Bisbee daily review., 1902-08-26
WASHINGTON LETTER
Special Correspondence.l

The work of the newly organized and increased bicycle squad of the local police department is proving wholly satisfactory 10 Major Sylvester. who has long advocated an improve ment of that particular branch of the police service. Since the new squad has been on duty on the principal thoroughfares of the city it has cor rected a large number of abuses Of the police regulations.
 The charge of maintaining the handle bars of his bicycle on a plane four inches below the plane of the saddle was preferred against Charles A. Smith in police court the other morning, and upon conviction the de- fendant was compelled to pay fine of S1. The regulation was made sev- tral years ago to prevent scorchers from colliding with pedestrians by rid ing head down at high rate of speed. Very few arrests have been made late ly for this violation of the regulation
 Free Quarters For veterans.
 A large number of letters are re ceived from day to day by the officials of the citizens committee in charge of preparations for the coming na- tional encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic asking as to free quar- ters for veterans. To all these com munications reply is made that the allotment of free quarters is exclu. sively under the control of the national headquarters of the c. A. R. at Min neapolis. and that all applications for such quarters should be made there.
 In a circular letter sent out some time ago by the committee to the de partment commanders of the c. A. R. and division commanders of the Sons of Veterans, attention is called to this matter. The citizens committee Is earnestly deslrous that all the old veterans who wish to come. but who may be debarred through inability to meet the expense of quarters while here. may be provided for, and so ex- presses itself in all replies to letters on the subject
 The District a Territory.
 The District commissioners have re- ceived from Secretary of State Hay 2 letter similar to those sent to all Ccv- ernors Of states and territories in the United States representing the scholar ships offered to Americans under the terms of the will of the late Cecil Rhodes Mir Mcfarland has moved that the papers be referred to tine board of education for its report. ana after the receipt of that the conm.s- sioners will formally reply to the com  munication of MT. Hay.
 The receipt of the letters settles t-.c mooted Question as to whether the Dis trict of Columbia came under the head of a state or territory within the mea1- ing of the will CT was merely a city The letter being sent 10 the commis- sioners by the. of state is ac- cepted as evidence from high authority that legally the District of Columbia exists in the status of territory of the United States
 District Pays Union Wages.
 In response 10 a recent cOmlnunica- tion from James E. Mitchell. acting secretary of the Building Trades Coun- cil. regarding the rate of wages paid to employees in the District repair shop. the District commissioners have forwarded to him the following f-en- orandum from G. r. Coleman, super.D- tendent of repairs:
 .'The following mechanics employed by this department are receiving union wages: Carpenters. 8 per diem; paint CTS, s2.6O: timers. S2.s0; bricklayers, S4.5O. and laborers, S1.50 per diem. The only mechanics who are not paid union wages are the plasterers. Last summer only two applications were re ceived for this class of work. and in each case s250 per diem was asked As a very small amount of plastering (patching) has to be done the two men who made application were employed and gave entire satisfaction"
 Night Work as White House.
 A night force of carpenters has been put to work on the interior of the White House. For the first time in the history Of the old building work men are driving nails and manipulat- ing sawa and other tools by electric