Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-12-28
FROM WASHINGTON.
A Taste of Real winter-Grangers for
Good Roads-PubIic Buildings.

new and novel at the national capitol
This winter 1t has been real winter oil
snow and Ice. lasting for a couple Of
weeks during December. The Anticipated
runners have been out every day and
night, and ighbells have been jlngiine
| on every Thorough fare. There has been
good skating on the Potomac; the air has
been crisp. The scene about the capitol
has been quite as wintry Is in Ellsworth
or even more into the interio. OF Maine.
| Aud yet those who delight In q severe
| winter, such as New England affords, are
| disposed to complain at Wsshington's
| winters. Senator Hale observed few
days ago that he had never seen such a
Washington winter In December.
"But," said he, ~ don't like this kind
OF a winter. The Maine winters are
hesitbfuI and invigorating. The ground
freezes up tight. The snow acts as sort
of blanket. Nothing injurious to health
In the shape OF decaying vegetation, or
otherwise, escapes. Here 1t Is Just the
opposite. The snowstorms In the District
OF Columbia seem to bring all the bad
odors out OF the ground. The air Is not
as crisp and nerve bracing as In Maine,
when the winter comes. instead OF pro.
noting good health, Washington winters
have a contrary effect"
II the senator could have New England
weather conditions In Washington from
December to April, he would enjoy resi-
dence here far better. And with him In
that are many other New Englsnders,
whose homes are in Washington.
The name OF Hancock county has been
In the Congressional Record occasionally
OF late, prior to the adjournment OF Con-
& for the Christmas holidays. Several
oranges have been writing to Gov. Bur.
leigh about the establishment OF a bureau
of public highways. One OF them was
Good VIII grange, No. 376, and another
was John Dority grange, No. 3si. There
have also been others, whose names are
not at hand this moment. Similar COM
.punications and petitions are coming
from other parts OF the country.
Gov. Burieigh has had the petitions,
that were sent to him, presented in the
House and, after q note lie made of their
presentation by him, he has them
referred to the House committee on sgri-
culture. The chairman OF that COM
mittee is Representative James W..
wadsworth, Of tennessee, N. Y, veteran
member OF the House, who has large
agricultural interests in his home county
"A locality that has been very energetic
In the construction OF good roads.
It cannot be dou bted that Congress-,
sooner or later, will consider the appeal OF
grangers from all over the country for q
bureau CT public highways. 1t cannot
come at this session OF Congress, for Con-
gress has about all It can do between now
and March to pass the appropriation
bills to keep the government running Tor
another year.
1t Is no news to the grangers in Maine
that the department Of agriculture has
been greatly interested in the construc-
tion OF good roads, and that Secretary
efficient men to study the question and
put the result Of their observations and
studies In printed bulletins for distribu-
tion to farmers.
The department has an soffice OF public
road inquiries'', OF which Martin Dodge,
residing at Landover, Nd, only a few
miles from here, is director, and Maurice
o. Eidridge, Of this city, assistant direc-
tor.
The opinion prevails here that some
thing towards the enlargement of that
bureau, along the line of these grange
petitions, is more probable than federal
appropriations for good roads. There are
two picturesque and energetic advocates
OF such federal appropriations, now In
Congress, and they have several earnest
supporters, some Of whom are senators,
but more OF whom are members.
Strange as it may seem both OF them are
sout herners-Senator Latimer, OF South
Carolins, a democrat, and Representative
w. p. Brownlow, repu blicaD, Of Tennes-
see. The roads in the South are the worst
In all the country, and southerners feel as
keenly as any the need of road improve
ments.
man, has been very active In behalf OF
rural free delivery, and was member OF
the postoffice committee, when he served
In the House. He Is a colleague OF Sena-
tor Tillman, and quite as much at home
In q rough and tumble controversy,
although by no means as keen q man
Intellectually.
Representative Brownlow is a nephew
OF that famous Parson Brownlow, who
was so steadiast for the Union during the
trying Civil war times. Browniow Is as
stocky a looking citizen as ever came out
Of the Tennessee mountains, and is very
much In earnest.
1t has become something Of an old story
to tell about new public buildings for
Maine, especially for Bar Harbor. But 1t