The leader., 1900-09-05
Especial correspondenee.l


add proportionately to the legislative
accommodations, floor being intro
duced so as to convert 1t into two stO-
ries. 1t may be that part of the second
story will be set aside for a reference
library, containing such volumes as
Librarian Putnam may consider desr-
able for ready consideration by con-
gressmen, but this has not been final
ly decided upon.
There are about 175 telephones in the
capitol, of which number 100 are on
the house side, with their own Cen
trail" Another central on the senate
side governs 65 more, and there are 10
or II additional instruments scattered
over the building, which are connected
with the regular city exchange. Thus
the huge structure is a veritable maze
of wires, each committee room having
its own telephone, while special lines
connect the house and senate with the
White House and the executive de-
partments. At the present time this
"hello" system is much less busy than
during sessions, but calls are frequent,
and the central operators have to be
ever ready at their posts.
Puget sound Naval station.
There has been row aLpong naval
officers over the equipment of the tor
pedo boat Goldsborough, which was
built by Portland (Or) firm. Rear
Admiral Hichborn, chief constr uctor OF
the navy, was anxious to have The boat
equipped for service at the Puget
sound naval station. The other mem
bers of the board of construction, to
which board the question was submit
ted, recommended the boat be sent to
San Francisco.
Hichborn took the position that there
was great deal of work remaining at
the Mare Island navy yard, which is
near San Francisco, and that Ii would
not be possible to fit the Goldsborough
out at that yard. After some consider
able controversy over the matter Sec
rotary Long directed the GOldsborou'ch
to be sent to Puget sound station,
where the torpedo boat Rowan has just
been fitted out for service.
Some of the officers who were beaten
in this discussion secured telegraphic
orders from the navy department de-
failing Captain Henry Glass to MAXI
an inspection of the Rowan and the ia
cilities at the Puget sound station for
doing such work. The assignment of
Captain Glass to this duty was a sur
prise to the bureau of construction, and
the charge is now made that there has
been some underhand work on the
part of high naval officers to secure an
official report the tenor of which was
expected to show that the Rowan was
in bad way and the Puget sound sta
ton In an inadequate condition. Cap
tain Glass report has been received in
and it shows not only that
the Rowan was fully and properly
equipped, but that the Puget sound
station is In every way adapted to
high grade of naval work, including
the docking of the largest vessels OF
the service.
Army Transportation.
There has been a great deal of con-
fusion in the accounts of army trans
portation, due, 1t is said at the war de-
partment, to the carelessness of COM
handing officers In distant depart
ments in not furnishing soldiers with
the proper documents indicating their
destination and the occasion Of their
transportation. An officer travelling
with three or more men is considered
travelling with troops, and the quarter
masters department will furnish the
transportation. The chief quartermas-
tiers will judge of the necessity Of
transportation by government ship or
by commercial line. In the Philip
pines every soldier sent to Manila must
hereafter be accompanied by docu-
ments from his command necessary to
account for his presence in the city
and indicate his future movements
Exports From Cuba.
According to q statement made by
the division Of customs and insular af-
fairs, war department, the total ex-
portation from the island of Cuba
through the port of Havana for the
seven months ended July 81. 1000, was
$16,G9S,605 as against SIG, 796.971 for
the same period last year, a decrease
of sos, 366
The total exports from Hava ia for
the month of July alone We're $2,::.37 "a.
The exports for this month by coun-
tries show:
To the United States, $792 1927;
France, $5S1,963; Germany, 1881 GIT;
$247, S41, and Spain, $63, 722.
An offer has been made to the navy
department by number Of Chicago
citizens to present the ships bell from
the old brick battleship Illinois to the
new Illinois, now approaching COM
pletion at Newport. The offer will
be accepted and arrangements male
for appropriate ceremonies when thu
takes place.
GApT. CCHOETHYn