The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-15
LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.

"Since the adjournment of Congress
and the tearing up of the floor OF the
House OF Representatives preparatory for
the improvements" said an old employe
of the House yesterday, the rooms of
the Committees on Naval and Military
Affairs have been converted into barber
shops for the accommodation of the mem
bers who may come to Washington dur
ing the summer and for the employees in
the House end of the~Capitol. OF course
the employees in the Senate end are not
barred but, on the contrary, they are
welcomed. for their patronage increases
Just so much the revenue of the BARRIERS.
The Naval Affairs Committee room is To-
Gated on the Republican side OF the
House while the room of the Committee
on Military Affairs is on the Democratic
side. on the door of each room is a sign,
which reads, Barber Shop When Con-
greSs~ is in session part of the cloak room
on either side of the House Is used as a
barber shop, three employees on each side
of the House who are carried on the rolls
as Iaborers performing the services of
BARRIERS. The money they make as BARRIERS
to use a sporting expression, Is velvet.
During session OF Congress these SIX
laborerS who, by the way, have been en-
pIoyed in the House for years, viii aver
age over a hundred dollars per month in
BARRIERS fees. On the Senate side the
senators nave Il pdIDtt SUoD VI iIclI
own. the BARRIERS receiving fair
salary for attending to the faces and
heads of the members of the upper
house of Congress. The members of the
House would like to have their own bar
Der shop and have the Government pay
for their shave, haircut. and shampoo,
but they are afraid of opposition, and SO
they do the next best thing by having the
accommodations in the cloak room and
paying for their own shaVeS. OF course,
when the House meets next December the
BARRIERS will yacate the committee rooms
and resume their old stand in the cloak
rooms.
Appropriately enough the ice man has
been given a monopoly of the White
House drives, and his numbering wagon
is the only vehicle permitted to pass over
the walk which leads from the north front
TO the Conservatives Day after day the
ice man drives proudly into the grounds,
and when he reaches the path devoted
exclusively to pedestrians, all foot traffic
must cease. The wagon is brought around
past the Presidents private quarters in
the Executive Mansion and over to the
conservatory, where a large load of ice
is taken off and turned over to the White
House employees. The use of the walk is
prohibited even to the carriages of the
Cabinet members, and the ice man, in
this particular has more privileges than
the Presidents official family.
To "A lover of nature this time of the
year is the most delightful in the parks.
In quick succession the blossoms are fol-
lowing each other in the beds Crocuses,
just family odorous of the earth came
first. and now the hyacinth is blossoming
forth. almost during the night. The tall
and stately plants, with their clustered
flowers, crowd the plots in a perfect riot
OF color, and shed a heavy perfume that
loads with fragrance every stray wind
that passes. During the day the pink
white, and purple beds of waXen clusters
are beautiful to look at but it is at night
that the perfume from them is greatest
dampness Of the evening air has satu-
rated the blossoms. they give out their
fragrance most generously.
1T is all a mistake to assume that we
make more money when Congress is in
session" said one Of the Capitol guides
yesterday. and I'll tell you why. You
see. when Congress is in session the
great majority of the people who travel
to the Capitol come to see their Member
or Senator on business. It's about get
ting an appointment in one of the de-
partments. pension bill, or war claim.
The delegations that come have business
with the different committees, and they
don't have time. a rule, to be shown
through the big building. When they
express a desire to see the sights. nine
times aut of ten their Member or Sena-