The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-11-28
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial correspondence.1

Probably there is no government Of
estiDg civil wal characters on It's mes
senger staff as are to be found in the
state, var and navy building. Many Of
the high ranking officers in the war
and navy departments have as their
messengers men. who were with them
in an enlisted capacity in the trying
days of the civil val.
General Corbin, who commanded a
negro regiment in the war, has three
old colored men as his personal attend
ants and messengers who served in his
regiment. No one who visits the NAM
moth building daily can fail to know
Barney. Every day, rain or shine, hot
or cold, this once master at arms in the
old navy of the United States is on
duty.
He reigns supreme in the northern
court of the building. Although Barney
is getting along in years, he still main
tains his erect military appearance and
Is OuC VI Liz DCSL ICulllluClS VI lCO1 ~
be found in any of the departments.
He has all the proverbial wit of the
Irishman and is known, respected and
liked by every naval officer On duty at
the navy department.
Capitol Dome In Mirage.
A wonderful mirage which appeared
in the sky to the south Of the city,
showing the dome of the capitol build
ing, surmounted by the Goddess of
Liberty, is creating great interest In
scientific circles. BY rare good fortune
the attention of the weather bureau
officials was called to the eXtraordi-
nary phenomenon, and the data taken
by the bureau as to the atmospheric
conditions which prevailed at the time
the mirage was seen, with the deduc-
| lions as to the exact nature and cause,
are anxiously looked for by thousands
of residents who saw the wonderful
manifestation.
The mirage was as clear and distinct
as if painted with a gigantic brush on
the sky, but much enlarged, covering
an immense area of the heavens. The
white dome of the capitol was thrown
in sharp relief against the deep blue of
the upper atmosphere. 1t lasted only
| seven minutes and then did not fade
away gradually, but vanished as sud
denly as it had appeared.
General Bates Big Cigar.
Paymaster General Bates is the proud
possessor of what is probably the
| 1-.,1-x o:,n. ;p %1,1 rrvNv11 II jc n
product of the Philippines and was the
gift Of Major Comegys of the pay de-
partment. It is sixty-three inches long
and as big as a mans arm. 1t is a
curiosity in another way, inasmuch as
it contains specimens of twenty-five
kinds of native Philippine tobacco. In
a note accompanying the gift Major
Comegys says: 81 send you the largest
cigar you have ever seen-at least the
largest I have ever seen. 1t is made of
a number OF the finest brands Of to-
bacco grown in the islands. It was
manufactured at San Fernando de I'm
ion, in Union province, Philippine Is
lands. The case is also a curiosity. 1t
may be called a family cigar, as all
smoke it. and the grandmother is sup
posed to finish it. or the cigar to finish
the grandmother"
Ii Patent Office Gazette.
F.. l Allen, commissioner o. patents,
has issued the following general order
relating to the publication of the Pat
ent Office Gazette:
"Beginning with volume 1902, Jan. l,
1908, the Official Gazette of this office
will be published in bimonthly instead
of quarterly volumes.
"The yearly subscription price, s. to
domestic subscribers and $40 to foreign
subscribers. will remain unchanged,
but the subscription price for a single
volume will be 81 to domestic sub
scrfbers and So to foreign"
Ted, the Baby Leopard.
There is a baby leopard out at the
Washington ZOO. He is a native of
Mexico when he is at home. but now
his address has been changed, and he
has become the delight of many Wash
ington youngsters. In his native wilds
he is known by the name Of Mexican
tiger, but his real name is leopard. He
is a member of the cat family and a
fine specimen of the tribe. although
only seven weeks old.
He has been nicknamed Ted, in
honor of President Roosevelt. Ted
is just able to have a name, for he is
no larger than a nearly grown kitten.
Some day. though. he will weigh near
ly l2o pounds. The little Mexican
tiger or leopard or jaguar or mountain
cat. call it what you will. belonged to
a New York mining man, who present
ed it to the zoo.
Rented Churches Will BE Taxed.
Church property in the District of
Columbia is by law exempt from taxa
ton, but the assessor has rendered a
decision that will be of interest to
church people everywhere. Upon ON