The Delta independent., 1899-11-24
FROM WASHINGTON.
GOSSIP OF THE WHITE HOUSE
AND THE DEPARTMENTS.


BY Uncle Sam last year was 4,917 .269,-
De5. valued at $50. 151 ,659.71. a net in
crease Of 6-50 per cent. in number and
S.26 per cent. in value. More than
t12 SOC, ,O0U worth Of stamped envelopes
Were sold during the year.
Admiral and Mrs. Dewey returned to
Washington from New York Tuesday
night A Navy Department official met
them and escorted them to the ad-
mirars carriage. in which they were
driven to the home on Rhode Island
avenue presented to the admiral by the
American people.
The annual report OF General Buf-
fington, chief Of ordnance, shows that
the expenditures for the year ending
June 80 1890. for the ordnance bu-
reau amounted to $23, ,796, 1856. For the
seacoast defenses the number of guns
completed were SS Sinch rifles, 100 10
inch rides and 6S Pinch rides.
The board OF health OF the District of
Columbia has received "A curious appli-
cation from Mrs. Thomas +. Ryan OF
New York, who says that she is about
to erect n residence In V street In this
city and desires permission TO construct
In the cellar a vault for the burial OF
the bodies OF herself as well as her hus-
band and two children, who died some
time ago in Baltimore. The applica-
ton was denied.
Tutuila. the Samoan island which
falls to the United States In the recent
arrangement completed between Ger
many and England. subject to ratifica-
tion by the United States government,
becomes a valuable addition to the pos
sessions of the United States In the Pa
cific. With but small area and popu-
latiOn. which. according to the treasury
bureau Of statistics are but hfty-four
square miles and 1900 population.
Possesses the most valuable island har-
bor In the South Pacific.
Director Merriam OF the census. In
his annual report. estimates that there
will be required for the census OF 1900
more than $1,000 enumerntors, over
2,JOO clerks and over 1000 special
agents. ON November 10th the entire
office numbered 1s2. mostly women
Employed as skilled laborers In the pre-
liminary work. II il recommended that
the permanent Office Of purchase agent
be created. and that two additional
chic fs OF division and nineteen nddi-
tional clerks be authorized.
The secretary Of the treasury on the
18th made the announcement OF his
readiness to buy &25,O0O.OOO Of per
cent. United States bonds OF 1904, and
4's Of 1907. at the price mt which they
were offered on the New York stock
market, There figures are net and
holders OF ffours will receive the accumu-
lated interest since October 1st. and
holdera Of the fives will receive interest
from November 1st. At these prices
the bonds would realize to the investor
.O224 per cent for the nves and .O21s
for the fours.
The annual report Of the third as
sistant postmaster general contains
strong testimony In favor Of the hon
esty and efficiency Of the postal serv-
Ice. During the last fiscal year the
postmaster Of the United States and
their assistants handled &i9si.6S3.544.
Of which &85. .O21 .3s4 was receipts from
the sale Of stamps. boxes. money or
ders. etc. and the balance was dis
burpeti for various expenses. OF that
enormous sum the entire loss to the
government by burglary. firc. bad
debts, embexzlement and all other
forms OF carelessness and dishonesty
was only &10.35s.
The President is making efforts TO Sc
cure the protection Of Spanish prison
ers with the insurgents In the Philip
pines. A cable message has been sent
10 General Otis and by him forwarded
to General Macarthur with instruc-
tions to get IL to Aguinaldo n possible.
relating to this subject. The President
requests the kindly and humane treat
ment Of the Spanish prisoners and the
message also contains an intimntion
that any Of the insurgents responsible
for the ill-treatmeut o. such prisoners
will be held TO strict account when
they are taken by the United States
forces operating In the islands.
II In n source Of qualification TO
know that Uncle Sam has f3sf. ~. .Dsg
In gold In his strong box. with some
think like SIN, ,0ss,AJ available cash
over and above nll his outstanding Oh
| ligntions, and therefore may BE- con-
sidered what the Yankees call fore
handed" In fact. Uncle Sam In the
richest man In the world. There is M
other government-and there never has
been One-with resources 10 abundant
and available. and the receipts Of the
the current fiscal year thus far they
have been e4,S6.1O7 in excess Of the
expenditures. notwithsta tanding the
enormous cost Of the Philippine war.
A correspoodent says: Denver is
making the most active campaign for
the Republican convention and Kan
| sas City for the Democratic convention.
| The two cities appear to have formed
an alliance to help each other and are
WORKING together with considerable
energy. Senator woicott In directing
the campaign and has already secured
| Q number Of pledges from memhrrs of
the Republican national committee.
which will meet In Washington on De
cemher 18th. Buffalo and 0aa Fran
cisco have made signs. hut are doing
| 70 actsve WORK ~ far ~ ] can md out.
II 10 expected that New York VIII Pat
in an sppetcatiOa whea the committee
meets, but the prevailing opinion is
that Chicago will he sslected for the
Republican eouventio1. u not for the