Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-06-01
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence.1

SoAoAo lAuk WoVSU
over Fort Sumter at the time Of its
surrender to the Confederate army at
charleston IN April, 1881, and which
were afterward raised over that fort on
Its recapture by Union forces in April.
1874, were recently received by Secre-
tary Taft. There are two of these f1aes.
one Is a garrison flag, the largest
known to the service, and the other Is
a post flag, somewhat smaller. In both
nags the union Is In a fair state Of pres
ervation, but the remaining portions
are tattered and torn and are held to-
getner simply by a mass of threads.
These standards were kept in the
possession Of Major (afterward Cen
eraD Anderson, who commanded the
fort at the time Of its surrender, up to
the time Of bis death and were since
retained by his widow up to the time Of
her death a few months ago. In the
Will Of Mrs. Anderson 1t was provided
that the historic flags should be turned
over to the war department for safe
keeping and preservation. In accord
a!nce with that provision of her will her
daughters, who were made her execu-
tors, transferred the flags to Secretary
Taft.
Secretary Taft has directed that the
dags be wrapped up at their full
length and placed In a frame case with
a glass front. They will be displayed
in the s%ecretary's room.
Additions to the Capitol.
Within a year or two there are to be
built two additional wings to the capt.
toll building. They are not wings in the
sense that they are attached to the pres
ent building as are the wings now oc-
cupled by the senate and house, but
they will be connected with the capitol
by tunnels and moving sidewalks,
which will make them easily accessible
to both bodies. These buildings are the
house and senate Office buildings. They
are certain to be a credit in the matter
of appearance and will be fairly expen-
sive before they are completed, espe-
cially as the house is now taking the
initiative in spending money freely in
the matter Of fitting up quarters for It,
self. Its building will be marble on the
outside and with such appurtenances
on the inside as will make it equal in
appearance and comfort to any other
great office building Of the country. 1t
has been already determined that the
senate building will be almost a dupli-
| cate Of the house building.
Presidential Visits.
1t would be interesting to know what
is the largest city in the United States
that has never had a visit from a presi-
dent. 1t was related at the time Of
Mr.. Roosevelt's visit to Manchester,
N. H., that he was the fifth president
who had been there, Jackson, Grant,
Hayes and Harrison having been there
too. Providence is n Of the few cities
Of the country that boast Of a presi-
dental visit from George Washington.
Aside from the presidents who died so
soon after going into Office that they
hardly left the White House, notably
William Henry Harrison, it is probable
that they have all as presidents visited
Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York.
President Roosevelt will have seen be-
fore his term expires most Of the cities
Of the country.
Washington's Fairgrounds.
DR.. Henry S.. Curtis Of New York has
been visiting Washington, having been
invited here by the authorities to as
sumo supervision over the development
Of Fairgrounds for children in the
southwestern section Of the city.
After inspecting the section in which
it is proposed to establish the play
grounds DR.. Curtis said:
washington is far behind other cit
les in the money 1t spends on play
grounds. Chicago, for instance, spent
5 100000 for Fairgrounds alone last
year, while New York and Boston have
spent more than a hundred times as
much as Washington. More money is
wanted In Washington for this purpose,
and I would like to see Washingtonians
wake up to the necessity Of play
grounds"
Men St~enographers Needed.
Under the government service more
men stenographers are constantly need
ed. Last year there were examined
1928 stenographers and typewriters, Of
which number 427 passed. The gov
eminent service needed all that passed
the examinations, but when the places
were actually offered to the men it was
found that Of 427 men who had shown
themselves to be qualified only 267
were ready to accept places. Govern
ment officials found that they couldn't
induce men to 60 into the service for
$720 or $940 per annum, although they
held forth the prospect Of prompt pro-
motion. The same condition to some
extent existed in relation to the wo-
men, although the demand Is greater
for men than for women st~enographers.
Song Birds at the Capital.
During the past two years." said
the White House Waterman the other
day, 1.-THE English sparrow has been
going to the wall fast, and I believe
that pretty 500 there will be very few
of them left. The song birds are COM
ing back into possession of the parks
in Washington. and If you take a walk
through the Mall Won can see for YOUR