New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-04
THE ,JI-NKET SEASON OPENS.
AND MR.. MEIKLEJOHN STARTS ON A
TOUR OF INSPECTION"
TO VISIT THE OBSOLETE FOX RIVER CANAL.
WHICH HAS BEEN INSPECTED MANY
TINES But HAPPENS TO BE NEAR
HIS FORMER HOME.
T2Y TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE.

1?Y TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
Washington, July 3.-The annual tours OF inspec-
ton INDUCED in by high Government officials CO.
incident with the arrival of summer now again
greatly In evidence II Is species Of inspection
which inspects nothing These so-cGlled tours OF
inspection are of recent origin, and in fact, only
another name for pleasure junkets at the expense
of the public Treasury. Recently The Tribune
called attention TO their uselessness by citing the
extraordinary report OF Captain Crozier, real In
spec,or. who declared that the coast defences OF
the country were in frightfu state Of UMPIRE
paredness and the new ones making little progress
toward completion yet Secretaries and Assistant
Secretaries CT War the Chief Of Engineers and
several OF his subordnates had gone over the held
several times previously and discovered nothing
Secretary Alger who was accompanied by Aide
de- Camp Hopkins and Confidential Clerk Mason,
having just returned from an inspection tour into
Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, during which
he incidentally set foot a canvass for Senator
McMillan's place in the Senate, 1t was this morn
ing announced that Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn
would leave to-day for Oshkosh, WIS, where ne
will make an inspection Of the Fox River improve
rnent az we'll az such other public works In that
section under the War Department as lie thinks
may require his attention"
Inasmuch Secretary Alger must have passed
over the ground, or In the immediate Vcinity'
within few days this second official journey Of in
spectlon would superfuous. For an unln-
portant and obsolete concern, TINS OIu OK river
Canal through which nothing passes from one
months end TO another. unless 1t be barge or
small river steamer requires an unexampled
amount Of inspection of late years. Work ceased
upon this Improvement upward Of forty years ago.
yet 1t has been greatly inspected, particularly
since the late General Doe. Of Wisconsin, shone
with such effulgence Assistant Secretary
This IS the second. If not third, inspection MT
Meiklejohn has made of the dams and canal OF the
Fox River Improvement Company. After the Doe
epoch such continuance of sleepless interest In an
obscure and uniniportant public work in that ex-
IRENE northern latitude has been something OF
mystery although the repeated visits or the AS
sstant Secretary naturally ascrlDed by tne
malicious merely TO his inherent desire 10 pass the
dogdays in a cool atmosphere But MS preduec-
ton for that particular annual Journey OF in
spec ton Is now no longer mystery; IT Is dis
covered that Mr.. Mekejohn was raised at or
where he studied law and eventually entered upon
his career of usefulness. Yet 1t would proDaoy
be unjust to assert that he goes up there with the
sole Intent visit his relatives and old neighDors;
he feels that his long familiarity with the marine
surroundings OF Mukwa and ellis Landing pre-
eminently fits him for summer duties or this sort
weeks at and about his old home is doubtless true,
hut that he will make earnest enort TO earn
his expenses by inspecting the gauge OF water In
Lake Wnnebago and the Fox River dams Is
equally
But what ultimate good these repeated inspec-
tions OF the Fox River Improvement Company do
no such inspections by the head Of the War De-
partment his assistant were deemed necessary
until a Wisconsin fell into of those offices.
Never before many Journeys under
taken at Government expense. The mileage fend"
of the Army Is going in all directions although
Assistant Controller Mitchell has struck a heavy
cent rulings cutting down mileage for certain jour-
news to bare expenses.