The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1906-11-15
VQasbtngton Chat

the closing session of the 69th Con-
gress. Coming with them will be the
vast throng of people from all parts of
the country who make it practice to
take up a residence in Washington
during the Congressional season
some to transact business with one or
the other of the legislative bodies,
others to reside at the Seat of Govern
ment just to participate in the social
excitement. For these reasons the
hotel men, boarding house proprietors,
real estate dealers and shop keepers
are wearing the smile that won't come
off, in anticipation of the harvest that
is to be. All lines of business expect
a prosperous period and judging from
the numerous hotel bookings already
made, the late corners will be obliged
to take about anything that is left in
the line of Accommodations.
Senators and Representatives upon
returning to the Capitol Building,
will find that during their summer
vacation thorough house cleaning
has taken place and everything put in
tip-top shape for a "clean" session.
Not single nook or corner from the
sub-basement to the very top of the
dome has failed to receive scrubbing
with the result that the marble walls
shine brilliantly, the stone floors are
as clean as the kitchen of New
England housewife and the crystal
windows give the entire building the
appearance of "spotless town.
In previous housecleanings, the
carpets and rugs, of which there are
several thousand, have been taken
up and sent to carpet cleaner but
this year all were left on the floors
and were cleaned by the compressed
air process. This was great saving
in money and labor and the carpets
look as we'll, If not better, than when
done in the old way. Some of the
Committee Rooms have been entirely
refurnished while others contain the
dingy furniture that has done duty
for untold years. Most all of these
rooms would have been brought up to
date by new fittings were it not for
the comparatively short time until
the new House of Representatives
Office Building will be finished.
1t was an inspiring sight that took
place in the big open court of the
Postoffice Department Building, when
the largest American flag in the world
was unfurled at noon on November
3rd. This occurred in the presence
of Postmaster General Cortelyou,
various other officials and the en-
ployees of the department, number
ing some $500.
Promptly on the stroke of twelve
O'Clock bugler sounded the
assembly" call, the signal for every
person in the building to come out on
the balconies surrounding the big
court to the height of eight stories.
Standing on the third balcony was
the sweet voiced singer, Miss Nellie
Corrigan who, as the big flag was
pulled slowly across the court, began
to sing the national anthem, "The
Star Spangled Banner" With her
were eight or ten young women who
took up the refrain. Then the entire
twenty-five hundred persons on the
eight floors poured forth their voices
which echoed and re-echoed through
the corridors, ending in long and
mighty cheer. The Postmaster General
joined in the chorus. The flag,
which is fifty feet long and thirty
feet wide, is stretched on cable from
west to east on the seventh floor. The
bottom ofthe flag reaches to the third
floor. This banner takes the place of
the old garrison flag which was loaned
by the War Department. The new
flag is the property of the Postoffice
Department.
The Interstate Commerce Com
mission has not as yet found salts
factory solution to the problem placed
before it by the War Department as to
whether the Federal Government is
violating a provision of the recently
enacted railway rate law, when it ac-
cepts for the carrying of troops a
lower rate of transportation than pri-
vate parties are able to secure.
It is shown that both small and
large bodies of troops are at present
being transported by several different
railroad and steamship lines at lower
rates than are granted to theatrical
companies, circuses, and such. The
right of transportation companies to
grant party rates is not questioned
except where, as in the present case.
It is not made to apply to all alike.
War Department officials see no rea-
son why their present agreement
with the railroads should not con-
tinue, but pending a decision by the
Interstate Commerce Commission,
they do not care to discuss the matter.