Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-01

these were two notable occasions one being
the peace jubilee, which was held May 49,
"a and %. and devoted to a civic parade an
historical pageant, military parade, with
fireworks each night Of an extensive char
acter at the Monument grounds, and clos
ing with revelries the last night at Conven-
ton Hall
The most important occasion of the year
however, and one that will long be remem-
bered for the completeness of its prepara-
tons and the successful outcome, was the
national reception to Admiral George Dew
ey. the hero of Manila, upon his return to
Washington early in October. He was
given a tremendous ovation. in which all
the organized bodies participated, and on
october was presented at the east front
of the Capitol with the sword unanimously
voted to him by Congress in recognition
of his unparalleled victory at Manila.
CAPITAL CENTENNIAL.
Early in the yea the long-cherished pro-
ject to appropriately celebrate the one hum
dredth anniversary of the establishment of
the seat of government at the city of
Washington began to be vigorously pushed
and 1t soon took substantial shape. Con-
sress passed a bill appropriating TIE sum
of $4,000 to be expended in preliminary
expenses and committee was created to
consist of the governors of the various
states and territories. committees of the
House of Representatives and the Senate Of
the United States. of which the President
was ex-off1cio chairman. A committee of
one hundred of the leading citizens of the
District was also appointed to provide for
the local arrangements of the celebration
The congressional joint committee and the
citizens committee met December 49, and
a meeting of the FULL body. including the
governors of the states, was to have been
held December q: but owing to the near
approach of the Christmas holidays and the
consequent absence from the city of so
many members of the committee the meet
ing was called off. President Mckinley is
expected to announce date for it, which
will be some day in the latter part of Jan
uary. Upon the night of the meeting day
the Washington board of trade will enter
tain the committee at a reception and ban
quet. this feature being also POSTPONED
until then from the original date.
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
No event of the year was Of more local
Importance or caused more general and
grateful satisfaction than the announce
ment made in January by Mr. Andrew Car
negie of his intention to donate the sum of
s2oooo for free public library In Wash
ington. provided a suitable site was given
for the building. The latter condition was
quickly complied with. Congress passing,
on March T. a measure devoting space In
Mount Vernon Square to the purpose Ar
chitects were INVITED to submit plans for
the building. and in October those submit
ted by Alderman & Ross were accepted. In
the same month Mr.. Carnegie gave an ad-
ditional SJ0OO0 toward the construction.
The existing free public library began ac-
tive operations in its recently acquired
home on New York avenue and the in
crease of book borrowers has been constant
and increasing
PUBLIC BUILDING.
The past year has witnessed a marked
advance IN the work of providing adequate
accommodations for the government in this
city. Last spring Congress provided for
a large addition to the government print
ing office on ground adjoining the site of
the old printing office building and located
at the corner of North Capitol and G
streets. An appropriation of $1,000 was
made to begin the work. the limit of cost
of the building being fixed at $2-O6OOOO
This will provide for model printing Of
flee. which will undoubtedly be not only
the largest. but the most modern and COM
plete in every respect in existence The
work of demolishng the old buildings on
this site was begun last spring, and now
the foundation of the structure is about
complete.
Congress also provided for new building
for the Department of Justice, to be To-
Gated on the corner of Pennsylvania avenue
and Madison place, the limit of cost being
liked at S1.O0o,00o This action was very
hastily taken a short time after The Star
had published unquestionabe evidence that
the old building occupied by this depart
ment OF the government was unsafe and
menace to the lives of those employed in
1t. The old building has been demolished
and the foundation for the new structure
Will soon be begun.
The census bureau has also been provided
with large building for its work, this
structure being erected at the corner Of
LIST and b streets as private enterprise
and rented to the government.
The city post office building has been
completed and the Post Office Department.
as well as the city post office, has been
moved into 1t. The old Post Office Depart
ment building has been turned over to the
Interior Department to be occupied by
some of its bureaus.
Last fall Col. Bingham, superintendent of
public buildings and grounds, prepared
plan for an addition to the White House,
but President Mckinley being Indifferent
to this project no active steps are being
taken to carry it out at the present time.
The project to have a Supreme Court
building erected on a site east of the Capt
tol and north Of East Capitol street to
conform with the sit of the Congressional
Library building, has been revised, and
Will be urged upon the present Congress
The need of a municipal building for the
District Of Columbia will also be urged
upon Congre IS, as will be the project for
erecting hall of records
The erection of a number of public school
puiiuI!lSS huflHP the year Was delayed be-
cause of the advance in price of building
material, which made it impossible to con-
struct the buildings within the limit of the
appropriation. 1t is expected that Congress
Will supply this deficiency at an early day
CIVIL SERVICE
The most important action affecting the
national civil service during the past wear
resulted from the order of the President of
May ~, removing some 10000 positions
from the class requiring competitive exa-
mination This action was criticised by
many civil service reformers as being
backward step in civil service reform, but
1t was defended by officials and public men
who approved the order as being absolutely
necessary to secure proper conduct of the
government, and not at variance with the
spirit of civil service reform Cp to the
present time there has been no Indication
that the civil service commission will be the
subject Of attack on the part of its enc
mics In Congress during the present ses-
sion.
DEPARTMENTAL NEWS,
The advent of the time clocks in the gov
eminent service to register the arrival of