Gilpin observer., 1901-05-02
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.

The army in the Philippines Is to be
reduced to 10000 men.
1t is probable that several regiments
OF our troops will be kept in Cuba for
at least year yet.
Secretary Root has accepted the plan
urged by General Miles for an army
of 10000 men-a regiment for each
million Of population.
The Navy Department has received
a letter from Admiral Remey, in COM
mand of the Asiatic station, making
known his purpose to be present at
the ceremony attending the erection
of a monument to Commodore Perry
at Kurihama, Japan, on July 4th.
Attorney General Knox, by direction
of the President, has called all off,
cials who have been connected with
the Oberlin NJ. Carter case to WASH
ington for a secret conference to de-
termine upon active measures to be
taken for the recovery of the money
Carter is said to have embezzled.
The monthly statement of the collec-
tons of internal revenues shows that
the total receipts for March, 1901,
were $24,030,745, decrease as COM
pared with March, 1900, Of S295, 1888.
For the last nine months the receipts
We're $32S,525 less than for the cor
responding period last year.
The Cuban delegation saw President
Mckinley twice Thursday. At the first
meeting there We're expressions of
friendship. At night the members of
the delegation were guests Of honor at
state dinner at the White House.
The real business which brought the
delegation here was not transacted the
President saying to the delegates that
he would confer with Secretary Root,
who would act as his representative
in conferences over the Cuban situa-
ton.
The biologists of the Department Of
Agriculture are not yet prepared to say
whether the introduction of Belgian
hares into the United States will be n
nuisance or blessing. In Australia
the introduction of ordinary rabbits
proved so disastrous that the govern
ment was compelled to take the mat
ter in hand and use the army to ex-.
terminate them. Some fear has been
felt lest the Introduction of the Bel
gian hare should result in n similar
danger to this country, and the gov
ernment biologists are now making
anxious observations. 1t Is claimed
that the Belgian hare is purely a do
nestle animal. incapable of sustaining
life without the aid Of man. This Ques
ton will soon be decided, however. in
southern California. where the indus
try of raising hares for their pelts was
taken up two years ago and then aban-
doned as improbable. The hares We're
turned loose, and are now in what may
be called wild state. The experts
are watching them. and particularly
noting the rate at which they multiply.
The indications are that they may be-
come n nuisance in that warm climate,
but it is not believed they will ever
endanger the agricultural interests Of
the northern states because they can
not endure the cold winters. At any
rate, the experts of the department
are Withholding their opinion until
they have made further observation.
The plan of operations of the geolog.
ical survey for the next fiscal year
has just ba,n announced. Numerous
PARTIES are lc be sent to all sections
OF the country to engage in geological.
typographical, hydrOgraphicai and
other lines of survey work. An i'm
portant feature will be an investiga-
ton, in cooperation with the coast
and geOdetic survey, of certain un-
marked parts of the Northwest bound
ary between the United States and
Canada The line will be re-run and
temporarily marked by iron posts in
certain localities. 1t is planned to make
n reconnaissance of the whole line from
the summit Of the Rocky mountains
westward. Geologist Bailey Willis,
with party, will make reconnoi-
sance of strip ten to fifteen miles
wide along the south side of the bound
ary line in Idaho and Montana to de-
termine its geological features and the
condition of the boundary monuments.
Other biologists will make surveys
from the Colorado westward to the Pa
clfic coast. Parties will be detailed to
cooperate in typographical surveys
with the states of New York, Pennsyl-
vania, Ohio. Maine, West Virginia and
North Carolina. Director WalcOtt will
make special Investigations in the
Rockies in Montana. Investigations
are planned of the clays and clay work.
ing Industries of the country and also
of the cement industries. Assistant Ge-
ologist Adams will investigate the gas
wells of Louisiana. Other investiga-
tlons will include the lead and zinc de-
posits in southeastern Missouri, gold
deposits in Georgia and the devonian
and carboniferous strata in New York
with reference to coal, oil, gas, clays,
etc.
Mr.. w. Il. Curtis writes to the Chi
cago Record-Herald that the commit
tee from the Cuban constitutional
convention have been very much i'm
pressed by their reception here, and
particularly by the gracious manners
OF the President. They can scarcely
find words sufficiently strong and COM
prehenslve TO convey their appreciation.
Only one of them had ever visited the
United States before. and none had
ever been in Washington. They antic-
ipated n cordial welcome and cour,
teous treatment, but they were not pre-