Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-26
NILES AND THE GRAND ARMY
General to Be a Conspicuous Figure at the
Forthcoming ~BnCampment,
FREE LUNCHES ON ELABORATE SCALE
Board of Naval Omcers 70 Experiment
and Report on wireless Telegraph
system for Use in the
Navy.
CFrom a star correspondent

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.-(special.)-
The forthcoming national encampment OF
the Grand Army Of the Republic to be held
here in October will be the second occasion
upon which the veterans Of the civil war
have gathered in Washington since the
grand review Of 1865. The last time the
boys in blue appeared-nine years ago
many Of the great leaders of the civil war
were still living. Today the most con-
spicuous of the survivors is Lieutenant
General Nelson A. Miles, commanding the
army Of the United States. The veterans
of 1876 want to see as much as possible
Of this, the last prominent figure Of the
civil war. and their wish is likely to be
gratihed.
General Miles has not been on terms OF
cordial relationship with the heads Of the
War department for some years past. There
have been many snarls between the civilian
and military heads since the outbreak Of
the Spanish war and in every instance the
Washington Post has sided with the de-
partment against the general. But in re-
ferring to the desire OF the Grand Army Of
the Republic to honor General Miles the
Post pays him a tribute which every vet
eran will appreciate.
General Miles" says the Post, "ls the
head of the United States army. OF all
the survivors of the civil war, he held
the highest command, occupied the most
liant record. Grant, Sherman, Sheridan,
Thomas, Halleck, Meade, Hancock have
Is in~dIsputably the most notable. More
over, he is nearer to the Grand Army than
any Of them, for he rose from civil life
Of West Point prestige and association.
There was no more .dashing fighter, no
the whole army. He had the confidence
Of his men. He led them always. And he
fought With a spirit and dash that cap
hdence of his followers. We do not see
how the veterans could make a wiser
bottom Of the ladder-and, again like them
he fought his way upward by sheer force
knows SI PeF Of ma ar mTg'e ofi Saq t oSaieV who Is closes Mf
the people. He had no privileges or ira.
He went into the war as did thousands Of
oth~ers-unknown, r%esolute, bent on carving
hand. How he attained prominence; how
he made his name a household word among
those who loved the union-these are chap
tiers which have already passed into the
nations history. General Miles needs nc
chronicler or laureate so far as concerns
mendous tragedy Of forty years ago. Every
grizzled warrior who comes here in October
land has the deSEiing Incidents Of GENERA eneT
Miles career at his fingers ends. They
nave been r%ecounted al a thousand camp.
long had their place in the annals OF Amer.
lean valor and devotion. The veterans
can select no more appropriate chief fol-
the occasion-no truer representative of all
that is best and finest In the American
volunteer"
Remove Old Landmark.
When congress reassembles in December,
one of the landmarks, which has made
Pennsylvania avenue notable for FIVE years,
will have been removed. On September 20,
1897. the cable power house of the Capital
Traction company was destroyed by fire.
Every vestige OF the building that could
possibly burn was consumed, and such por-
lions OF the walls as did not fall were taken
down. But for FIVE years the tall chimney
stack has remained a conspicuous monu-
ment to the burned building.
Congress. Just before the session ended,
authorized the purchase of the site Of the
power house at a cost Of $3.50. 900. The site
was promptly acquired and now the chin
ney is to be removed and all the debris
carted away, so as to leave a location for
the use Of the Grand Army. Within a few
years the land will be covered with a munic-
lpal building for the use Of the local author
tiles. The local government has been
housed in any old barnlike structure which
SOulu NC IGul0u CuCdply over bluCt the pres
emit government was created-nearly thirty
years ago.
Free lunches are a popularity of Amor
lean cities. In no other country in the
world are they known. San Francisco en-
Joys the reputation of furnishing the most
elaborate one for thirsty patrons OF bars
who are also hungry. New York and Chi
cago are we'll up to the front in this respect
and Boston's beans and brown bread are not
to be sneezed at. In the old days before
Grover Cleveland became governor OF New
York he was known to have had clam chow
der at one place on a Saturday night, has
senpfeffer" at another, fried oysters and
trout at a third and sausage and mashed
potatoes as a final wind-up at Shenkilberg-
er's. But 1t remains for Washington to
spread the greatest OF all these custom
catchers. On Saturday nights at this time
of the year one frequently sees the sign
posted: "Crab Feast Tonight. He VINO en-
ters one Of these places with a nickle in
his pocket and calls for a glass OF beer
will have set In front Of him a huge tray
piled high with boiled hard she'll crabs. The
number he may consume Is unlimited. He
has a heavy fork and q small hammer with
a bottle of vinegar and a pepper caster.
He can feast to his hearts content. One
man Clhlmb TO nave consumed IOFty-6ignt
crabs last Saturday night. This may bs
an exaggeration, but men who get away
with two dozen every week are to be found
in all Of the departments.
Navy Experiments with wireless.
The board Of naval experts. headed by
Admiral Bradford. appointed to witness
experiments in wireless telegraphy, with
a view TO installing the system in the
navy, began its work this week at the
United States navy yard here. The tests
were guarded so carefully that no one ex-
cept those who attended knows whether
they were successful. When the expert.
ments have been concluded the board will
make a report to the secretary Of the
navy, with recommendations as TO the sys.
tenn best adapted to ships. Admiral Brad
ford believes the government should pur-
chase outright the system decided upoI
md not bind the government with a con.
tract for royalties through the life Of tn,
patent. The Marconi system is not being
considered. for the reason that the Mar,
conf company will not make a contrae