases of yellow
fever at Key West yesterday and five deaths
20 new cases were reported from New Or
leans, but there were two deaths there yes
to-day. Total under treatment, five. The
westcr is cool and very favorable according
10 the physicians.