The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-12-20
mand the influence necessary will be
entirely eliminated.
Goyernment SunnIios


Government Supplies.
One of the most important changes
imminent in departmental matters
will be a Capitalization Of the pur
chase of miscellaneous supplies. At
present the different branches of tre
service purchase their supplies inde-
pendently of each other, and the re-
suit is amusing to say the least. Orc
branch Of the government service will
pay double the price for ink, say, and
the other branch will get their Goa:
for SO cents ton less, and probably
both are supplied by the same con-
tractor. The existence of discount
for cash on list prices does not appear
to enter into the matter, although the
discount may enter big bugs pocket
Who knows? II government employee
purchases something for the govern
ment and does not get the discounts
allowed to the commercial world he
is fool. and If he gets the discounts
and puts them in his pocket he is a
criminal, and in either event should
be thrown on the cold, cold world.
The proposition of the commission
appointed by the president to look into
the matter recommended purchasing
board composed of an expert from
each department or bureau, and there
is reason to hope that it will be car
ried out.
But "rake-offs" reminds one of the
500 per month allowed for clerk hire
to members of congress- If they can
get along with member of the fam
lily they are that much ahead, and
as good man can be obtained for
$50 to SIS month there is something
left" The city is full of young men
and women out of high school with
nothing to do, and besides there is
the prospect that If the congressman
or senator takes liking to them they
have a chance to get something
good" In contradistinction, is the ac-
ton of some of the millionaire mem.
bers, who turn over their monthly
check as compensation to their secre-
taries and clerks.
By the way, are you on the mail
list of the Daily Consular and Trade
Reports, issued by the bureau of man
ufactures, department of commerce
and labor? This little daily contains
the wheat of the grain threshed over
by the consuls of the United States
throughout the world, and every i'm
Imaginable subject is covered. For
instance, Consul General Guenther
tells in recent issue Of sample
Russian method to clean and renew
furs: Bran of rye is heated as hot
as the hand can stand, stirring con-
stantly. 1t is then poured upon the
furs and thoroughly rubbed in. The
fur is then brushed or pounded until
all the particles of bran have been
removed. The fur has then regained
its former luster, and even white furs
thus treated appear like new"
The consular reports also give re.
ports of an elastic road covering sue
cessfully experimental with in Swift
zerland. The macadam is prepared
of gravel of a fineness of from 80 to
so millimeters in diameter and free
from all earthly matter. This gravel
is subjected to coating of liquid
tar in a revolving drum. 1t is next
placed in heaps and allowed to remain
for eight or ten weeks, fermentation
taking place which penetrates the
pores of the gravel and in this way
lessons the formation of dust. In COW
ering the road with this material the
utmost care must be observed and d'2
weather awaited. Forty-four pounds
of tar are sufficient for twenty-eish,
bushels of dry gravel. This macadam
is said to stand the test of twenly-
ton load drawn by six horses.
Another free circular which should
have more general distribution is
the monthly list of publications of the
department of agriculture. 1t lists the
publications, gives their nature, price
If not free, and designates where they
may be obtained. Many of the impo.s-
ant bulletins of the scientific bureaus
of the government sell for to 10
cents, while the more pretentious
cloth bound volumes seldom are
priced at over SO cents each. o.
course the government printing office
turns out some editions de luxe, the
colored illustrations bringing the
price up to even $40 per volume but
the great mass of the work is for the
general reader and priced accordingly.