Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-03-26
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.l
Washington, D. c., March 26.

CulciS VI luC NlNlolOho az 1hO POoVoihNS
department caused by the retirement of
George w. Beavers, superintendent OF
the division of salaries and allowances,
still prevails and everyone is wondering
who will be the next to 60. 1t is known
that 1st Assistant Postmaster General
Wynne has determined upon a reorgan-
ization of his branch of the service, with
the intention of breaking up the clique
of division chiefs that has become so
powerful in the last few years. A. w.
Machen, superintendent of the rural
free delivery, is the recognized head OF
this combination Of subordinate Off
Gals, and it is believed that he
is slated for retirement. He denied this
morning that he had been asked to re-
sign, or that he had expressed any in
tention of resigning. Nevertheless, the
general impression is that, in carrying
out the Wynne programme, Machen
will have to go. In bis contemplated
reorganization of the service, Mr..
Wvnne intends to take from the division
chiefs some of the authority they have
heretofore exercised in the matter of
large expenditures for the department,
and to place control of these matters di-
rectly under Postmaster General and his
assistants.
The Navy Department has been in
formed by cable that 1t. Harris Laning,
of the United States ship Dolphin, has
been taken i'll with typhoid fever and
placed in a hospital at Kingston,
Jamaica. The Dolphin is the vessel on
which Secretary Moody, Postmaster
General Payne and Congressman Cannon
are touring the West indies.
The letter of Maj. Estes g. RathbOne,
appealing from the decision of the Sec
rotary of War in dismissing the charges
brought by Rathbone against Brig Gen.
Leonard Wood, was laid before the
President this morning. 1t is under
stood on high authority that nothing
more will be done in the matter, the
President cOinciding fully in the views
expressed by Secretary Root that there
is no foundation for the charges.
The Postofice Department is to be
overhauled and practically recognized.
Most of the bureaus to be investigated
come under the First Assistant Post
master General. 1t is said that secret
service men have important information
regarding contracts in this bureau.
Society people are discussing the prob
able engagement of Senator Frye, of
Maine, and Mrs. Garrett A. Hobart,
widow of the late Vice President Hobart.
The pair will be the guests of Senator
Alger on a trip to the Pacific coast in
May. Mrs. Hobart has about 81, OOO,-
600 in her own right.
In view Of the current gossip TO the
effect that his transfer from Washington
to Buffalo was because he had become per-
soma non grata to President Roosevelt,
Col. Theodore A. Bingham, military aid
to the President, gave out for publication
today letters he had received from the
President and the Secretary of War;
expressing their satisfaction with his
labors at the White House and regret
ting that the regulations of the War
Department requiring transfers of
officers in regular rotation after COM
paratively short details, made his de-
parture to another field of duty neces-
sary. President Roosevelt takes occa-
sion in hiss letter to express his warm
personal regard for Col. Bingham.
Mrs. Roosevelt and the children Of the
White House will leave Sunday aboard
the MayAower for a ten days cruise on
the Potomac and Chesapeake Bay. All
the younger members of the Presidents
family are now home except Miss Alice
who is in Porto Rico. As the President
leaves next Wednesday for his long west
ern tour he will on Sunday say good bye
to his family until until June. Mrs.
Roosevelt will return to Washington
with her children in time to send Ted
and Kefmet to school at Groton, Mass,
as soon as the institution reopens after
Easter She will then take the younger
ones to Oyster Bay for the summer.
Col. I. A. Bingham, Superintendent
of Public Buildings and Grounds, to-
day accepted a protrait of the late Presi-
dent Mckinley, painted by w. d. Muir
ply, New York artist. The price paid
is 81, 500 appropriated by Congress two
years ago. The likeness has been APP
proved by Senators Hanna and Lodge,
Judge Day, Col. Dick and others. 1t is
a three quarters length portrait and while
1t is more ford in complexion that the
late President was ever known to be, it
is still presentable likeness. As yet,
no place has been selected for its hang
ing.
Mark Hanna, negro waiter in the
Temple Cafe, assaulted Ed. Watson, a
fellow waiter, this morning Watson's
head was injured by dish that Mark
tossed playfully in his direction Hanna
was taken to the police station and Wat
son to the hospital.
w. F. Mcclellan, chief of the warrant
division of the Treasury Department,
will leave here tomorrow for Honolulu to
settle the claims arising out of the burn
ing of buildings to prevent the spread of
the bubonic plague. These claims amount
to something over 81, 200, 900.
There was another large attendance at
Bennings today, and the track was in
fine condition for the races. The weather
is all that could be desired.