The Elk Mountain pilot., 1899-10-31

The board of construction of the
Navy Department to-day met for the
consideration of the plans for the three
new battleships. 1t is proposed to equip
all the battleships with balloons.
Mrs. Nelson A. Miles, wife of Major
General Miles, in an interview here.
declares in certain high circles it is
well known that Dewey will accept the
presidential nomination if it is ten
dered him.
Archbishop Chappelle, apostolic dele
gate to the Philippines, had n confer
ence with Secretary Root Tuesday. He
said he expected TO sail for Manila by
one of the United States transports,
probably the Sherman, early in Decem-
ber.
The friends and admirers of Rear
Admiral Schley will present him with
n handsome loving cup and silver ser
vice just before he sails on the cruiser
Chicago for the South Atlantic station,
some time next month. Nearly $1,000
has been raised for the purpose from
private subscriptions.
Secretary Long has issued an order
for the dispatch of another battalion
of marines to Cavite. the naval sta
tion near Manila. The marines are
now being gathered together from
Washington, League Island and Bos-
ton and probably will be transported
to the Philippines on the cruiser Bur
falo.
The fact that Russia has opened to
foreign exploitation the gold lands of
Siberia is announced in n report to the
State Department from United States
Charge Pierce ut st. Petersburg. He
sends copies of n decree providing for
the sale of gold lands, TO take place
between the 10Th and the 2Ith of Feb
ruary next, and it is noted that the
sale is open to any persons, whether
Russians or foreigners.
Charles DENLY, member of the
Philippine Commission. called at the
State Department Tuesday to pay his
respects TO Secretary Hay. Mr. Den
by at once began arrangements to be
gin the sessions of the body as soon
as the remaining members reached
Washington. 1t is earnestly desired
that the report of the commission shall
be ready for submission to Congress.
Admiral Dewey will accept no more
invitations before next spring. The
following official statement on the sub
ject was made at his office to-day:
Acting on the advice of his physicians
Admiral Dewey finds that 1t will be
necessary TO cancel his engagements
he has entered into to visit certain cit
les and to decline all invitations for the
present" The invitations for his
Philadelphia and Atlanta trips have
been cancelled by telegraph.
Brigadier General Frederick Funston
is to be breveted major general and
Colonel Wilder s. Metcalf of the
Twentieth Kansas. is to be breveted
brigadier general by the President
shortly on account of gallant and
meritorious services of the two Kan
sas soldiers in the Philippines. The
promotions have been recommended Dy
Major General Macarthur and ap-
proved by Major General Elwell 5.
Otis, commanding the Eighth army
corps.
The Dewey house committee which
has in charge the purchase of home
for the admiral from the moneys re-
ceived by popular subscription. has Sc
lected house No. 114I Rhode Island
avenue, northeast, known as the Fitch
house. The house Is one door reinov-
ed from the corner of Connecticut ave
nue.. in what is regarded as the most
desirable section of the city. II is un-
derstood that the amount of the pop
ular subscription was sufficient to
cover the cost of the house. its furni-
ture and all incidental expenses.
A committee representing the Wom-
ems National Industrial and Patriotic
League and the Washington Industrial
League called upon Rear Admiral
Schley Thursday and Informed him
that the league had decided and was
ready to undertake the task of procur-
ing by popular subscription n home for
him here M the capital. The admiral
thanked the ladies of the committee
and again informed them that he left
the matter in their hands. saying that
anything that they might do would be
acceptable.
In diplomatic and official quarters
attention is being directed to the ques-
ton of Il Pacific cable linking this
country with the Philippines and points
beyond, and it Is understood this gov
ernment ond the foreign governments
which would be affected by the cable
are now actively considering the sub
ject The officials here are assembling
data and preparing cable maps with
the expectation that the matter will be
brought to the early attention of Con-
gress. In general way the project is
for a cable of four links. viz: From San
Francisco to Hawaii. 2.1GO miles: from
Hawaii to Wake island. 2,Oi4 miles;
from Wake island to Guam. 1.293
miles; Guam to Manila, $50 miles.
Hundreds of lady clerks in the pen
sion bureau threaten to strike on ac-
count of an obnoxious rule enforced by
Commissioner Evans He abolished all
desk screens" in the department, and
now tba fair pInployps urp Subjected
to the impudent gaze of men as they
pass in and out of the rooms and are
in danger of catching cold from truant
breezes and are threatened with blind
ness from the sun that beats into the
shadeless windows. 'The screens had
become positive nuisance" says
Evans. Every woman clerk in the
bureau demanded from one to three
for her own individual use. They would