The Holly chieftain., 1901-07-26
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.

he rural ffNe utllNtIy uiNlslOu1 arc
TO be considerably increased in num-
ber at an early date The western dis
trict. which has headquarters at Den
yer. will be diminished by putting
Minnesota. Montana and the Dakotas
In northwest district. with head
quarters at St Paul The superin-
tendent of this division will. however,
not necessarily he from any part Of 1t
The Postoffice Department has con-
tracted for an increase of the postal
service In Alaska that will provide
quicker time between Seattle and Cir
Gle City and intermediate points, and
furnish direct steamboat service to
Sitka and Valdez. and. the all-Ameri-
can overland route. The scheduled
time is shorter than ever before The
contract runs from October 1st to
June 3Oth.
September 1st there will be gen.
eral shifting about of supervisors in
the Indian school service in the west
ern states A. o. Wright. now at
tachcd TO the First district, including
Colorado. New Mexico. Utah. Kansas
and Oklahoma. is to be succeeded by
Frank NJ Conser. Mr.. Wright goes to
the Third district. including South Da-
tricr now under Conser, is to be given
to Charles II. Dickson. This district
includes Wyoming. Montana, Idaho,
Oregon and Washington. Dickson va
Gates the place 30 be filled by Wright.
Secretary Long has given out the ma
jority report of the Naval Board of
Construction on the design Of the sea-
going battleship of which plans are to
hs. .ttl.p .p,tf fn1 10.
ber. The plan of the battleship as
submitted follows: Length, 4oO feet:
beam, IG feet: mean draft, "a feet, q
inches: displacement. 1850 tons. This
displacement will give ship consider
ably larger than anything in the pres
ent navy. The speed will be nineteen
knots. and an indicated horsepower
Of 10000. The battery recommended
by the majority is 10 consist of four
twelve-inch guns, two ten-inch armor-
ed turrets, twenty seven-inch guns in
easements and twenty three-inch guns.
The machinery is protected by ten
inch armor belt.
\ comparison of conditions before
and after the passage of the nntican-
teen law by Congress will be tabuiat-
ed by the United States army statisti-
clans after September 1st. AT the end
Of this month General Merriam will,
through Colonel Varnum, adjutant
general Of the Department of the Colo
RADIO. have the commanders at the
army posts in this department report
the number of new saloons and drug
stores established near the posts since
the new law went into effect. the num-
Der of eases of drunkenness, absence
without leave and other Irregularities
which can be directly charged TO liq-
our. These will be compared with sta
tictics prepared Just previous to the
time the anti-canteen law went into eff
feet. Many of the army officers think
that intempernnce has increased under
the new system and that the inquiry
will result in the re-cstablishment of
the canteen.
The Postoffice Department, thinking
that the general public has not become
thoroughly appraised of the fact that
postage stamps are now being issued
in bound books, has directed all post
masters in the United States TO exhibit
at a conspicuous place in their Offices
large notices announcing this fact. In
the larger cities these stamp books
have become well known. and are al
ready in great demand because be-
tween each sheet is an oiled which pre-
vents one stamp sticking to another.
Moreover, the books are of vest pock-
ct size. and are readily carried about.
But there is desire to spread these
books in the country districts. as well
as in cities. and to this end. all rural
free delivery carriers are to hereafter
keep an ample stock of stamp books on
hand. in order to supply all customers.
In like manner, they have been direct
ed to fully acquaint the patrons of
their routes with the fact that stamps
are sold in this form. This innovation
is highly meritorious. and affords a
great convenience TO users of stamps,
hence the extra desire on the part Of
the department to widen the field of
their usefulness.