Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-28
BITS OF WASHINGTON LIFE.
Minor Scenes and Incidents sketched
on In Spot.

AAhO SCChCb ah0 AACbNGhtA SACtChCu
on the Spot.
Secretary Wilson Of the Agricultural
has caused a commotion
among Washington horse dealers by bring
ing to town for government service two
teams OF. horses from Iowa. The horses
were selected from a drove that had been
used at the Ames' college IN conducting an
experiment of considerable interest and
practical value to the horse breeders in
the middle west. Several years ago, when
horses were bringing such a low price, an
experiment was undertaken to determine
the qualities and value Of western range
bred horses, obtained as range colts and
developed under lows farm conditions.
At that time horses in the west were SELL
ing as low as IS a head and the experi-
ment station at Amesr secured a carload of
well bred colts from the ranges Of wyom-
Ing and Montana. The colts were care
fully selected in regard both to good
breeding and individual excellence. The
experiment proved very satisfactory, the
animals having been much admired as
developed and used at the college. Those
sold to Secretary Wilson are a pair of
steel gray Percherons for hauling the de-
partment's mail and express, and a pair
OF well matched, seal brown coach horses
that will be used in Secretary Wilson'S
carriage 1t is the opinion of good horse
men that the secretary will ride behind
as handsome a pair as there Is in Wash
ington.
The last bronze figure completing the
magnificent clock OF the library of con-
sress has been. finally set In place over
the portal Of the beautiful public reading
FOOm The cIorE NTH de- .Ao1--A
sculptures, cost the government the sum
OF $4,000.
The bronze figures symbolizing time.
day and night and the hours now sur
mount the timepiece. The scafolding
which had been erected for the
dalton of the workmen has been removed
and the library Of congress is complete, as
far as its architectural plans were to be
carried out.
The commission for the clock was given
in 1894. To design Il took two years.
In a panel about eight and a half feet
square is a dial structure Of various colored
marbles-rich deep red. sienna and green
African, incrusted with malaehite, lapis
lazuli, thulite and other semi-precious
stones. The dial is a sun in gilt bronze,
three feet in diameter, framed with q
wreath and garlands of intertwined oak and
laurel in bronze patine. The bronze figures
on each side and surmounting the dial, and
which constitute the new additions. are a
rich dark green bronze. the artist having
anticipated the effects Of time in the color.
On either side OF. the face are students,
typifying the Reader" and the Writer"
Above the dial structure and coming out
Of the ground Of gilt mosaic, on which are
figured, also in mosaic. the signs OF the
Zodiac. is a group Of Time" with two at
tendant figures Of DAY" and Might" The
group is decoratively completed by two In
fants accompanying Day and Might" the
advance guard Of the Hours"
Time" Is armed with his traditional
glass and redoubtable scythe. Day and
Might" have each their appropriate at
tributes. Day is scattering flowers
roses-and Might" has her stars and a
comet.
The signs of the Zodiac form. as It were.
an oval frame In color around the group
and accentuate its meaning as we'll as the
decorative effect OF the whole. The figures
Of theg roUp and the two on the dial struc-
ture are slightly under life size.
The work Is completed by a small, high
relief in bronze OF the Swift Runners"
This little group occupies the circular
panel Of the parapet on which the clock
rests, just under the dial. and typihes the
continuation Of knowledge.
Your Uncle Samuel turns many an extra
dollar by coming all kinds Of money for
South American republics. The work is
done principally at the Philadelphia mint.
Just now the mint Is turning out a bunch OF
money for Venezuela amounting to 800 1000
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