Evening star., 1904-03-22
At THE WHITE HOUSE
Friends of Alaska Appeal to
the President.
LEGISLATION NEEDED
NEW JERSEY POLITICS DISCUSSED
GOV. MURPHY NOT AMBITIOUS.
Work on White House Stables-New
Electric Plant Installed-Charges
Against Attorney Disproved.
LEGISLATION NEEDED

Electric Plant Installed-Charges
Against Attorney Disproved.
The Alaskans who have been in Wash
irgton all winter trying to impress upon
Congress the necessity for legislation for
their territory have begun to despair of OBJ
tanning that for which they have striven,
and have turned to the President to ask
him to help them The President, who be-
lieves that Alaska is sorely in need of legis-
lation if she is to make any progress at all,
has promised that he will do the best he
can. He will ask his republican friends in
the House and Senate to at least give con-
sderation 70 some of the most pressing de-
mands from Alaska. The President had a
conference today with Senator Kearns of
Utah and ]. w. Ivey, Nj. J. Sullivan and
John Rustgard of Alaska. MIR. Ivey was
the collector of customs at Sitka for years,
and knows the territory thoroughly. Mr..
Sullivan is one of the wealthy miners at
Nome and John Rustgard is the mayor of
Nome. They have been in Washington all
winter endeavoring to get Congress to pass
some laws in aid of the territory. They
have been assisted by Mr.. Mckenzie Of
Codfoot, Alaska and other influential
Alask, MS. They have had many promises
and were full of hope until within the last
week or so, when they began to see evil
dences that Congress vas preparing to ad-
journ just as soon as it could conveniently
do so, and that there would be little of q
legislative character to get through the big
srist mill at this session pertaining to
Alaska
The Alaskans declare that it would be al
most Il crime to adjourn without passing
some of the important measures that are
pending for the territory. They place the
bill for the construction of roads in Alaska
ahead of anything else, and think this ought
to go through Next in Importance they
place the mining bill, municipal government
bill and judicial division bill, with the bill
for a delegate in Congress from the terri
tory equal in Importance to any of the
Others.
The President h8.s earnestly recommended
ed remedial legislation along a number
of lines for Alaska and he hopes Con-
gress will at least pass some of the
most urgent of the Alaska measures that
are pending. The Alaskans who ac-
companied Senator Kearns to the White
House went TO the Senate and had a con-
terence with Senator Beveridge chair
man of the committee on territories,
asking him to placerbefore the commit
tee as many of the important bills as
possible and have them reported to the
Senate. Some of them have already passed
that body The House leaders will be
asked to accord recognition in that body
and it is believed high influence will
prevail upon Speaker Cannon to give one
day in the body over which he presides
to Alaskan legislation.
New Jersey State Convention.
The republican state committee of New
Jersey met at Trenton last night and fixed
upon May 10 as the date for holding the
state convention for the election of dele
gates to Chicago. Senator Kean of New
Jersey, who was present at the meeting,
was at the White House today on business
and informed the President of the republi-
can program, which is to instruct the dele
gates for Roosevelt. The four delegates at
large will be Senators Kean and Dryden
Governor Murphy and Adam Baird, the re-
publican leader at Camden. Governor
Murphy is said to have no ambitions to
become chairman of the republican national
committee. He has been talked of for the
place, but he will content himself with re-
election as national committeeman for the
party. Senator kean does not know of any
candidates from New Jersey for Vice Presi-
dent, but does not know what may develop
in that direction later on. AS the situation
looks now he does not believe New Jersey
will present a candidate of her own for
Vice President. The probability is that the
delegates from the state will support Sena-
tor Fairbanks, for whom Senator Kean is
known to have high regard Senator Dry
den is said to feel the same way. With
these two men supporting Senator Fair
him as whole.
Stables to Be Repaired.
1t is now understood that Congress will
not at this session make an appropriation or
$50 900 for the building of new stables for
the White House. and Col Symons. super
irtendent of public buildings and grounds,
saiG today that improvements would be
made in the stables from the funds in his
LIn oil haf fha taSt
was that the walls of the stable ot
porous masonry, causing great deal of
moisture, which goes into the basement,
that part of the building being damp ana
insanitary at all times. 1t is proposed to
remedy this by cement floors and excava-
tions from the outside which will permit
the water to pass away when 1T accumulates
upon the floor. 1t is feared. however, that
even this will not have the sanitary effect
that is desired. Col. Symons said the
stables would be put in as good condition
as possible as it would be at least two
years before a new stable could be built.
A New Electric Connection.
The only source IF artificial light In the
White House is electricity, and for years
the home and offices of the President have
been dependent upon the War Department
for their current of electricity. 1t was re-
Gently decided that in case of accident to
the dynamos of the War Department the
kind Such an accident might occur in the
middle of great state function and be en-
barrassing beyond speculation. To prevent
the possibility of complete darkness, the
electric light plant of the building has been
placed in connection with the electric light
plant of the city. Now in case of an acct-
dent to the supply of current from the War
Department the city switch can be resorted
to and the building lighted up at once.
There is no gas anywhere in the White
House, and, as stated, electricity is the
only method of lighting.
Col. Symons states that the fire apparatus
of the White House IS now in good shape.
There Is direct connection with the city fire
department and chemical, fire extinguishers
have been placed throughout the building.
There are, besides, water connections at
various points and hose to make the con con,
been nut through some drills to make them
familiar with the location and uses of the
water connection and extingushers.
Horace Speed to Be Renominated.
Attorney General Knox advised the Presi-