Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-10-17
WASHINGTON LETTER
rsnecial Corresp.ondence.l

Mount vernon, ana as tney SeHcIdily
go by boat they are of course much
interested in the sights along the river.
1t is rather surprising, however, to
find that most of them are particular
" interested in the defenses of the cap
ital. Some way the fact that Wash
ington was once captured and burned
by the British has made a profound
impression upon the people, and they
are anxious that it shall never occur
again. While the forts that guard the
Potomac river are not very formula
BILE to look at from the deck of a river
steamer, yet when it is explained that
the disappearing guns of both Fort
Washington and Fort Hunt are so ar
ranged that they could sink any ship
that attempted to force its way up the
river, and, further, that hostile fleet
would have to pass the batteries at
Fort Monroe, they are satisfied. Wis
itors from the inland states do not be-
grudge the millions that have been
spent on coast defenses.
His "OId MIssus."
Arthur Simmons, the historic colored
doorkeeper at the White House, never
forgets to say how much he owes to
the rearing given him by the white
lady who owned him and saw him to
young manhood. IF she was living
today and needed mouthful of bread
or some money she could have every
cent I've got" is the way Simmons
speaks of my old missus," and his
eyes sometimes fill with tears. ''She
didn't let me play with the bad negro
boys and bad white boys of Whining
| tom he said, but l played with the
best white boys of that town. When
the circus was in town the other day
it brought to my mind that Il circus
came to Wilmington every year l was
little slave boy in that town, but 1
saw it every time it came. My old
miSSus always gave me q quarter and
| told me to go and see the circus. She
used to send me to nearly everything
that took place. She never struck me
n blow in my life or allowed any one
else to do it. Sometimes she would
pull one of my ears to bring me to a
remembrance of something she told
me. God bless her. l wish she was
living today"
New Patent OiHce Division.
\ new division, to be known as Di-
vision L, has been established in the
United States patent office 20 relieve
the assignment division from much OF
| its heavy work. Tile assignment di- |
vision has charge of typewritten man
uscript copies of the records of the of
| fee The clerks get an average of
from 10000 to 10000 words to write
each day, and sometimes 100000 words
are ordered, and the work has fallen
| behind, though the division employs
eighty clerks and expert typewriters.
| Commissioner Allen, after considering
! the situation, decided to create the new
division and transfer TO it some of the
clerks from the assignment division
and two others.
The Mckinley Death Mask.
! Pursuant to orders from Secretary
Langley, the death mask of President
William Mckinley, taken while he lay
in state at the capitol by Professor
William H Holmes, chief of the bu-
reau of ethnology, has been placed
upon exhibition in a specially made
glass case a little to the left of the
main entrance as one enters the Ma
tional museum.
Out of respect for the memory of the
the time not to place his death mask
on exhibition until Il year or two after
his death, and this explains why until
now it has remained locked up in the
office and workroom of Professor
Holmes. Very few people have ever
seen this death mask. Thus far it has
attracted q great deal of attention
among strangers who have visited this
city during the past few weeks in con-
siderable numbers.
Printing Plant to BE Enlarged.
Taxed by the increasing demands
made by government departments for
printing and binding, the department
of commerce will request an appropri-
atiorf from the next congress of nearly
s., 100000 to double the capacity Of
the printing establishment, which even
now is the largest in the world.
1t is the plan of the public printer to
have built two large wings conforming
TO the architecture of what is now
known as the new Office and which If
built will surround the government |
printing office square on three sides
with collection of buildings equal to
any in Washington. Public Printer
Palmer has discovered that the struc-
ture will not give him one-half the
room required TO carry on the constant
~ growing business. Plans for new
additions have been presented to Sec |
rotary COrtelyou and approved by Mr.. |
Palmer.
shutters Are Coming Down.
1t does not need the almanac to tell |
us that the summer is ended. The APP
preaching season is indicated in Wash |
ington so clearly that he who runs |
may read in the taking down of shut |
tiers from long closed houses and in |
creased activity everywhere. The ma |
tional capital regularly goes to sleep |
for a few months every year and sud-
denly wakes up again with the first |
days of autumn.
A San Juan Flag.