The National tribune., 1900-01-04
CHAT OF THE CORRIDORS.

Speaking 10 an interviewer about his ia
nous l5-hour speech against the repeal of
the silver-purchase clause, Senator Allen
modestly admitted that there were things
that can take away his audience when he
once getS fairly started, and break him mp.
One of these came i'll once when he was
Stumpipg Nebraska. The grand stand
was fuil, and the occasion seemed To be full
of promise for an orator Overflowing. as
was. with political gospel. just as | had
commenced, u man brought out an ostrich
htched 10 Il sulky. | don't know whether
YOU ever saw the trotting ostrich in the East,
but ont West lie was a great attraction.
Well. as soon as that bird began 10 run
around the track, wasn't in it. The os-
trich monopolized the attention OF every
man. woman, and child. When the bird
stopped, the people listened 10 me, but when
he threw out his long legs again there was
| a roar of laughter and applause which
drowned every word | uttered. Finally.
gave it up. let the trotting ostrich have
everything his own way"
/ The War Department is going to send
| four or five hundred soldiers 10 Alaska early
| in the Spring erhey are intended for ser
vice in the Cape Nome district. 1t is est
mated that there WI be large influx OF
| fortune hunters on account of the attractive
statements which art being made regarding
| the prospects thcre.
The Government i.as decided that the
name of the island Is; puerto Rico" and it
will he so spelled officially hereafter
Indian Commissioner Jones has decided
| that there shall be no more Indians for Wild
Westshows. Hesays: 1T demoralizes the
Indians, many OF wGom would dress in citI-
| ZenS' clothes and otherwise conform to the
,.ittlIyaI hfrt dol Ia and
cents there is for continuing in tnc.r old
customs
The War Department officials are much
! gratified at the quick time made TO Manila
| by the transport Thomas. She sailed
from New YORK on the afternoon of Nov. 4,
| but did not pass Sandy Hook until the
morning OF Nov. >. Stops We're made at
Malta. Alden, and Nagasaki for coal and
| provisions, five or SIX days being thus
consumed. Deducting five days for these
stops. shows that the Thomas steamed
| from New York to Manila in ~ days, which
| is several days better than the records
made by the cruisers New Orleans and
Brooklyn, both of which vessels were
pushed to make quick trips. She had on
board the 47th L. 5. Vols, and large
| cargo of supplies for Gen. OtiS's army, in
Guiding several hundred Christmas boxes
| for the troops serving iii JIIZOn. When ask
ed by the Secretary of War when the
| Thomas would reach her destination. Maj.
| j. NJ. Carson, Jr., the QuartermaSter III
charge Of the vessel, replied that she would
reach Manila in time TO distribute the gifts
| from home on Christmas day to the men to
whom they were consigned, statement to
which little credence was given at the War
Department. Maj Carson is son Of "a
veteran.
Daniel Ramey. for number of years Il
clerk in the Treasury Department died
| Dec -. He had been i'll for about two
| weeks. He was born in Indiana County
Pa, 10 years ag - and served in Co. {,
20itii Pa He was twice elected to the
lower house Of the Pennsylvania Legis-
lature. and III 1851 was appointed To a
clerlship in the. Treasury Department.
Four years later he resigned, but was ap-
pointed at the beginning of the present
Administration. The deceased was a
member OF Harmony Lodge, No. Il, r. A.
A. NJ; incoin Post. , GAR, and OF the
Luther Memorial Church.
Senators H9ar Frye. and number of
others deny that the President has the
right 10 use oue vacancy in lGc Arm, to
promote and retire number Of officers.
g &>*
ii all the shade trees in Washington we're,
placed 30 feet apart in rows .hey woud be
sufficient to line bosh sides ui g boulevard
from here to New York.
There are over 50 varieties Of these, but
preference is given to II varieties. OF
these the silver maple is the most popular,
and there are 25oO0 OF them, or nearly
foUu times as many as of any other.
The Norway maple is growing in favor.
There are 1000 Of these. There are about
5000 American 81 us, but these are SO
affected by the beetles as tO lose them favor.
There are 5000 American buttouwoOd,
plane or sycamore tres, as they are called
III various parts of the country. Il requires
constant trimming, however, and many
object 10 its habit Of shedding its bark. 1t
is thought that the Asia!ic plane tree. which
is planted around the Capitol, is superior 10
its American brother. u sheds its bark
clear TO the ground. and presents a bony
white trunk, where the other shows con
siderable portion OF the brown outer bark.
More OF the ASiatic variety will be planted
in the future. Massachusetts Avenue is
planted with four fine rows of the A nercau
linden, linn or Eastwood. nearly four Elilc.,
in length. or lG miles altogether. Those
on other streets make the total about 5000.
There are about 1000 of the tulip trees
miscalled poplar in the South and West.
These are mostly on Rhode Island Avenue
and Sixteenth street. The Carolina poplar
numbers about 6, 900, and the aspen poplar
shade trees, but very ''littery." and subject
to the attack of insects. The pin-oak and
the red oak have been recently introduced,
and show good results. The sugar maple
is a queen among trees, but requires too
much care. Horse chestnuts and catalpas
have been condemned. The ginko, a
Japanese tree, is coming into favor for
curbStone planting.
$50
About $4,000 year is spent III trees, and
from 1000 to 5000 young ones are planted
annually.
The Department of Agriculture is import
ing some cuttings of the famous Bohemian
seedless hon plants for growth in this
country. These are superior To anything
else in the world, except some grown in
Kent. England. Only the female plants
are grown, the males being vigorously ex-
cluded.