The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-10-14
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence

LNO DSUS VI Tic ucW $t,OOO,OOO ultAoS
ton plant. with capacity each OF
100000 gallons of pure water, have
been opened at the capital. The open
Ing of the beds is a source OF great sat
iSfaction to the health officials, who
attribute much of the prevailing ty-
phoid fever to the daily consumption
o. from 100000 to 90,O00,000 gallons
of unfltered water for drinking and
washing purposes. The beneficial ef
fects Of the change, however, will ap-
pear only gradually, as, according to
Health Officer Woodward, from seven
to twenty-f days must elapse after
infection before the nature Of the re-
sulting disease can be thoroughly rec
ognized.
In sixty days the entire plant Ct
twenty mine beds will be put into oper-
alton, thus insuring complete filtered
water supply for the national capital.
New Form of Money Order.
Postmaster General Cortelyou direct.
ed the issuance Of new form Of money
order, which, it is believed, will be
proof against alteration at the hands
Of forgers. The department has been
greatly annoyed by the operations Of
persons who purchase money orders
for small amounts and raise them.
passing them upon merchants after Of
fee hours.
Although the direct loss falls entirely
on those who accept the orders, the de-
partment refusing to cash them except
as originally drawn, there has been
heavy indirect expense involved in tho
pursuit, arrest and conviction Of the
offenders.
The form adopted will be issued as
soon as the new plates can be pre-
pared and other necessary prelimina-
ries can be made.
White House Repainted.
After being closed for six weeks the
White House is again open. 1t was
closed for the purpose Of making re-
pairs and repainting within and with
out The White House is seldom closed
for any length of time. This year 1t
has been gone over thoroughly, but
chiefly with the paint brush. Inside
and outside it has been painted, and
the ceilings Of the corridors have been
refrescoed Minor repairs have been
made at numerous points, and the eX-
ecutive mansion will be especially
bright and cheerful in appearance
when the president and his family re-
turn to Washington in the fall.
Wong Raj Kah Coming.
The state department has been ap-
prised of the intended visit of Wong
Kai Kah, the trade commissioner Of
China, through a request of the Chi
nese minister that he be admitted at
San Francisco as a Chinese official.
The department was not informed Of
the object Of his visit save that he was
in Japan and that he was given
certificate by the United States con-
sui at Yokohama, when he left there
for the United States, stating that he
was an official Of the Chinese govern
ment 1t is understood that Wong
Kai Kah had no credentials at that
time to negotiate for better trade re-
lations between the United States and
China Wong Kai Kah was the spokes-
man Of the party with which Prince
Pu Lun came to the United States
several months ago.
Potomac Park Driveway.
The work of building the new public
driveway on the Potomac park, west
of the railway bridges and along the
shores of the tidal basin, is progress
ing quite rapidly and will be ready to
be turned over for public use long be-
fore the first snow Of the winter flies
The grading of the roadway has been
completed for about two-thirds its en-
tire length, and the rock bottom is in
position for several hundred yards from
the beginning Of the road at the end
Of the bridge to the tidal basin.
VIII Their Friendship BE Resumedf
Lady Takahira, wife Of the Japanese
minister, and Baroness Rosen, whose
husband succeeds Count Cassini as
Russian ambassador, were great chumS
in Tokyo when the baron represented
his government there. Society in Wash
ington is somewhat Interested to know
Just how these two women will act
when they meet. The Baroness ROsen
loves music and poetry, as does Lady
Takahira. Both are excellent linguists
and have a wit which long ago made
them conspicuous in the diplomatic set.
The wife of the Japanese minister Is
dainty and gracious woman, not above
five feet. She can sing like thrush,
loves to wear ropes of pearls, runs to
white in her gowns and in her intense
~ black hair wears a diamond sun
burst Of great beauty. In Tokyo the
Baroness Oyama, Lady Takahira and
Baroness Rosen were inseparable. All
three play chess.
Autograph Letters Found.
Just the other day, during a house
cleaning in the postofice department,
a number of autograph letters written
by men famous in American history
were discovered in an old and batter
ed file case. The file case had evident
~ been considered Of no value, for it
had been slowed away in little used
portion Of the cellar and would un-