The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-08-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
prom our regular correspondent.

within less IMAM Dall AL hOui hn"y
thousands Of dollars worth Of property
was destroyed. Houses were blown
down, roofs torn from their beams
and whirled through the air, tele
graph poles thrown to the ground and
scores of trees broken or uprooted
The storm passed from southwest to
the northeast, doing most of its dam
age along the Eastern branch and
through the extreme northeast section
of the city. Fallen trees and dis
iointcd branches were scattered about
I all the streets, heavy damage was
done in the beautiful parks, especially
among the splendid trees in the
grounds of the Smithsonian lnstitn'
ton and the National Museum,
where the terrific wind secured widest
sweep for its destructive operations.
Much damage was done in the
Executive grounds. In Lafayette,
Franklin and Judiciary Squares the
injury to the shade trees was serious.
The installation Of Hon. Elihu
| Root as Secretary of War occurred
last week and was an impressive as
we'll as splendid event. The cere-
mony occurred at the War Depart
ment, in the presence of Secretaries
Gage and Hitchcock, Assistant Sec
rotary Meiklejohn, large number OF
army officers and other officials.
The oath was administered by Judge
Cole of the Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia. The act took
place at l0:45 a. III. General Alger
then advanced, grasped his success
or's hand most cordially and said
with much feeling: "With all my
heart congratulate you add the adj
ministration May God bless you
and give you strength" Then TAX
| ing up the commission signed by the
President and attested by the Secre-
tary of State, appointing Mr.. Root
Secretary of War, Mr.. Alger address
ed the following significant words to
Mr.. Root: "Here is your commission,
in which you lose your identity and
become Mr.. Secretary. | go back to
become a sovereign citizen of the
United States and become Mr.. Alger."
The new Secretary was visibly affect
ed. A short time afterwards General
Miles appeared with his staff in full
dress uniform of the Major General
commanding the Army. He con-
versed with the new Secretary tor
some time. General Alger left in the
afternoon for his home in Detroit,
where he received the most tremepd-
Gus ovation ever given to home
coming private citizen.
The Navy Department is closely
watching developments in Haiti and
San Domingo. Haiti is in state OF
ferment, perhaps out of sympathy
with the neighboring state of Santo
Domingo. United States Minister
Powell cabled the State Department
that the presence Of warship may
be required to protect the United
States legation and consulates. The
New Orleans and the Machias are
now at San Domingo, only half a
days sail from Haiti's capital. Port
au Prince.
The eight transports for the Phil
ippines now in the harbor of San
Francisco are being prepared for the
earliest possible start. General Otis
has asked for rapid fire guns, which
are especially adapted to the warfare
in the Philippines. The Ordinance
Bureau has ordered the guns shipped.
Thanks to the prompt and vigorous
steps taken by the Administration
relative to the outbreaks OF yellow
fever at Soldiers Home at Hampton,
Va, the disease appears today under
perfect control, and the end of the
tirst week of the yellow fever scare
finds conditions more reassuring than
At any previous time. DIR. White,
Marine Hospital surgeon, states that
here are now no new cases at
Phoebus. DR.. Vickery of the Hamp-
on's Soldiers Home reports to Sur
,eon General Wyman to the same
effect. So far there was total of AZ
Eases, eleven of which resulted fatally. ,
The gratifying reports from Lake
Jhamplain, to the effect that Mrs.
is steadily improving in
health, remove all apprehension of a
short social season next winter.
During the absence of the t
Presidential family the interior of the
White House is being thoroughly -,
enovated and will partly be return
shed. The historic Blue Room in
which all the state receptions are held,
S now in the hands of decorators. {
rhe family dining room and western
orri1or, on the second floor, are also }
undergoing a great change. The 9
,reat East Room-known to every !
isitor OF this cty-with it's white
nd gold pillars, mantels and window e
rames, will not undergo any changes r
his season. With the return OF the