The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-04-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Where Congregational Anglers Angle.
Pacific Coast SStcrs-MO lcOtt
and His Automobile.
lSnaclal Corresnondcncol

get away upon their vacations.
There are more game fish within n
few hours ride of Washington proba-
hly than any other large city in the
east. Two hours run in a parlOr car
brings one 20 the home of the vicious,
COURAGEOUS. small mouthcd black bass
of the Shenandoah and the Potomac.
Where the blue waters of the famous
Virginia stream force their way around
the mountains base and mingle with
the Potomac is the beginning of twice
n hundred miles of noble fishing There
are deep pools and shadows smiling
stretches of still water and tumbling
acres of eddy and whirlpool, bcsct with
bowlders and all tccming with bass.
The bass of the Potomac and the Shen-
andoah are as crafty, rs lively ana rs
gonv fish as "a man could wish to toy
with. A pound and n half bass in these
waters M the end of lo0 yards of silk
line on Il wiSp of split bamboo rod
Will make you think you are fighting
wildcat
Or one can leave Washington after
luncheon and alight nj supper time at
some Virginia station contiguous to
magnificent trout streams, seldom
whipped by any one except the casual
farmers boy Of thu neighborhood. Also
many choice Pennsylvania streams are
within easy travelling distance.
Pacific Coast Oysters.
REPRESENTATIVE Cushinan Of Wash
ington state is not an epicurc but he Is
seeking better oysters and Holsters for
the Pacific coast. The waters OF that
region TEEN with fish food of many va
rletles, but tho oysters are not larger
than the end Of ones thumb. and thus
far the efforts of the fish scientists to
cultivate larger variety have not
been successful. Mr.. Cushman believes
that the experiments have not been
properly conducted, and In this the sci
entlsts are Inclined to agree with him.
Except for the canned article Holsters
are quite unknown to Mr.. Cushman's
constituents.
To remedy this defect Mr.. Cushman
has set about 10 persuade congress 10
vote 81 800 for an expert examination
Of the fisheries on the Pacific coast.
I'VE think" said he that there are To-
callties where oysters and Holsters will
thrive along our coasts. There appear
to be reasons why they should thrive
better than In the waters Of the Allan
tic, but 1t seems that first there should
be some ofiiclai investigation Of the
conditions by the fish commission
WoIcott and His Automobile.
Senator Wolcott Of Colorado has &C
CURED the automobile habit Mr.. VOL
colts automobile is a victoria and quite
attractive in appearance, as automO-
blles 20. II travels every day from
the senator's residence, on Connect
cut avenue, to the White House or to
the departments and then daily climbs
the steep incline to the capitol en-
trance. In the afternoon the automo-
bile reappeurs at the capitol and car
ries the senator home again. firm
believer In the automobile IS Mr.. VOL
colt. He believes that not only has it
come to stay, but that 1t viii In
crease and multiply until the carriage
drawn by horses Will be relegated TO
oblivion. ut runs easily and swiftly
he says; ct is safe and convenient, and
II is inexpensive. Instead OF keeping
several horses In your stable all you
have to do is to run your automobile
down TO the power station once In
awhile attach a wire, charge the bat
terry, and there you are"
The McLeans' Innovation.
Mr.. and Mrs. John Il. Mclean con-
template giving several unique fetes at
their place, Beauvolr. this spring
Their plan is TO keep open house for
the people of Washington, all classes
and colors being invited, on certain
Sunday afternoons and have the Ma
rine band furnish the music. The
UNIQUE part of the fete Is that the pro-
gramme to be given by the band Is to
consist entirely of sacred music. Fa-
miliar hymns are to be played, and the
audience will be expected TO join In the
singing, and thus the entertainment
will take the character Of gospel meet
ings. except there will be no preaching,
nothing except vocal and instrumental
music. II Is announced that the exper-
iment will be tried with two Sunday
afternoon concerts.
Mines Suspended Work.
| Consul Dudley Of Vancouver, b. C.,
| in a report to the state department
saysi
AT least four of the largest mines in
the eastern portion Of this province
have suspended work and discharged
the labor. These four mines combined
were shipping at least 1000 or 5000
tons Of ore per week and united en-
ployed In the neighborhoOd Of 1000
men. The mines yield gold and cop
per. The managers give as n reason
for closing down the necessity of intro
ducing new machinery. The discharg-
| ed miners, however, believe the princi-
pal cause for the suspension of work Is
the eight hour day enacted by the last
session Of the provincial parliament
"Thls action has temporarily crippled
matters In the eastern portion Of the
province and will probably have the
effect of sending miners seeking en-
ployment across the border to the Unit
ed States"
Speaking about dinner tables, Sena-
tor and Mrs. Elkins own by far the
handsomest table service In Washing
ton. 1t is Of solid gold, massive and
richly chased, and includes every i'm
aginable article known In its line.
There are several other golden dinner
and tea sets in Washington, but none
that can hold q candle to that Of the
senator from West Virginia.
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