The Republican journal., 1906-05-03
of the city and surrounding country
and one should never leave Washington
until th;s +r;n has beeD made.

of the city and surrounding country,
and one should never leave Washington
until this trip has been made.
In the afternoon we took car ride
to the U. S. Navy Yard and gun fac
tory. Here guns of every size are
made, but was especially interested in
one which | will describe, as it was the
largest that l have ever seen. 1t is
called twelye-inch gun, and is At feet
long, weighs sixty-two and one'hai1
tons. and when mounted weighs los
tons. The projectile weighs $50 pounds
and it takes 400 pounds OF powder for
one charge. 1t costs $500 to fire it once.
The cost of manufacturing the above
gun is 500, 900, and it has range OF
fifteen miles. There are 800 men
working in this gun factory, divided
into three shifts of eight hours each, so
that there is no stop. Every thing goes
on night and day. While there l saw
an old French gun, called Long Tom,
1876 years old. 1t was captured from the
French by the English many years ago.
Friday morning, learning at what
time the President usually took his
morning walk in the White House
grounds, we appeared on the spot.
There are always people watching to
get glimpse OF him and we had just
arrived when MI and Mrs. Roosevelt
and their little boy and dog all came
out for walk around the grounds. L
was informed by one who seemed to
know that it is their custom to take
this walk every morning, lain or SHINE,
hot or cold, without anything oil their
heads. We could not approach very
near to them, as they were guarded by
policemen, who seemed to say, Thus
| far shalt thou come and no farther"
In the afternoon we took car ride out
through Georgetown to what is known
as Cabin Johns Bridge. This is a gran
ite structure and is claimed to be the
longest single arch span in the world.
! Saturday morning we took walk
| through the market, and it being SO
near Easter the display of flowers was
of special interest. They were of many
varieties aud very beautiful. In the
National museum | saw much that
was interesting. 1t would take very
long letter to describe the many OBJ
jects Of interest in this one building
alone. For example, there is fish IS
| feet long, the under jaw of which is 10
feet and inches in length and the
head weighed one ton. please excuse
this fish story.)
| Saturday afternoon was great day,
when all of the f. & a. NJ. and Govern
ment officials were out on parade,
headed by two bands. The occasion
was the laying of the corner stone of
the Government Office Building aud
there was great crowd to witness the
ceremonies. The gavel and trowel
used on this occasion were the same
that Washington used at the laying OF
the corner stone of the Capitol, Sept.
Is, 1898. AS good luck was with me
this day | secured a position within
twenty feet of the speakers stand and
for the first time in my life listened to
speech from the President of The
United States. Mr.. Roosevelt spoke
in a very clear tone, made his points
clear and his words felt. | was deeply
interested, and was in a position to
hear every word. The photos that we
see of the President do not tlatter him.
He is much better looking than any
likeness | have seen would indicate,
and he might say of his pictures, as
Tom Reed did hen he first saw in the
Capitol the oil painting of himself,
My worst enemy ought to be satisfied
with that
| met Alice and ''Nick," of whom SO
much has been said, out riding in their
auto. | also met Hon. Llewellyn
Powers and had a long chat with him.
While in Senator Fryes office | met
Dr. Pulsifer of Lewiston, and during
our conversation learned that l was
sitting in the chair that Hon. Chauncey
M. Depew occupies at committee meet
ings. (Strange that two insurance
men should be occupying the same
chair.)
We were present at the opening of
the Senate one day. Prayer was offered
by the chaplain, the Rev. DR.. Edward
Everett Hale: then followed the regu-
lar routine of business, which was con-
Quoted in most decorous manner. In
the House, however, one is strongly re-
minded of vaudeville show, with
about as much order as is found in a
country school at recess.
We'are having fine time in Phila-
delphia. No mud, trees and flowers all
in bloom, and fine summer weather.
L. A. ELLIOTT.