The age-herald., 1899-09-21
NEWS AND GOSSIP
 FROM WASHINGTON

Washington, September 2O.-(speeial)- The constant reports from Long Branch concerning the state of Vice-President Hobart's health are very alarming to his friends here. He does not seem to have gained much strength since his attack in the spring, and Is able to be out but very little. It seems almost certain that the vice president will not be willing to enter the fight for renomination, even if the state of his health would permit.
 Whether Mr Hobart has made his inten- tions known to the president is not stated. but the republican leaders and officials are discussing the possible candidates to sue- ceed him. The west is anxious to secure second place on the ticket in 1900, and it is said here that the leaders may unite on General Funston. There is no doubt that Governor Roosevelt could command the fn- fuence to secure the nomination if he cared to do so but his friends assert in the most positive manner that the governor would not accept it, preferring to walt until 1901 and run his chances for the first place OH the ticket, and failing in this 1t would then be time enough to consider the advisability of accepting the second. But he in the effort to tack him on the end of the Mckinley ticket in 1900 a scheme to side track him as a presidential possibility in 1904.
 It is considered desirous 10 have war hero placed on the ticket in 1900. The re- publicans casting about for the best material. It is even mentioned seriously. and with a good deal of enthusiasm by some. that General Wheeler might be nom- mated to run with Mckinley. He is so thoroughly in sympathy with the admins tration on it's foreign policy that he might prove available and even arouse good deal of sentiment. The generals friends say, however that he does not encourage such a suggestion that it is his ambition to remain in his own party. be elected gov ernor of the state of Alabama and some day reach the senate.
 Washington state is going to the next convention to propose the name of ex-Sena- tor Wilson for the vice presidency. This may seem like a joke to many who have seen only MT. Wilson in the roll of a joker in the house and the senate, but he is strong with a large element of his party in his state, and the present programme is to unite the extreme northwest on him and demand place on the ticket.
 The administration is flooding Ohio with the best orators there are in the republi- can party. White and black are alike called upon to do service for the cause. Senator Pritchard and Judson Lyons will tell the colored people of the state what the administration is doing for the colored brethren in the south and how it has not forsaken them. MT. Mclean Is not going to have much speech making done, but will hunt for votes on the quiet. or course the repu blicans are hoping to win, for the simple reason that the adminstra ton can not afford to lose the presidents own state in this election. But they are anxious over the prospects, nevertheless and want to make their election sure, 30 they are talk ing no chances.
 The report of Hugh Pitcairn, the consul at Ham bIrg, on the street car system in that city is attracting a good deal of at tentlon ard people are wondering why the same system cannot be adopted in the 1arg CT cities in this country. At first one won ders if MT. Pitcairn is really describing conditions they exist or simply paint ing picture of some Ideal city of his i'm agitation, but the figures he gives are backed up by the laws on the subject which he quotes. The system is the over head trocly. This fact arouses little comment. But the car company and the motor com pany both pay a handsome royalty to the city out of their net earnings annually. The starting point of his report is the ltst of fares he gives, which are extremely low. He says that the street car companies are not permitted to fix the fare. This is done of the senate or governing council. After long experience he says that the '.tardff of distances has been found to be the more acceptable to the people Nothing
 is said about the desires of the company. All lines are decided into zones of 2,005 meters Q.24 miles), and the fare is as fol- lows:
 For the first two zones C00O meters or PAS miIes), 10 pfennings (Ss8 cents). For each two zones or part thereof thereafter, 5 pfennings or 119 cents
 Each passenger, upon payment of the fares receives from the conductor ticket each ticket being provided with a number. The tickets have different eolors to indi- cate the zones of distances
 The company, recognizing the fact that there are some people who have ito use the cars at certain intervals every day, have provided a communication system, divided into two sections.
 The first section entities the holder ito the use of one line In both directions as many
 
 Sundays. The second is issued for all lines in all directions. These tickets are so low that experience has shown that If a per son uses the lines more than three times a day he will save over cent on each fare he would otherwise pay. The price for d three moEths' ticket on a single line is $o.95 and for use on all Hines $l1.07. A spc- cial ticket is provided for school olaildren at 1895.
 Secretary Gage is thinking of making n clean sweep in the office of the supervising architects. Trouble has been brewing in the bureau for some time, and for a num- Der of years there have been charges and counter charges there. A few days ago charges against those responsible for the poor work done in the Washington post office were filed, and baece followed sev- erai discharges. Next came reports Of |. shoddy work in Kansas City, which re- suited in rhe summary removal of the perintendent and the dismissal of E. NJ Congdoa, one of the inspectors of public h1.tl d oia1S