Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-08-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.
The New 'wOrkhOuse-The Wonder
full TelephonoSrnpb-T New
Board of Charities,
Lspeelal Correspondence.l

engaged Oh lne plans ana SpeclncatlOnS
for the municipal buildings provided
for by the last congress. One of these
Is the new workhouse for male prison
ers. There is an appropriation of $780,
600 for the construction of this prison.
1t will be erected upon the grounds of
the existing workhOuse, on the banks
of the Eastern Branch, in the eastern
part of the city.
The plans for the prison have been
prepared by G. A. Didden and call for
freproof structure, with a central ad-
ministration building, four stories and
a basement, II by 72 feet. There will
be lateral wings and rear extension,
one clear story, 80 feet in height, the
wings to be 81 by 13O feet and con-
nected with the main edifice by one
story corridors. The exterior walls
will be red sandstone, and the roof
will be of steel trusses covered with
slate. Each wing will contain IA
steel cage cells, with slate slab floors,
and each furnished with washstand
and closet.
The commissioners are aware of the
opposition to the erection of the build
ing in the locality selected, and it has
been suggested to them that with pro-
priety they might delay the construc-
tion until after congress shall have had
an opportunity to designate a site in
express terms. The commissioners,
however, see no good reason why they
should longer delay the building. The
engineer commissioner says that in
two or three weeks time the specifica-
tions will be finished and then pro-
posals will be asked for the construc-
tion of the prison.
The TeiephonoGraph.
Consul Warner, at Leipsic, has made
n report to the state department in re-
gard to the "telephonograph," an in
vention which combines the advan-
tages of a telephone and phonograph
and is specially designed to record
messages received during the absence
Of the operator. 1t was invented by
a Dane named Paulsen. "The person
called up" says Consul Warner, "has
only to hold the trumpet to his ear
upon returning to the office, even after
an absence of days, to receive the mes
sage. Many inventors have tried to
thGtt SuCu IL Dul dll ldll-
ed on account of the difficulty of trans
ferring the message on to a wax cylin-
der.
Instead Of q wax cylinder Paulsen
used flexible steel band in his phono-
graph, which is much simpler in con-
struction than the Edison phonograph.
Messages are much more easily remov-
ed from the steel band than from the
wax cylinder 1t is wound on two
spools, moving quickly from one to
the other, and coming in contact with
very small electro magnet, switched
into the circuit, which affects the steel
band in such way as to record on it
any sound that may penetrate to the
phonograph. 1t is only necessary to
cause the steel band to repass the mag
net in order to have the sound repeat
ed. Each vibration of the electro mag
net produces corresponding vibration
Of the steel band. In order to remove
a message from the steel band mag
net is passed over the surface on which
the message was recorded"
The New Board of Charities.
The president shortly before leaving
for his home in Canton, o., announced
the appointment of the following as
the board of charities of the district:
s. W. Woodward, John Joy Edison,
Simon Wolf, George w. Cook and DIR.
Charles p. Neill.
The board of charities was author
lied by the provisions of the act of
congress approved June 6, the act pro-
viding that the president should ap-
point, by and with the advice and con-
sent of the senate, five residents of the
District as members of the board for
term of three years. but in such a
manner that the terms of not more
than two of them should expire in the
same year. No compensation is to be
received by the members of the board,
and during their terms of Office they
shall not serve as trustees or other
administrative officers of any institu-
tion subject to the visitatons of the
board.
Passing of an Old Landmark.
In the demolishing of Wizards, now
going on, Washington will lose a ia
nous old landmark and one of its
noted hotels. Not even the Oldest in
naDltant can remember when this no.
tel was built but the land on which
1t Is situated was purchased in 1893,
and soon after Il small, unpretentious
building, the nucleus of what became
popular and fashionable hotel, was
erected. This modest house was first
known as the Queen hotel, which was
afterward changed to the City hotel,
and when it passed into the hands Of
the Willards it received the name of
Its new proprietors.
Vice Consul Monaghan, at Chemnitz,
has furnished the state department
with tables of the worlds production
of copper, which show that North
America completely surpasses other
lands in the production of copper. Out
of a total output of 473,S1S tons for
1899 North America supplied 265, 1856