The National tribune., 1906-09-13

the Isthmian Canal Commission has is.
sued specifications for bids to furnish
$500 coolies to the Canal Commission
by Jan. Z. 1907.
| The document is voluminous. com.
prising an appendix of more than e1
pages of closely-printed matter, con-
| tanning all the laws passed by Congress
relative to the canal, all the Presidents
| orders, as well as the Commission
| several acts regarding the administra-
/ tive work.
While only $500 coolies are asked
for, it is stated that if the experiment;
is successful the Commission may call
for additional numbers of the Chinese,
not to exceed 1000 a month.
All proposals must be accompanied
| by check of $4,000. and the bond o.
the successful bidder will be advanced
! to 100000 The bids must be in the
lands of the Commission not later than
10 a. m, Sept. 20, at which time they
will be opened.
The invitation asks for not less than
$500 Chinese laborers for period o:
lot less than two years. The working
lay is to consist of 10 hours and over
time in excess of o ..vurs per day. and
all work on Sundays and holidays vii:
be paid at the rate of time and half
time. Sunday, Jan. l, Feb. 90, July 4.
Nov. 3. Thanksgiving. Dec. IS. and the
first and last days of the Chinese new
year are to be considered as holidays,
upon which no work is to be perform
ed, except in case of extraordinary
emergency.
Families and children will be allowed
to accompany laborers in proportion Of
5 per cent of the total number at any
one time.
The specifications require that the
Chinese laborers shall all be able
bodied men between the ages OF 81 and
~ years. Fifteen thousand is the limit
which the Commission has fixed upon
as the number of laborers which it viii
employ at any one time under present
conditions. Contractors and their Ia
borers are to be immune from taxation
by the Government of the Canal Zone
or by the United States.
The invitation to submit proposals Is
signed by Chairman Shonts. of the
Canal Commission.
Examinations will be held at the
State Department on Oct. 1 to select
six student Interpreters to serve in the
American Consular Service in Japan
and one interpreter for the service in
SIllid 1HutI lHt IlpioHldtIC anu 'ph-
sular act passed by the last Congress
16 student interpreters are provided foT
in the far East, and there are seven
vacancies in the corps
Oh. oh. Now. whatever does this
mean? Secretary Taft will make for
NAL announcement to the President
that he does not desire the profferGd
position on the United States Supreme
ed to Nicholas Longworth while dis
cussirg Ohio politics in New York a
few days after his return from his we'd
ding trip.
Mr.. Longworth and Secretary Taft
are fellow-tOwnsmen, both claiming
Cincinnati as their home, and the above
statement was incidental to a discus
sion concerning the Republicans who
are scurrying for an available man to
lead them in the fight against control
of the party machine by Senator Dick.
Dan, the Grevy zebra presented to the
National Geological Park about two
years ago by MeneIik II, Emperor of
Abyssinia, has been transferred to tha
experiment station of the Bureau OF
Animal Industry OF the Department o.
Agriculture, at Bethesda, Me-. where
it is hoped to produce hybrid with
greater qualities of stamina than those
of mule.
Dan is one of the finest species of
the Greyy zebra in captivity. He is val
ued ct $4,000. while ordinarily $500 is
considered good price to pay for one
II was for breeding purposes that Dan
was secured from the Abyssinian Mon
arch, and Head Keeper Blackburn has
te en- anticipating ever since his arrival
that he would be transferred to the ex-
pertinent station.
Zebras are noted for their wildnes,
and swiftness, but are not considered
cf more than ordinary Intelligence
they seem to have an unlimited amount
Of strength. and it is thought that these
qualities when bred with a mare Will
produce a hybrid that will be especially
useful on farms and other places where
there are heavy loads to haul. In the
meantime students of zoology are
watching closely for the result of the
experiment
A baby tapir died at the Zoo recently
after a short Illness. The little fellow
was born last June. His father was
presented to the Zoo by Admiral Todd
who captured him while cruising on the
Amazon River on the battleship Will
niington.
Official maps of the proposed State OF
Oklahoma were issued by the General
Land Office few days ago for the first
time. So great has the demand for
these become that the office is forced
to charge fee.
The map was prepared by Frank
Bond, Chief of the Drafting Division of
the Land Office, and shows the dividing
line between Oklahoma and the Indian
Territory to have been eliminated. The
Counties of Oklahoma are shown, al
though the Indian Territory has never
been thus divided. Thirty Recording
Districts take the place of Counties in
the latter, and the Constitutional Con-
vention will be called upon to give these
Up-to-date American names.
Representative Wyatt Aiken. of Abb
beville, $. c., is another member of
Congress who will bring a bride to
Washington next Winter Invitations
have just been received in this city b.
the friends of Representative Aiken for
his marriage to Miss Adair Munroa
Taylor. of Louisville, Ky. The ccre-
mony took place on the evening of
Wednesday, Sept. 5, at the Second Pres
Lyterian Church at Louisville
Miss Taylor has no parents living,
and the invitations were issued by her
81 MT, Miss Annie F. Monroe. Repre-
sentative Aiken is well liked in this
city. where he has many friends. some
iatIng back to the time when he went
| to school here during his fathers term
in Congress. he being the son of Hon.
D Wyatt Aiken. who represented hin
ia. ,,.E.. So. 4