St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-09-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.



The building operations of greatest
interest to the country are those at the
White House, where improvements
costing considerably more than half a
million dollars are in progress. The
new office building is a gratifying sur
prise. 1t is remarkable that a struc-
iture of its size could be erected SO
near the White House without SEEM
ing to interfere more with the general
view of the place and grounds and the
picture of the mansion so long associ-
ated in the public mind. The devices
by which this new building has been
obscured are very ingenious. A slice
has been taken out Of the high bank
on the west side Of the White House
grounds, sloping down to the drive be-
tween them and the war department
building, and the Office building set
into the excavation thus made. 1t is
only one story affair, with basement,
and so in the range of the eye appears
not much above the level Of the first
floor Of the White House. Then its
outer wall extends so squarely to the
sidewalk line on the westerly drive as
to dissociate the building entirely from
the White House, and in common par
lance zone would hardly know that 1t
was there" Its general lines are har-
monious with those Of the White
House, and its color treatment will
doubtless be so too.
British and French Embassies.
The British embassy is being pre-
pared for the coming here of Sir Mi
chael Herbert, the new British en-
bassador, and his American wife, for
merly Miss Wilson of New York.
Special attention is being paid to the
electric lighting in anticipation Of the
many dinners and entertainments TO
be given there by Sir Michael whose
social clientele will be largely re-en-
forced from New York on these occa-
Sions.
M. Jusserand, the recently appointed
French ambassador, and his American
wife are to occupy the new French en-
bassy, and society is expecting a great
deal from these additions to the diplo-
matte and social set.
NJ. Jusserand and his wife are cred
tied with being literary folk and fond
of entertaining There will undoubted-
ly be a large degree of interesting ri
valry between the salons, so to speak,
at the French and British embassies.
At any rate, these two embassies will
be objects of immense interest in the
early part of the coming season. Swell
dom is beginning to return to town.
Mrs. Knox, wife Of the attorney gen.
eral, is already here putting her mag
nifcent house in order for the coming
gayeties.
wouldn't Change Her Hair.
A young woman press feeder in the
government printing office has given
up her job rather than change the style
of doing up her hair.
The foreman Of the pressroom told
her she must change it or quit, as it in
terfered with her duty as press feed
er. She appealed to Private Secretary
Ricketts,, who is looking after affairs
in the absence of Public Printer Palm
err. Mr.. Ricketts, courteously discour-
aged her.
81 am sorry madam" he said, that
you are having serious differences with
Mr.. McWharland. would not attempt
for anything in the world to suggest to
you how to wear your hair, which,
am sure, is most attractive, but the
complaint is that your hair interferes
with the feeding Of the presses and
causes the spelling Of many sheets of
paper"
The young woman went home.
KIondike Gold Decreasing.
There is a large decrease in the gold
output in the Klondike, according to
Consul Brush who advises the state
department that George II. Hees was
recently sent to Dawson by the Ca
madam Manufacturers association to
make thorough examination into the
business prospects Of the Yukon terri
tory. Hees has issued his official re-
port, and it is decidedly pessimistic.
The total yield of gold last year in
the Klondike was $24,000000. The
production of the coming year, accord
ing to the government estimates, will
not exceed $14,000,000, a falling off of
nearly one-half. No new discoveries
have been made for over a year, al
though since 1897 thousands Of pros
pectors have been exploring every
creek and mountain in the country.
At Dawson Mr.. Hees reports ten ap-
plicants for every job, yet boatload
after boatload Of men continues to ar
rive, the transportation companies
keeping up the illusion abroad that
Dawson is the needy mans paradise.
Naval Changes.
line navy department htto "hiouhEeu
that Captain Colby NJ. Chester will
succeed Captain Charles H. Davis as
superintendent of the naval observa-
tory. Captain Davis will be placed in
command of the battleship Alabama as
the successor of Captain Willard H.
Bronson, who in turn will succeed
Commander Richard Wainwright as
superintendent of the Naval academy
at Annapolis. Commander Wainwright,
who achieved great distinction in the
sea fight off Santiago as commander