The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-08-06
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspordence.l

room IL was evident tult tlefe WOulu
he no accommodations for ladies, and
so each guest was allowed TO select a
male travelling companion. who should
nOminally be his secretary. thus utiliz-
ing the two berths in each stateroom.
This arrangement was considered per
feCtly satisfactory.
When the Ingalls, tipped over in the
East river dock. however. and II be-
came physical impossibility TO repair
| her in time TO depart on schedule time,
| the department substituted the trans
port Mcclellan, Il very much larger
boat. 1t has two decks. with state
rooms upon each. two bathrooms and Is
| altogether very much superior TO the
ingalls,. In fact the wives of 20 army
officers are going over on the McClel-
Ian to join their husbands. Now the
senators and representatives would like
TO take their wives, but they have al
ready promised their secretaries the
trip. besides which the war depart
mcnt is averse To carrying too many
ladies. But Congressman Joy argues
a. .
and. as there will be 20 ladies ON the
ship. one more will not make much diff
| ference. At the last report the matter
was still before the secretary of war
awaiting his decision If Mr.. Joy does
not go TO the Philippines. he will spend
the summer with Mrs. Joy in Maine.
Has Held the Four Positions.
Hon. Herbert v Bowen. the retiring
American minister TO the court Of the
shah Of Persia. who takes the impor-
tant post Of minister to Venezuela. for
merly held by Mr., LOOMS. is in town.
Mr.. Bowen is a type of the New York
man. who in foreign lands has brought
about greater respect for American
affairs and institutions. He is genial,
unassuming and a giant in stature. 1t
has been said and it is probably true
that he Is the only man In the diplO-
matte service Of the country who has
held the four positions of consul, con
sui general, minister resident and min
lister plenipOtentiary. He was appoint
ed consul to Barcelona 10y President
by President Cleveland. holding the
office until the beginning of the war
with Spain, when the president APP
pointed him minister resident at Te-
heran. Recently he was promoted to
be envoy extraordinary and minister
| plenipotentary.
Before his departure from Persia he
was decorated with the Grand Gordon
Of the Lion and Sun. the most ancient
and honorable order Of Persia, by the
shah as an evidence Of the latter's APP
probation Of Mr. Bowen's services and
regard for the American people. The
shah also presented Mr.. Bowen with a
massive gold snuffbox studded with 30
diamonds and decorated with picture
Of Persia's ruler These will be depOs-
tied In the vaults at the state depart
| ment until congress authorizes the re-
clpient of the gifts to accept them.
BOOtbIack Trust.
The cOlOred men and boys who are
| engaged in making their livelihood by
shining shoes In this city claim that
there Is a pretty successful 'boOtblack
| trust in operation In the pOstOffice
| building. 1t may not be "a corporation
| organized under the laws of the state
| Of New Jersey" to use familiar words,
| but it Is to all intents and purposes a
| trust, inasmuch as it has absolute and
| complete control Of all the shoe shining
done in the pOstoffice building, and it
has fixed the rate for shoe shining so
that il does not fear competition.
johnson Bros" two Woodworking,
industrious negroes. operate what the
other bootblacks in the vicinity call the
trust. The brothers Johnson are twins,
about 80 years Of age, and they are so
| like that even those whose shoes they
have been shining for many years do
| not know them apart
Second Glass Mail Matter.
Postmaster General Smith talked to
the cabinet about his intentions as to
the modification and enforcement Of
second class mail regulations. Mr..
Smith hopes that by the new regula-
tions the government revenues from
the postal service will be greatly In
creased, and many publications will
have to pay higher than second class
rates Much matter that now goes at
cent a pound will pay cents after Mr..
| Smiths enforcement Of new regula-
| tons is begun.
Second class mail matter now en-
| braces about three-fOurths of the entire
| weight of all the mail matter handled
by the government, and yet it brings
in less than 100000 Of revenue out
| Of total of $110,000,000 each year.
The Capitals Water.
| The new reservoir near Howard uni
verslty, which will receive its supply
| Of water through the Lydecker tunnel,
| will in nOwise disturb the source from
which the capitol building has been
| furnished with water for over GO years.
The legislators may therefore In the
| years to come continue to drink of the
| pure waters of Smiths spring. This
spring is near the center of the reser-
voir nearly two miles north Of the
capitol, and in the construction OF the
reservoir 1t has been preserved by
wall of masonry around it, which Is
carried up to the height Of the basin,
its use being thus secured for the
solons for all time to come, while the
public will have the Potomac fluid.
Commissioner Of Indian Affairs Jones
the other day received an envelope
postmarked Denver containing $40 in
bank notes, with a simple memoran-
dun: please give this to any tribe OF
Indians. From friend of the Indians"
--se&zSr CARL ScHoFIELn.
A Ministe RS Ged Work.
Il had a severe attack of bilious colo,
got bottle of Chamberlains Collie, Chole-