The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-12-22
LETTER
lspeciai Correspondence

Captain \. w. Butt, the depot quarter
master In this city, is trying the expert
ment of having all the transportation
work of the army in this city done by
the teams and vehicles of the quarter
masters department instead of letting
out the work by contract, as has been
the practice since the Spanish war.
1t is officially stated that the change
of practice is due to the rapidly in
creasing expense of the contract sys-
tenn. Captain Butt expects that the
government will save from 5000 to
$1,000 per month during the busy e a
son by doing it's own hauling and trans
portation in the District. 1t is further
stated that the contract price for trans
porting local military supplies this year
is exactly double that of last year and
that prices appear to be steadily ill.,
creasing. The facilities of the depot
quartermaster in the matter of trans
portation have been largely increased
within the past few weeks by the aban-
donment of the depot of st. Asaphs and
the transfer of the teams, ETC., to this
city.
Greenough's Washington.
The Greenough statue of George
Washington, which stands OIL the es-
planade east Of the capitol, cannot en-
dure the rough winter weather of this
city. Elliott Woods, superintendent Of
the capitol and grounds, will ask con
gress to pass a resolution providing
that the statue be placed somewhere
indoors. The Father Of His Country, de-
ejcted by Greenough in a classical but
seminude condition, will be entirely
destroyed If left much longer exposed
to the elements. The statue is Of fine
italian marble and was brought from
Italy sixty-fve years ago. 1t is twenty
feet high and weighs twenty-one tons.
Thus far it has cost the government
$42,17O.74.
No More silve Dollars.
The annual report of Director Rob
erts of the United States mint bureau
says that all silver bullion purchased
under the acts of 1873 and 1880 is now
gone, the accounts with it closed and
the coinage Of the silver dollar is at
an end unless in the future new legisla-
ton upon the subject is passed. The
director says:
1.-THE total issue of silver dollars from
1893 to the cessation OF dollar coinage
has been S57S,3O3, S4S. The aggregate
Of all seigniorage of coinage under the
acts of 1873 and 1890 was $134, 1874, 1856.
The average purchase price OF silver
bought in the fiscal year 1878 was
$1.204 per fine ounce, and the average
price in the last year purchases were
made, the fiscal year 1904, was 73.1
cents per ounce. The bullion value of a
silver dollar in 1878 was 93.1 cents and
in 1894 56.5 cents"
Congress Bars Flowers.
There were no flowers in either house
on the opening day of congress. Two.
years ago, sooll after Speaker Cannon
was sworn in, al attempt was made to
bring in large floral pieces and place
them upon the desks of members, and
the speaker issued positive orders to
stop the proceedings, and the banks of
flowers remained in the Hobbies.
A standing resolution Of the senate
was adopted during the last session Of
congress barring flowers from the SEN
ate chamber.
Cost of the Inauguration.
President Roosevelt's Inauguration
was the most expensive in American
history. The report of General John
M. Wilson. chairman of the inaugural
committee, was made public recently
and shows that it cost $145,491.29 to in
augurate Mr.. Roosevelt.
The amount raised by the committee
also broke all records. 1t was $780,
221.95, which exceeds by $4,000 the
largest SUN heretofore raised for such
/ a purpose. The balance, 81, 73O.67, has
been turned over to the treasurer of
the Auditorium association.
The White House silver.
Housewives who delight in dainty
table silver will sympathize with the
mistress of the White House when it
is known that the furnishings of the
mansion do not include a complete
service nor u chest of spoons, knives
and forks. Three years ago. when the
beautiful china set was purchased,
Mrs. Roosevelt wished to have all the
odds and ends of silver melted and re-
cast in new designs. There was a
great cutlery, and vox populi decreed
that Dolly Madison's spoons and the
| Lincoln forks must not be changed in
any way. Mrs. Roosevelt has bought
odd pieces every year from the fund.
allowed for such purposes, and now
when the board is spread the silver
makes a good appearance.
The Mcclellan Statue,
Mr.. Frederick MacMonnies, the Amer
lean sculptor, who now has a studio in
Paris, has notified Colonel Cromwell,
the engineer officer in charge Of public
buildings and grounds, who is the ex-
ecutive officer Of the congressional
commission charged with the erection
of an equestrian statue Of General G.
B. Mcclellan in this city, that he has
completed the full size plaster model
Of that statue and that it is now ready
to be cast into bronze. In view Of that
fact ho asked that an noont ho an.