St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-07-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Especial Correspondence

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? A building occupied less than three
2 years already outgroWn, an annua
rental of over $4,000 for outside quar-
, tiers, five divisions of MS department
, temporarily established in buildings
apart from the executive offices Of the
department and in many cases sep
arated from their division super1n
tendents, approximately one-half OF
the regular department quarters ap'
portioned to other uses, a constant
growth in the work of the entire de-
partment and corresponding increase
in the number of clerks and an unpre-
cedented enlargement of one particular
bureau-these are the conditions which
now confront Postmaster General
Payne and compel him to plan for the
construction of a new building for
postoffice uses.
To this end he has continued in ex-
istence commission Of postal en-
ployees recently established to rent adj
ditional office space with instructions
to estimate the cost of building an an
mex south Of the present postoffice
| building. By the time congress con-
SeneS next winter the postmaster gen.
eral will have prepared suitable rec
concentrations for the obviation Of
many difficulties which now obstruct
the work of his 6nn1rtmpnt
Irrigation Field Work.
F. H. Newell, chief photographer Of
the geological survey, has gone to the
western states for the purpose Of max
ing a preliminary investigation of the
irrigation problem. The irrigation law
passed by the last session Of congress
providing for the application of the
proceeds Of the sales of the public
lands to the reclamation of the arid
lands has devolved upon the survey the
necessity Of determining the location
of the extensive reservoirs to be To-
Gated under the terms of the law, and
several engineering parties already
nave been sent out to do preliminary
work.
Mr.. Newell will have general super
vision of the task. 1t is contemplated
that the preliminary work shall be
most thorough, and on this account it
Is not expected that the construction
of any Of the proposed reservoirs will
be undertaken for a year or two. Mr.
Newell expects to devote the entire
summer to the work in the field.
just Like Real War.
Secretary Moody is having more or
less fun with the newspaper CORE
spondents these days over the coming
war game to be played off New York
and Newport.
j Cant tell you word about it, not a
word" is his invariable reply to anx-
ious inquirers for hints as to some of
the plans. AS matter of fact, both
the war and navy departments have
already put the correspondents on their
own resources, just as in time of actu-
al war, and until it is all over they will
have to suffer the hardships of uncer-
tainty, together with the officers of
both branches and the soldiers and
sailors.
"Why not?' said Secretary Moody to
a group of newspaper men. "You
ought to take your medicine with the
rest Of us. And by the time your man
aging editors have sent queries by the
score, cursed you for not sending news
and threatened you with discharge you
will find this mimic war is real hell"
To Test Wireless Te1egraphy.
Preparations are being pushed to in
stall system Of wireless Geographic
communication between Washington
and Annapolis. Under the supervision
of Professor N. f. Terry the 40 foot
mast for the wireless telegraph station
at the Naval academy has been placed
In position. The pole is planted in a
cement foundation eighteen feet deep
and is anchored with four historic
cannon, each weighing four and half
tons.
Tons of Papers.
The Winder building, at Seventeenth
and f streets, and the Fox building,
on New York avenue, between Seven
teenth and Eighteenth streets north
west, used by the war department for
offices, are probably the most crowded
places In use by the United States gov
eminent.
In these two buildings there are on
Tile military records Of settlements
with soldiers which have been collect
Ing since the establishment of these
offices in 1917 up to the present time.