Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1903-10-09
WASHINGTON LETTER


lSpeClal correspondence.
The thousands of visitors who come
to Washington each year also visit
some of the interesting places about
the city. Very few omit trip to
Mount Vernon, and as they generally
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
ly interested in the defenses of the cap
ital. Some way the fact that Wash
ington was once captured and burned
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 n 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 a 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 q 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
ton he said, but l played with the
best white boys of that town. When
the circus was in town the other day
1t brought to my mind that circus
came to Wilmington every year l was
q little slave boy in that town, but
saw it every time it came. My old
missus always gave me a quarter and
]
used to send me to nearly everything
that took place. She never struck me
blow in my life or allowed any one
else to do it. Sometimes she would
pull one of my ears to bring me to q
remembrance of something she told
me. God bless her. l wish she was
living today"
New Patent once Division.
A new division, to be known as Di-
vision Z, has been established in the
United States patent office to relieve
the assignment division from much of
its heavy work The assignment di-
vision has charge of typewriter man
uscript copies of the records of the Of
flee. The clerks get an average of
from 10000 to $4,000 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 II. Holmes, chief of the bu-
reau of ethnology, has been placed
upon exhibition in a specially made
tr1a 70 no laft Of 10
main entrance as one enters the Ma
tional museum.
Out of respect for the memory of the
martyred president it was decided at
the time not to place his death mask
on exhibition until 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 a 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 fol
printing and binding, the department
of commerce will request an appropri
alton from the next congress of nearly
$2,50O00O to double the capacity OF
the printing establishment, which ever
now is the largest in the world.
1t is the plan of the public printer tC
have built two large wings conforming
to the architecture of what is now
known as the new Office and which il
built will surround the government
printing office square on three sides
with a collection of buildings equal Il
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
ly growing business. Plans for new
additions have been presented TO Sec
rotary Corteltou and approved by Mr.
Palmer.