Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1905-04-20
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence.1


statesman which now hangs in the
speakers lobby Of the house. The
painting Is by Thorpe and was exc
cuted on the order of Andrew Car
negie and other admirers Of the Maine
statesman. Many years ago when
James A. Garfield was chairman of
the committee on appropriations he
attempted to have Thorpe paint
portrait of Mr.. Blaine, but the latter
entertained a superstition against hay-
ing his portrait painted i'll oils and
vetoed the movement with considerable
vigor Thorpe had, however, made
several sketches and had gathered
some data preparatory to beginning
the work, all Of which he preserved.
When Mr.. Carnegie was in Washing
ton last winter he saw the CrayOn like
ness of Mr.. Blaine among the many
gorgeous paintings of former speakers
Of the house and inquired why the
man from Maine was not similarly
depicted. On being told the reason,
he hunted up the artist, Thorpe, and
gave him an order for the portrait,
which is soon to be added to the larger
collection Of oil portraits already hung
in the speakers lobby.
Judge wickersham RcnppOinted.
Judge James WickerSham of the
third division Of Alaska has been APP
pointed by the president TO continue
In his position, and his name will be
sent to the senate when that body
| convenes again. Judge WickerSham'
name has been twice before the sen
ate and has each time failed for con-
frmatiOn owing to quiet but strong
opposition. Judge Wickersham was
charged with several offenses year
| or so ago, but when Judge w. A. Day
was sent to Alaska as Il special Off
Ger to investigate charges against a
number of people he made a report
highly praislng Judge Wickersham,
with the result that the president pro-
| poses to stand by that official
The Smoke Nuisance.
Public Printer Palmer has been con-
victed of violating the antism0ke law
and was fined $50 in a police court aft
err he advanced the contention that the
government printing office is exempt.
An appeal was taken.
President Roosevelt wrote a sharp
| letter to the District commissioners
| several months ago complaining that
smoke from a neighboring electric light
| plant damaged the White House linen
and was a nuisance to his family and
| requesting that the antsmOke act be
| vigorously enforced. A crusade was
| started and Public Printer Palmer has
| just been reached.
Historic ManteI Found.
Joseph l. Keefer of Washington re-
| Gently made an interesting discovery
| In the old octagon house, occupied by
President Madison in 1914, after the
British burned the White House.
For long time," says Mr.. Keefer,
| IT had been hunting about the old
| houses connected with the history of
| General Washington to see if l could
| find anything of famous mantel
| brought to this country by General La
fayette during the Revolutionary war,
which was one Of pair. A few weeks
ago l found the much sought object In
the old Octagon house, corner of Eight
eenth street and New York avenue,
where for years it had stood. On a cor
ner of it l found the marks of the
French maker, which correspond with
those on the other one exactly"
Fancfullt's Gift to the President.
| Professor Francesca Fanciulli, for.
mer leader of the United States Ma,
rine band, who composed an ode which
was rendered at one Of the recent In
augural concerts by the Marine band
and the chorus of 500 voices, has pre-
sented to President Roosevelt, to whom
the ode is dedicated, q manuscript
copy of the composition, handsomely
bound in an illuminated leather cover
In red and gold.
An Interesting Document.