Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-21

success for years
That Columbus doctor man ought to
guess again. said an official of one of the
Washington electric roads. when he talks
about the Washington lines forming a
combination with the Standard Oil Com
pany and pouring kerosene oil down the
slot in the car track to kill the mosquitoes.
l don't know DIR. Poole, and I don't know
how much stock he owns in the Standard
OH Company, but 1 do Know that he is a
Dit shy on his information about electric
railways. Where does he suppose water
goes that gets into the conduit of cleo
trio road during a storm? Does he think
the conduit fills up and carries off all the
electricity through the water? II he had
ever watched an electric road being built,
he would know there are openings into the
nearest sewer all along the conduit ex-
presslY- for draining OF the water, and If
the water ever got up as high as the third
rail, which 1t sometimes does for q time
in the midst of Storm there Is enough
electric current shot off through the water
to kill all the mosquitoes between here and
New Jersey. Likewise IL you want any
other reason why the story Is idiotic, 1t
takes mosquito wigglers seven days to o.e-
velop, and at much shorter intervals than
that gangs of men go all over the line
and scrape the dirt and street sweepings
out OF the conduit to keep 1t from filing
up. Aou may not have seen them often
because the gangs work mostly at night,
but they work all the same while you
sleep Oh, no, the story is all right, but
have to come again"
x *
Things are sometimes determined by
chance" remarked veteran naval officer
the other day, even IN the government
service. Secretary Bonaparte recently
awarded contracts for the construction of
the battleships Michigan and South Caro-
lima to the New York ShipbuiIding Com
pany and to Cramp & Sons of Philadelphia
who were the lowest two bidders. 1t was
decided to tlllot the contracts between the
two by chance. A coin was tipped and
the New York company won first choice.
That company elected to build the Michi-
gan and the only reason for the selection
was that the superintendent of the COM
pany was born in that state. The vessels
are to be exactly alike and the only choice
between the shtpbuilding companies was in
the name. 1t, is just possible that if the
Cramps had won the toss they might have
chosen the South Carolina, that in the
end each company got the ship 1t wanted"
X xx
1.-THE Mississippi river Is wonderful
stream said an army officer, land very
useful to commerce, but it has a way Of
doing some very eccentric stunts. Recently
one of the steamers used by the govern
ment engineers in the genral improvement
OF the ilNGF lOst bearings anu ran over
what had been farm few hours before
and piowed through the top of barn
which was concealed by the flood. The
result is that the War Department has been
to have been sustained by the barn. I don't
suppose a similar accident could have hap
pened anywhere else in the world"
* X
A letter was received by the District
Commissioners a day or two ago headed
white House. Washington. D. G." The
letter-head also had a photograph of the
White House printed on it. It did not,
however, emanate from the. home of the
President, as was evidenced by its con-
tents, which read as follows:
Honorable Mr.. Commishoners-I wish to
place my shoe shine chair in front of
barber shop. There is no bootblack parlor
in this naborhood, and I cannot interfere
with any one. 1 will keep the place clear
of loafers and trash. l only want to put
1t out on Sundays and 1 wish you all will
kindly oblidge for my sake and the sake of
NY customers.
Notwithstanding this appeal. the Commits
sioners were forced to reply to their dis
tinguished correspondent that the police
regulations prohibit such Of public
space.
x x X x
It's an I'll wind. etc." must have been
the reflection OF citizen who was recently
called from his exacting business pursuits
to the generally Stunned jury service IN
one OF the local courts and who put to
good account on that occasion a slight i'm
pairment of hearing. Those who observed
him as he sat with others who had come
Into court in response to a similar sum
mons noticed that he wore a pleased ex-
preston. which was in striking contrast to
the melancholy looks Of his companions.
His smile of complaeency did not vanish
either as he heard one after another of the
lame pleas offered by several unwilling
talesman rejected. When 1t came his turn
TO stand for examination as TO his quail
1caticns for jury service he advanced to
the bar with air of confidence From his
answer to the usual questions propounded
by the presiding justice it seemed that he
would surely be required to serve. But
just as he was about to be passed he stated
to the justice that he was untitled for the
duty.
How is that?" asked the Justice
II am little deaf, your honor" was the
reply.
Then the court sought to be Informed as
to the degree of the deafness.
The citizen. still smiling, said that his
wife could testify to the reality Of his at
Fiction. Il have often heard her tell my
| friends that / cannot hear WELL" he con-
tnued She says she knows 1t beyond
doubt because 1 frequently turn a deaf
ear to appeals touching the family pocket
book -
Whether the court thought that to be an
uncommon manifestation of deafness was
not stated, but the citizen was Herewith
excused