Evening star., 1899-02-03
GOSSIP FROM GOTHAM
Gov. Roosevelt About to Investigate
Several State Departments.
7. L. JOHNSON TO BOOM SINGLE TAX
Seventy-First Regiment Officers
FaiI to Get Brevet Rank.
MARBLE HOUSE FOR SALE
special Correspondence of The Evening Star

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
NEW YORK February 2, 1899.
1t is stated good authority that many
departments of the state government a AL
bany, in which vast sums of money have
been expended for public improvements are
to be thoroughly investigated by expert
accountants if Governor Roosevelt is per-
mitted to have his way. The governor has
lnt1mated that one accountant would be
set at work in the department of public
buildings soon and that he understood the
department of public works also courted
similar investigation. It may be that a
new state commission of three expert ac-
countants will be created for the governor
has intirnated to his friends that many
other departments besides those two need
thorough ventilating. Machine men are
said to be disgruntled over this determi-
nation on the governors part, and if he
proceeds along the lines his friends say he
has defined there probably will be a clash
between the executive chamber and the re-
publican state organization, located at No.
~ Broadway and in the Fifth Avenue
Hotel.
One of the reports which friends of the
governor have started is that more than
one-h half of the appropriation of about $685.
900 for the new fiscal year, only one third
of which has passed as yet has been ex-
pended already in the department of public
works, and that at the end of the last fiscal
year in October there was balance of only
Slto left in that department. In the de-
partment of public buildings, it is alleged,
there is an apparent deficit of nearly 500
600.
To Boom Single Tax.
There are indications of a coming big
boom for the single tax movement. Tom l..
Johnson has declared that he viii devote
himself pXrIuSiyraty to he fpt Of
movement hereafter L have withdrawn
from all my business enterprises" says Mr.
johnson. Il have disposed of every conflict
ing interest and of every duty that would
Interfere with the devotion of my time my
entire energies, my fortune in fact nv
life, TO this movement" Mr.. .johnson's ac-
tlvity as the manager of Henry Georges
presidential and later his mayoralty cam
palgns and his single tax expressions are
we'll remembered. Many refused to believe
that The millionaire street railway ma gnate
and politician was in earnest.
A big hight has already begun in this city
in the building trades. The first gun fired
was strike order by the United Brother
hood of Carpenters and Joiners last
week on building on the West Side
against the use of cheap non-union
made trimmings. The strike was a
short one and was settled by an agree
nent TO comply with the trade rules
of the Building Trade Council with which
the twenty-five local unions of the Broth
their district council in this city The
brotherhood unions have determined to
make an immediate and most aggressive
fight against the use IN building in this cjty
OF cheap trim, saShes, doors, blinds etc
made in the nOn-union factories where the
wages paid are below the union scale The
unions have elected. besides their regular
walking delegates, an extra delegate whose
duty Is to attend to this particular griey-
ance against non-union trim. Already
list OF number of public schools and pri-
Vate houses has been made by the New
York District Council of the brotherhood
where cheap trim is being used and strikes
Will be ordered on these buildings at an
early day. Complaints have also been
mace by the district council to the board
OF hre commissioners the board of educa-
ton and the dock department. of the use of
cheap outside non-union- made building ma
terialS by the departments and of the Day-
ment in some cases of less than the pre-
Vailing scale of wages to the carpenters en-
ployed.
FoxhaI keene to Enter Wall Street
FoNhall T. Keene, son of James r. Keene
VINO has been familiar figure in amateur
sports for years, Is to follow in his fathers
footsteps in Wall street 1t is announced
by Talbot ]. Taylor & Co. that Young Mr.
keene has invested $1,000 900 in that firm
and will become a special partner therein.
talbot j. Taylor the senior member of the
1rm is a son-in-law of James r. Keene
In amateur sports FoXhall kecne's fame Is
international. Racing, steeplechas sing
hunting, polo. tennis, foot ball. golf and
field and trap shooting-in all these he has
engaged, and in all he has excelled At his
country home. Westbury L. l.. I'm the
Meadowbrook hunting country he has a
c4llection co OF more than fifty cups. trophies
OF victories IN nearly every branch of gem
tlemen sport.
Severty-frst regiment officers, those who
LED their men up San Juan Hill and those
who stayed below with their men ACCORD
ing to Brigade" General Kent eagerly
scanned the long list OF brevets telegraphed
from W ashingten to the papers of this CITY
without hndlng that any honors had fallen
70 the regiment Hundreds of these brevets
for bravery in the Santiago CAMPAIGN were
showered on regulars and volunteers. cav
airy, artillery and infantry, embracing
every organizs non that smelled powder
was on the long roll of fame. Anger and
disgust We're noticeable In the armory of
that much harassed regiment when the roll
OF honor was read in the morning But the
lists officers were quick TO jump at an
explanation. Honprs will come thew saw
as soon as the present inquiry that clouds;
the whole regiment is ended. But even in
saying it they expressed doubt that more
than one or two officers would be recog-
niZed in Washington A rumor reaches
here from Washington that the awarding
OF medals of honor to the regiment is under
consideration
Marble House for Sale,
-'ieii ote Iiooss, the most palatial residence
| III Newport is on the market. The report
from Newport to that effect has been yeri-
he'd by intimate friends of Mrs. O. IL r
beimont IN this city. The further report
that a prospective purchaser had been
found however, has more slender founda-
tioh IN tact, the name of that person being
| in considerable doubt
society has been aware for some time
that Mrs. Belmont intended to present Mar
bic House to w. X. Vanderbilt, jr, upon
the occasion of his marriage to Miss Vir-
slnia Fair. 1t was young Mr. Vanderbilt
| himself who interfered with this arrange
| inent by selecting another Newport home
| Tor himself and his bride. This action, which
| has caused TO be withheld a gift princely
| IN Its magnifcence. was taken little over
| two weeks ago, when, accompanied by his
| nance, who was chaperoned only by her
| maid. he visited Newport and decided upon
| a residence somewhat less palatial, but still
| serving to uphold the dignity of his name
| and position. Marble House was finished
| in 1892 and cost, in round numbers, 5000
900. 1t is said that Mrs. Belmont viii take
4 n ird n hat ff-