The Morris County chronicle., 1905-11-14
w Washington Letter
NEWS FROM THE CAPITAL

Beneath the sneets of the city Of
Washington there have been laid a to-
tai Of 1855 miles of sewers, Of which
1882 are main sewers ana 1868 pipe
sewers.
TO thus provide for the proper sewer
age and sanitation Of the capital has
cost a grand total Of $13,6l3, ,932. SO. or
an average Of $29,052 for each mile
constructed
During the past fiscal year the mile
age OF sewers constructed amounted to
but III miles, at cost Of $1,154,
64S.s5. or S9s,679 per mile The unusu-
ally high figure per mile for the past
year is due to the addition Of four
miles to the main sewer system.
Loan sharks In Departments.
Investigations have been ordered in
the war department. treasury depart
ment and certain bureaus Of the inte-
rior department into the methods Of
usurers, or, as they are popularity called
in the government service, 10 per cent
ers Information has been received
by the heads Of the departments named
or their bureau chiefs to the effect that
not only are money sharks operating
outside the government departments
and victimising the clerks, but that
there are syndieates organized inside
the departments and Differed by de
partment clerks.
Schemes of Money Lenders.
One Of the schemes being worked is
for the borrower to give his note for a
sum far in excess oil the amount which
he borrows, and the note reads at 6
per cent. AS he signs it voluntarily
and as 1t comes within The usury laws.
these notes have been collected through
the process Of the courts
One letter, addressed to The head Of
the department by an $500 a year
clerk. stated that he. had borrowed $45
four years ago and in that time had
paid S144 interest and now had a debt
which was being pressed against him
for 500.
Capitol improvements.
When the senators and representa-
tiyes return to Washington shortly To
attend the approaching session of con-
gress they win be astonished at the
transformation Al the interior of the
capitol, for which they will be indebt-
ed to Elliot Woods, superintendent Of
the capitol building and grounds. This
work, which has occupied the whole
time since the adjournment Of the last
congress, is now nearing completion.
Perhaps the most gratifying Of all
the improvements are the three com
plete systems Of fiue ventilation, in
stalled during the past summer, in ev.
cry part Of the great building Owing
to the lofty dome and rotunda Of the
capitol the fireplace and fue system
has been more or less defective and
subject to counter drafts To correct
this serious defect all the tlues have
been equipped with exhaust fans and
such other apparatus as win put q stop
to the smoke from the fireplaces going
the wrong way
Rotunda Restored.
From an artistic standpoint the most
notable improvement lies in the
changes made in the rotunda. The en-
tire upper portion Of the rotunda has
been cleaned and painted, and the hid
eous steamboat paint" of the sand
stone walls has been completely scrap
ed away. revealing the beautiful red
brown color and stratiiieation Of the
walls, which harmonize wonderfully
with the color scheme above.
The sandstone used in the walls is OF
an unusually fine, rich color, some
what resembling Siena marble. while
the door posts and lintels, which are
Of a rich purplish brownstone that
formerly under white paint looked like
cheap pine affairs, stand in effective
contrast to the walls. The basreliefs,
especially the one depicting Penn and
the Indians, are now works of art,
whereas formerly they looked as
though the sculptor had drawn his in
,spiration from some almanac. There
is now something about the rotunda
that reminds one Of the interior Of a
Greek temple. The color Of the walls,
the graining or stratification of the
stone. harmonize with the historical
paintings above.
The New Bronze Doors.
The new bronze doors at the entrance
to the house are now in place The bas-
reliefs on the south door of the house
entrance, counting from top to bot
tom are: 1.-THE Wyoming Massacre,
"The Battle Of lexington ''Presenta-
ton Of Colors to Colonel Moultrie' aud
death Of Montgomery" On the north
door, following in the same order, the
reliefs are: sF'igst Reading Of the Dec
laration Of Independence, Signing the
Treaty Of Peace at Paris" Farewell
Of Washington and FRANKLIN In His
Laboratory
RUG Made Like Flag.
A beautiful large rug made III imfta-
tion Of the United States flag has been
hung in tile anteroom Of the diplomatic
room in the state department. 1t Isl
made entirely Of silk and is seven feet
eight inches long, four feet wide and
one inch thick. 1t is the product Of the
looms in the Industrial establishment