The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-09-06
THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 6 1000.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Appropriations OF the Fifty-sixth
Congress - DraddOck's Rock A
Projectile For the President.
Especial Correspondenee.l

Especial Correspondence
The volume OF appropriations, new
Offices, etc, required by law to be pre-
pared and published at the end Of each
session of congress under the direction
Of the committees on appropriations OF
the senate and house has been COM
pleted for the first session Of the Fifty
sixth congress by Thomas T. Cleayes
and James c. Courts, chief clerks re-
spectively of the committees. y sum
mary of the appropriations shows the
grand total of S71O,150, So. So. The de
tails by bills are as follows:
Agricultural. S4,023 500; army, STA
s2O,O9550: diplomatic. Sill, l6S.76
District of Columbia, S7,57L 3693l; for
tlfcau0n, S7,3S3.G2S; Indian, $S,l97,-
9S0.24; legislative. $24,175,G52.53; Nil
itary academy. $674,3O6.67; naval, $780,
100000; pension. $145, go; post
Office, S113.65S. 23S75; river and har-
Dor, S56O.OO0: sundry civil, SG5,3l9,
915.45; deficiency appropriations, Sl5,-
6SS.330.6l: miscellaneous Nppropria-
lions. S3.SO2. 3OlS4; permanent appro-
priauons. SlS2, 1l2,220; grand total,
$40, 15O,SG2.SS.
In addition 10 the specific appropria
tons made contracts are authorized to
be entered into for increase of the
naval establishment and for various
public works throughout the country
requiring future appropriations by con
greSs in the aggregate sum Of $0S,4iO,-
3T4. These contracts cover two new
battleshipS, three armored cruisers,
three protected cruisers and five sub
marine torpedo boats. to cost, includ-
ing armOr and armament, $40, 1914 ,O94;
increased cost of two drydocks, con-
structlon Of two additional drydocks
and for permanent improvement and
enlargement Of certain navy yards and
the Naval academy, $3.50. $50; public
buildings heretofore authorized IL va
rious cities, including the new govern
ment printing office. lighthouses and
tenders, and for the extension Of the
government hospital for the insane,
S5,146,5OO and for school buildings and
sewers In the District Of Columbia.
S259,5OO.
To Mark BraddOck's Rock.
Unless the plans Of the Colonial
Danes and a few interested citizens
mlscarry the bowlder which is known
as Braddock's rock. generally conceded
to mark the spot where General Sir
Edward Braddock landed a part Of his
royal troops while on the expedition
against the French and Indians. which
ended in his own death and disastrous
defeat to his army, will be preserved
and appropriately marked Already
the spot is guarded by an iron fence,
the ancient railing which stood for so
many years in front Of the old Riggs
bank building on Pennsylvania avenue
For years local historians and old
residents have wrangled in their efforts
to prove the credibility or incredlbility
Of the legend which connects the rock
with the Braddock tradition. In APP
pearance there IS nothing about the
rock that would give rise to the many
heated debates which have arisen since
the marking Of historical and alleged
historical spots became a mild sort Of
a mania among colonial societies. The
rock itself is inoffensige enough. Dur
ing all these years Of fierce and fever
ish research by scientists and old citi-
zens in vain effort to collect authentic
historical evidence that this was or
was not the rock upon which General
Braddock planted the spurred heel Of
his English boots the rock has been an
uninterested and silent partner in the
debates.
A PrOjectiIe For the President.
Ushers at the White House were
frightened out Of their wits the other
day by the appearance Of an Italian
who could not speak English, accom-
panied by a negro carrying a satcheL
The Italian soon made his mission
known by presenting a card on which
was written in English, Professor
Figauccia presents this projectile to
the president of the United States"
The professor opened his satchel and
took out a large projectile and began
telling the ushers in his native tongue
how it operated. At one end Of the
projectile was q small hole. The Ital-
ian also took from ais satchel a long
wire and demonstrated how the thing
could be exploded by the use Of the
wire. The thing was harmless, how
ever. as 1t was not loaded, and the
Italian proved to be Professor Flgauc-
ella Of Felucca, Italy, an inventor. He.
was not a crank, as was at first sup
posed. The ushers would not permit
him to leave the projectile at the
White House, but referred him to the
Italian legation.
WashingtOn's New Hospital.
The District appropriation act APP
proved June 6, 1900, provided the sum
Of 100000 for the purchase by the
commissioners of a suitable site for a
municipal hospital. The commissioners
advertised for proposals for such a
site, specifying among other things
that it should contain not less than
FIVE acres. In response they received
proposals from Al different persons or
firms, as many as nine different pieces
of land being offered by one bidder.
The tracts offered represent every sec
ton of the District, and in more than
one case land within the city limits
was offered. No funds for the con-
struction of the hospital being availa-