The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-05-23
SOME WASHINGTON GOSSIP.

| (By Fred +. Schrader) 49,
| Washington May aI.-(Staf Special)-A commune
t ro,or,,c iodue No T. A. and A. NJ, is endeayorins
10 locate the remains OF Valentino Reintze master mason
Of Potomac lodge and the first grand master Of inc o'
| lodge OF Masons OF the District Of Columbia
Valentine Rented is the Mason 10 wnom
handed the famous gave the conclusion OF the
incident to the dedication of the United States capitol IN
! zos committee consisting of Isaac Hirch' Wofshpiu'
Master Hudson and John b. Thomas is studying the maps
charts and records of the old abandoned Presbyterian
terry where remains supposed to have been
stone marked Valentine Rented and bearing an almost
iegbe inscription in German with the date 1894 mas neeh
found the Grand lodge not Instituted until 1911
this cannot be the grave 1t is desired to locate Inc stone
probably indicates the remains OF OF the hrst grand
master In the old cemetery the lots usually contained nree
sites and reasonable suppose that the remains OF
Valentine Rented will be found in of the two other
sites in the lot
Unfortunately the records of the Presbyterian cemetery
prior 1886 missing The suggestion that has LED TO
the search being made is that isaac Birch Potomac
lodge however has decided take UP the matter alone
Searches among Masonic records it is expected will dis
close the information the identification OF the
remains of the first grand master.
The gavel handed to Valentine Rented by President
Washington century is still guarded valuable
Masonic relic and is permitted to leave the vaults at
the Farmers and Mechanics bank except order of the
lodge 1t in the custody of committee of three master
Masons This committee will its iabors until the
object of Potomac lodge in this respect shall have been ac
compshed.
Secretary Gage recently accepted the resignation Of
who has been in the treasury department since the
close of the civil war and who obtained her position by
ing the life of Secretary Seward Her is Margaret
Coleman When the plot assassnate President Lincoln
being put into execution Payne the selected to kill
the secretary of made his the house in Lafayette
square and forcing his way into the presence of Mr. Seward
Immediately began stabbing him. Margaret Coleman who
then employed by Mr. Seward his rescue and
she badly wounded After her recovery she given
place in the treasury where she has worked since Her
niece has been appointed to fill her place
Major LEnfants idea of Mall in which the fashionable
society of Washington would promenade and drive in the
afternoon has been defeated by circumstances which he
could possibly have foreseen At this date only
rarely any kind of vehicle other hack
full OF sghseers is visible the winding roads of the
big park Few walk its paths under the fine shade
except policemen and colored Little dirty from
the of the southwest make their playground
with here and there perhaps whefrocked child of the bet
ter class Any who does chance drive through the
Mall this time of the year will certainly realize that
beautifully planned and that of all the parks in this city
is the largest and best The greatest in Washington
there The broad roads pass under arehng branches
and skirt large expanses of lawn But for
sonal crossing of dirty cobbe street the illusion of
country drive well kept up The and shrubs planted
under the direction OF the agricultural department have
hrivcd and special pains is always taken with the occasional
roadside flower beds At this early of the year. be-
cause there and shrubs of chimes planted
there the Mall is farther advanced in its vegetation than
the rest of the city 1t perfect paradise of bloom Many
which planted expermentay have put forth
their flowers and oi the bushes in specially
liant In the grounds just the agricultural
building is clump which presents spectacle of beauty
1t is composed of several varieties OF Japanese ounce The
leaves not but the blossoms burst forth
generously They form compact the bush
deep but brilliant carmine delicate pink and
some almost white. In all they make an area of matted
petals some ten or fifteen yards that well worth
seeing.
The reports about the of Judge S Peters of
Newton Kan to be commissioner of pensions in place of
Commissioner Evans be only half true 1t is
well known and has been for time that President Nc
lney told the Kansas delegation in congress that he would
like to choose the commissioner from their State and
that at his suggestion the of two Kansas veterans
Representatives Peters and Dick Blue were submitted
to him as acceptable to the Kansans.
There the matter rested although shortly before the pes
dent went West he discussed the subject with some of the
Kansas members then in 1t known he told one of
these men, not many hours before his departure that he was
inclined to have preference for Judge Peters, chiefly per
because he had known him congress and had per
'onal knowledge OF his qualifications Those who are in
position to know the president has finally made his
selection.
War department officials gave out the information that II
proposed to reward number of volunteer army oF
whose services have been conspicuous by nromot,o
hem Just before the forces mustered out high bevet
ank, which they will hold only few DAYS before the vo,r
Ger army expires July This course has been de-
ermined upon in order to permit officers who were cand
ate for major generals and bgader generals to enjoy the
privilege.
In the list will be number of colonies promoted TO BRIG
ders ana several brisaders who will be given bevet
ank OF major generals while some majors and even car,
AIMS will be advanced to the rank of bgadiers also None
these promotions will be made until the president returns
ut on June large part of the volunteer force is to he
mustered out and at the same time moTe officers
will be brevetted for the few remaining DAYS
SOME PosTScRIPTS