Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-27

the limit set by the rules of the de-
partment. This rule limits all routes
to maximum length of about thirty
miles. The petitions are always care
fully investigated, but nine out of ten
are denied for the reason given in the
foregoing.
At the time the war revenue taxes
were taken off it was announced that
the government would refund that
which had been paid on tobacco, pro-
viding the tobacco was still in unbro-
ken packages. AS a result hundreds
and thousands of claims are sent in
from all over the country, including
thousands from Iowa. The work of
examining and counting and paying
such an array has been slow, of
course, and the matter has been taken
up by sections and districts. Manufac-
turers and dealers in southeastern
Iowa, in the district of which H. o.
Weaver is collector, having recently
succeeded ]. M. Kemble of Muscatine,
will be glad to hear that the claims
are about to be reached and compiled,
so that they will be paid some time
near April L. There were a good
many claims presented for redemption
and tidy sum of money will go out
to Iowa at that date.
Thomas Hedge, Jr., of Burlington,
son of Congressman Hedge, is in
Washington, and will act as his ia
theirs private secretary until the end
of the present session. Mr.. Hedge re-
Gently lost his able and popular secre-
tary, Frank Robson who has accept
ed position in the law Office of j. w.
Blythe of Burlington.
Congressman Lacey evinced little
vein of sentiment the other day, dur
ing the otherwise uninteresting debate
over the army appropriation bill He
called attention to the not generally
known fact that the flag staff over
Fort Sumpter had recently been struck
by lightning and demolished. The
consequence was that the United
States flag was not flying over the
liioloii " SPot. MI. Lazy uSSldiCi lilsb'
the flag should float here by all means
and insisted on an appropriation for
a new staff. There are few men at
Washington who are more indefatig-
able or versatile than Mr.. Lacey, and
the things that he does not discover
and dig into are hardly worth consid
ering.
Steven Gessfort, prominent citizen
of Creston, was Washington visitor
recently. He spent a few days at the
capital and then went to Florida,
where he expects to remain about
three months.
A famous old Iowa resident is about
to lose fine position to which he was
appointed amid much protest by Pres.
ident Mckinley. Col. John P. Irish, of
San Francisco, is to be succeeded as
naval officer at that city by Represen,
tative Samuel ID. Woods Col Irish is
well known over the Hawkeye state
and he never forgets his old friends
Only recently ne sent a generous con.
tributicn to the old ladies' home at
Muscatine as a memory of old days
Colonel Irish, though democrat, was
appointed naval officer of San Francis
co by President Mckinley in 1896. In
the campaign of 1896 Colonel Irish, 6
democrat, VOTED the silver movement
and stumped the state of California
as a gold democrat in behalf of Nc
Kinley. Colonel Irish is an orator o.
the first class-a brilliant, dashing
giant, who spurns to wear neclltie
and whose entire personality bespeaks
| the abandon of the west in early days
He is, however, a man profoundly
learned, with rock-ribbed convictions
and independence that sometime:
| loses him friends. Mr.. Mckinley ap
| pointed Irish on account of his bril-
liant work for the cause and the ac
i.icked up quite a rumpus at the time
in California. The colonel however
was confirmed by the senate withou
| trouble. After Colonel Irish had serv
was made to get a republican into thu
place but Mckinley stood firm, say
ing the appointment was a persona
one. Even when Colonel Irish joined
the anti-imperialism movement ant
spoke against the policy of the ad
ministration Mckinley would not dis
place him, declaring that as long a.
fhe performed the duties of his offict
properly he should remain. In the ar
bitration of a commercial claim be
tween the United States and San Sal
vador last winter Colonel Irish wa'
appointed counsel for the United
States and conducted brilliant case
resulting in victory for the United
States. 1t is understood that his fe'
at this time was 100000. After tn
award had been made Colonel Irisl
said: Il have won this case and ! an
happy. care little what they do will
me politically Up in the mountain
rom San Francisco l have a ranch
On it is the finest log cabin molta
man eve, saw and in the rabin ar
good things to eat and drink. | wan
to go there and loaf with my friends
In that cabin | can go without a neck
| tie if | want to and nobody will crit
else me. But whether they CRITICS
me or not I will not wear a neclItie
God never meant mans neck to b
! decorated with q string of colore
I cloth" Colonel Irish will undoubtedi
carry out this plan.