The leader., 1900-07-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.
The Governments Awnings.
A Famous Resort.
Especial Correspondence.l

Especial Correspondence
Rafel ZaIdivar, who has recently
been accredited as minister from San
Salvador at this capital, is one of the
most distinguished statesmen of the
little republic he represents. Like his
colleague, DIR. Wilde of Argentina, DR..
Zaldivar gained eminence as q physi-
clan before entering the field Of politics
and held leading place among the
medical men of Central America. Born
in San Salvador, he was educated at
the national university in Guatemala,
where he took the highest degrees in
Its gift He began the practice of his
profession at the place where it had
been acquired and soon became emf
nent but political life had always held
a singular charm for him and soon
caused him to desert a career in which
he was steadily advancing for the less
secure one of politics.
His political life, however, started
out brilliantly, and he was soon elected
to congress, his selection for seat in
that body being in the nature of a
great compliment, inasmuch as he was
one of three members of the medical
profession allowed by the laws of the
country to participate in legislation.
Although successful in all of his under
takings and exerting a wide influence,
DR.. Zaldivar did not remain long in
Guatemala. A battle royal with the
party in power after the death of his
friend and supporter President Carera,
made it necessary for him to leave the
country of his adoption and seek an
asylum in the state of his birth, which
received him with open arms and heap
ed honors upon him, electing her dis
tinguiShed son first to q seat in con-
gress and finally to the presidency.
DR.. Zaldivar served two terms, from
1876 until 1854, as president and did
much to advance the interests of his
country while holding that office.
DR.. Zaldivar both while he was pres
ident of San Salvador and since he re-
signed that office, has been an ardent
advocate of the Nicaragua canal, which
will be of especial advantage to his lit
tie country since it has no port on the
Atlantic and must send its products to
the Pacific ports, making long and
roundabout journey to reach the large
markets of the Atlantic.
The Governments Awnings.
The United States government has
enough money invested in awnings in
this city alone to carry on the war in
the Philippines for long time, even if
war Is an expensive thing. Other
things are expensive. Take the state,
war and navy building. There are
about 800 windows on each floor, and
there are five floors, all of which, with
the exception of those facing Pennsyl-
vania avenue, have awnings. Here are
1900 windows and awnings right
away. There are over 600 windows in
the two courts of that building.
Now, without counting the 800 VIM
dows in the Winder building, where
shades are used instead of awnings,
and over 200 windows in buildings in
that neighborhood rented by the war
and navy departments, the White
House is reached. One hundred and
seven windows there need awnings.
Then comes the treasury department,
which has 200 windows on each of the
long sides and 125 each for the north
and south ends. Add to this nearly 300
for the windows facing the courts, and
it will be easily seen that the treasury
is no infant as buildings go in this
country or in Europe and that it costs
a pretty penny to buy and put up its
awnings.
The patent office buildings, occupied
by the interior department, needs 104
awnings and has them, there being 200
windows in the court. The old post
office department building, now the
land office, has 700 windows for avn
ings, including those in the courts. The
pension office has plenty of windows
over 4O0-but it is arranged so that
none of the inside, or court, windows
require awnings.
Then think of the 400 awnings at the
capitol at the census Office and 20 in
its rented buildings, 264 at the new Ii
brary, the hundreds used by the four
outside buildings rented by the depart
ment of justice, rs in use by the United
States geological survey, GS at the
coast survey, 100 at the navy yard, AZ
at the fish commission and all the 9TH
er buildings that are occupied by the
government, and some idea may be
had of the amount that is invested in
awnings by Uncle Sam.
Famous Resort.
The Hole In the Wall was the first
senate restaurant, and the bill of fare
for edibles was short, though to the
point. There was ham guaranteed to
have been smoked for six months-a
veritable sublimation of the pork prod
uct-likewise corned beef and bread
and cheese, but little else. They sery-
ed, however, as an accompaniment for
the fluids, and when the Hole was
crowded, as was often the case, sena-
tors ate their sandwiches outside in the
postoftice.
Three Old Toasts.
1t was Representative McCIeary who
recently resurrected the thee famous
toasts on the United States. This is
the first:
Here is to the United States, bound
ed on the north by the British posses
sions, on the south by Mexico and the
gulf of Mexico, on the east by the At
lantic and on the west by the Pacific
The second, little more expansive,
is as follows:
"Here is to the United States, bound
ed on the north by the north pole, on
the south by the south pole, on the east
by the rising of the sun and on the
west by the setting thereof"
And the third reaches this climax:
Here is to the United States, bound
ed on the north by the aurora borealls,
on the south by the procession Of the
equinoxes, on the east by primeyal
chaos and on the west by the day Of
Judgment" CARL ScHoFIELD.