The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-04-21
Wasbing1On Letter
Especial Correspondence

capitol by President Washington near
! ly 113 years ago was the ceremony Of
laying the cornerstone Of the new Of
fee building for members of the house
| of representatives. Federal Masonic
lodge, which had charge Of the cere-
mony in Washington's time, had the
honor Of swinging the cornerstone Of
the house annex into place.
In accordance with tradition the
stone is at the northeast corner of the
building, and its location corresponds
with that of the capitol cornerstone.
Since the original capitol was built
wings have been added at the north
and south ends, so the keystone of the
building is now well toward the center
of that great structure.
The New once Building.
The foundation Of the magnificent
new house Office building is completed,
and the floor beams for the first story
are now in place. The senate Office
I building, which is in course of con-
structiOn Immediately north of the
capitol grounds, is not as far advanced
as the house building, and it's corner
stone cannot be laid at the present ses-
sion Of congress.
These two buildings when completed
will take the place of additions Origi-
Dally proposed to the capitol building,
but which were objected to on the
ground that they would mar the archi-
tectural scheme of that structure. Each
Of the new buildings will occupy q
complete square Of ground, and they
will be magnificent white structures Of
classic design to harmonic with the
capitol and library of congress.
The Capitol Building.
Sept. IS, 1893, was the exact date Of
the laying Of the cornerstone of the
main capitol building by President
Washington. Excepting the central
portion, it was burned by the British
in 1914. The entire building was fin
ished in 1927. The cornerstones for the
extensions at the north and south ends
of the main building were laid by
President Fillmore July 4, 1851, when
Daniel Webster was the orator. The
extensions, which contain the present
senate and house chambers, were first
occupied in 1857 and 1852
A Monument to Reed.
A souvenir of the monument to the
late Tom Reed has been presented to
the president by Representative Allen
on behalf of Maine people. The Maine
people propose to erect a monument
costing $4,000 or 100000 to Reed, and
the money is being raised by popular
subscriptions. The president was one
of those who subscribed. The souvenir
consists of parchment In token Of his
subscription. 1t bears a fine portrait
of the famous speaker of the house.
Dead Letter ONCE CuriOs.
One Of the curios opened in the dead
letter Office recently was a set Of false
teeth of mammoth proportions. They
were semicircular in shape and meas
ured twelve inches around. The teeth
were well made and beautifully pol
ished, set in terra Gotta base and
weighed four pounds. Another curious
specimen received was a stuffed owl,
but this had become badly damaged.
OOHN VI 6Gta DABNEA1uAAOAs
Postmaster General Cortelyou has
supplied the chairman of the house
committee on appropriations with a
memorandum as to the actual cost to
the postOffice department Of handling
the seeds furnished by the department
of agriculture for free distribution.
'As nearly as can be estimated the
cost of carrying a pound of this mail
matter varies from to cents,' he
says. 81 have been informed that the
aggregate weight Of vegetable and
flower seeds distributed annually by
the department of agriculture under
frank is $4,000 pounds. The estimated
number of packages is 100000. Com
putting at the lowest estimate, cents a
pound, the cost of handling this matter
is $34, 500"
He pointed out that the 100000
packages clog the mails and take up
the time of a large number Of clerks
and carriers, which might be otherwise
proitably employed.
Won't Ride Astride.
Alice acknowledgement, while she
delights in horseback riding, prefers
the old fashioned sidesaddle instead Of
the one modelled after the mems sad
die. which so many Of her sisters affect.
This preference was shown when
Colonel William F. Cody C'BuffalO
BillO desired to make the White House
bride a wedding present. He wrote
to Miss Roosevelt asking her prefer
ence, "a side or astride saddle"
Miss Roosevelt promptly responded
that she did not use the "astride" sad
die. Colonel Cody therefore had one
Of the finest side saddles ever made In
the United States sent to the White
House. He has since received a letter
Of thanks from Mrs. Longworth and
one from President Roosevelt.
The Italian Ambassador.
Baron Mayor des Planches, the Ital-
ian ambassador, who has been absent
since last fall, is not expected to re-
turn from Italy before the beginning
of the summer.
The ambassador had to leave Wash
ingtOn on account of HIS health brt