The times., 1901-06-21
LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.

President Woodward. of the District
Board of Charities. has determined that
Washington is supporting too many des-
titute people who are really the charges
of the various States of the Union and
has begun an investigation which will,
it IS believed, so reduce the number of
claimants upon the charity of the Dis
trict as to leave an annual surplus in
place of a deficit, as heretofore. The lists
are being gone over and in all cases where
aid is applied for the applicants, if ma
tives of any State or Territory, will be
sent to their homes and the local authori-
ties made to care for them.
The same plan is being worked In con-
nection with the Government Hospital
for the Insane. The sum OF $4,000 is
annually appropriated for the care Of pa
tients there. The District has to pay
good share of this sum and when the ma
tives of the States have been weeded out
and sent to their home authorities. 1t is
thought that the burden upon local tax
payers will be materially lessened.
Probably the most peculiar complaint
ever received a t the Treasury Department
was that which came in the mail few
days ago addressed to the Lighthouse
Board and signed by thirty of the very
wealthy residents of Long Island. The
complaint is that owing TO the revolving
flashlights which are operated on the
coast of the island sleep is interfered
with, and it is asked that the objectiona-
BILE lights be-removed and others substitut-
ed. The letter sets forth the fact that the
alternate flashes light up the sleeping
apartments in the homes of the complain
ants and make ii very difficult matter
to secure a good nights rest. The COM
plant Will be taken up by the Lighthouse
Board in a short time and it is believed
that some arrangement can be made TO
have the objection removed. although the
Government has not the slightest idea of
abandoning any OF its plans for the safe
ty of mariners.
Capt. Horace Maynard Reeve, United
States Army, who has just returned from
a two years sojourn in the Philippines
as aide to Brigadier General Bates, and
who is now at his home in this city, has
the unique distinction of being the only
West Point cadet who ever had picture
in his room at the Military Academy.
The picture hung in Cadet Reeves room
from shortly after his admission until he
left it several years later, and while the
room was given the usual strict inspec-
tion, the invisible picture was never
discovered by the officials.
The picture was a clever etching of
young cadet waltzing with a handsome
girl, and the cadets in Reeves class spent
much time gazing in rapture at the only
picture of a girl in the entire building.
Reeve was offered fabulous sums Qn ca
Diet money! for the prize, but always re-
fused to sell or to have the picture re-
produced. The manner in which the eye
of the inspecting officer was eluded was
the institution He had small mirror
in his room, like every other cadet, and,
having removed the wooden back from
this, he etched the alluring picture in
the quicksilver. He then replaced the
back. and the mirror looked innocent
enough. Some of the cadets were finally
wise enough to see the picture, and the
good news was spread, but with West
Point honor not word reached the of
ficiaIs Col. Felix A. Reeve Assistant |
Solicitor of the Treasury Department has |
the mirror in his possession now and is |
very proud of his sons artistic accom-
plishmentS.
Captain Reeve was later made in
structOr in drawing at the Military Acad- !
emy, and during his service in the Phil |
fppines has written aud Illustrated many |
in the local public schools, while his mill |
tary career began as a member of Com |
pany B, Washington High School Cadets. |
The forty-six teachers who graduated |
from the local Normal School on Tuesday |
need not await openings in the education /
al institutions in this city if they desire |
to begin Immediately on the work of /
training others. The War Department is |
trying to raise corps of 500 school teach |
ers to go to the Philippines between now |
and the middle of July, and thus far only |
15G have been obtained. 1t looks though |
the young Filipino would have to remain |
ignorant for a time unless some of the |
members of the graduating classes of the
various normal schools throughout the |
country come to the rescue. 1t is claimed |
by the officials that this Is a splendid op-
portunity for young teachers anxious to
make a mark, as the school system in |
the Philippines is in its infancy and there
is plenty OF room at the top for earnest |
workers. The salary is said to be away
a L.