The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-26
LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.

York whose firm does large part OF the
wholesale trade in watches, at the AIRING
ton last night TWO firms alone put out
1900 watches n day, and they are good
ones American watches have the mar
ket They are exported in large quanti-
ties to England. where some years ago
they became the fashion. ard the liking
for them has been passed down from IA
Their to son ever since. Our watches so
also to Europe. and the situation is re-
versed in regard to Switzerland from that
of a generation ago our forefathers used
to have Swiss watches, and be proud of
them, but today a Swiss watch cannot
compare with the best American makes.
THE excellence Of American watches
arises from clever and delicate workman
ship and improved machinery. The Amer
lean watch is largely machine made. and
marvellous are the machines that do the
work. almost as intricate as the watches
themselves. Put in one end a roo of
finely tempered steel and it comes out at
the other in shower OF little screws, or
put in brass strips and they come out
delicate cogwheels. There are machines
for every use and all they need is clever
men to watch them. The watches that
are made today by the best houses are
practically chronometers. especially the
which must be balanced to a fraction of
a second or they will not be accepted by
the railroad management.
The watch trade began in the United
States nearly sixty years ago, when II
was in the hands of a man named Dick
inson, at Waltham. He failed after hlv-
ing spent Sl0o.0o0 i'm building up his works.
Under man named Knout the work was
continued and has spread to be one OF the
biggest industries in the country
1.-The day of the gold-handled umbrella
has gone" said Filbert Flynn at the
Shoreham yesterday. Mr.. Flynn is an
attorney from Chicago, and is in WASH
ington in regard to matters before the
Patent Office. The umbrella renting
business has killed the expensive jeweled
topped, fine silk affair. that we used to
carry with such pride and such continu-
Gus fear that we would misplace 1t or
have it stolen. Who cares for a fine
looking umbrella today? No one. All
we want is an umbrella that is whole
enough to keep the rain from our heads.
and one that we can carry around with
us without that terrible haunting sense
of responsibility that used to make us
grey, and one that we can leave N the
car. or at our friends house without be-
ing out more than few small coins.
consider that the man who instituted the
business of renting umbrellas should be
thanked by public vote for having re-
moved one of the greatest cares of life.
When 1 carried an umbrella that be-
longed to me had to keep thinking about
it every minute or I'd lose it.
Now ! rent my umbrella, and trot off
in the rain without a feathers weight of
care on my soul. And l don't have to
think and decide if | will carry one when
/ go on a journey. ! go without one. and
find one ready for me when | want it.
That was by no means the case when l
used to own my own umbrella. When
wanted IT it was not there, and when L
did not want it it was everywhere Any
one who has tried to make journey with
an umbrella will tell you what an awk-
ward travelling companion it is. There is
never a place 10 put it. and II is always
carry in your hands. You imperil every
ones eyes with it, and stumble over 1t
yourself at very opportunity. And now.
thanks to the umbrella man at every
it and leave it severely alone when you
have no use for Il. If oVershoes and ram
coats were at hand in the same way, life
would be really worth living"
Edward Eggleston, the historian, is in
spending few weeks near
the Congressional Library and other
sources of Information which he finds
necessary to use in some work upon
which he is now engaged. He has been
for several days at the Arlington. Speak
ing yesterday concerning the recent dis
,ussion in Washington over the accuracy
IF school histories, he said:
Concerning the special quarrel over
books that you have had here in Wash |
ngton / know too little to express any
-
he public has right to find fault with
he kind of histories which are used in
he schools They are all miserably mac
.urate. i remember having looked recent |
y over a school history. in which l found |
glaring error on every page. 1t was a |
history written in recent years, and the |
'eople who compiled it had access to the |
most recent documents. They were not |
.rrors that could have been the result of |
difference of opinion on any disputed |
act, but simply errors. due. probably. to !
he lack of the true historians genius, |
md an inability to handle the facts.
Il give all history writers the credit for |
wanting to be accurate, but many have |
lot the gift. Taken all in ALL the books |
Used in our schools are not such as they
in the choice of them, for it |
must be remembered that they are forced |
ipop the people. and that the children |
must study what is provided for them.
Il believe that a sincere attempt in |
Ieing made to give the right view of the |
,ivil war OF course, We are still too |
lear the great event for all rancor TO /
ave disappeared, but we are certainly |
ar enough away for less emphasis to be /
'laced upon it, in our histories. All the |
histories now in use go into the subject |
n great detail. and lay stress upon the |
var which keeps alive i'll feeling. / be- /
ieve that the writers try to be unpreju- |
Iced, but they do not wholly succeed |
hey were probably all living at the /
line, and they are writing the events |