Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-06-19
From Washington
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.]
Washington, Jane 10.

in that hitherto easy-going branch OF the
government. One by one the sharp
sters, who have been making thousands
of dollars through advance information
and malpractice before the department
are being brought to book. Every bu-
reau is being overhauled aud search
made in obscure corners for clues to I'M
derhand transactions. Secretary Gar
field has put into effect methods that are
fund in big department stores. Clerks
who won't hustle are weeded out and
supplanted by others. Commissioner
Warner of the Pension Bureau, who
recently cited several of the most promi-
nent pension agents 10 show cause why
they should not be debarred, has made
it known that no leniency will be shown
in any quarter. Commissioner Moore,
of the Patent Office, has taken the tip
aud set things stirring. Commissioner
BAllinger, of the general land office, has
cleaned up the May Office in a general
way, and, with the secretary, is now
taking notes of operations in the field.
The thread trust is to BIZ Investigated
by the Department of Justice. Formal
complaint has been made to the depart
ment, alleging that the American Thread
Company is a monopoly in restraint OF
trade and asking that it be dissolved
through the federal government. About
two weeks ago local retail dealers were
informed that the wholesale price OF
thread was advanced from 55 to 81 cents
per dozen spools. This has compelled
the retailers to raise the price to their
customers, from 10 6 cents per spool.
The dealer who made the complaint,
said today: "The excuse for the ad-
vance was the poor crop of cotton early
in the season. But as the season has
progressed, the crops have measured up
to The standard, and there seems to be
no well grounded reason for putting the
prices up" The American Thread Com
psny was formed several years ago,
some of the constituent companies being
the S. and P. Coates Company of Rhode
Island, the Williamantic Company, OF
Connecticut, and the Clark Company, Of
New Jersey.
Rear Admiral Emory, the senior Off
Ger at Hampton Roads just now, today
brought to the Navy Department the re-
Tort of the board of Inquiry which in
investigated the recent deplorable
accident to the steam launch of the
bMtleship Minnesota which resulted
in the drowning of six young ma
val officers and five seamen. 1t is
the opinion of the board that the launch
was struck by the steel hawser of the
tug bow Crisfell which WAS towing a
fl iat of railroad cars from Cape Charles
to Norfolk at Just about the time the
accident occurred. The report of the
board places 10 blame upon the crew OF
the tug none of whom was aware that any
accident he'd occurred until the next day.
Secretary Metcalf is not altogether salts
fed with this report, and he has
ordered further investigation.
Competition amoug ship builders for
the contract of building the two Ameri-
can batlleships of the Dreadnought type
is not so keen as officials of the Navy
Department would like. The bids are
to be opened at noon tomorrow.
At the time the San Francisco school
question was up, Secretary Bonaparte
was known to scout the danger of con-
hict, and it was limited 10 naval circles
that Secletlry Metcalf was brought to
the navy department to prosecute his
pOlicy of increasing the naval strength
in the Pacific.
Bar)n Speck Won Sternberg, the
German Ambassador, and close friend
of President Roosevelt, is expected to
resign from public service, some time 10
the fall. III health will be the cause.
A hint of this has already come from
Berlin, but 1t was unnecessary to any
one who saw the baron before he lief.
here on his vacation. Few of his friends
thought he would ever come back. He
has, however, decided to do so. He
will make his summer headquarters in
New Hampshire, but after President
Roosevelt returns to Washington next
October, it will probably be announced
that Sternberg has resigned. The reason
is purely physical. Ole side Of his face
is being gradually eaten up by a malig-
naut growth, the nature Of which has
not besn determined, an1 which has
resisted the efforts of the most skilled
physicians of the world. Some say it
is cancer. The ambassador himself
attributes it to the bite of poisonous
insect. This terrible Disagreement is an
insurmounabls handicap in the smbas-
sador's social duties.
The suggestion that the entire battle
ship squadron of the American navy be
sent to the Pacific coast has been vetoed
by the administration. There has been
more or less talk OF taking such a step
as a precautionary measure of the anti
American agitation in Japan, aud it is
known that the general board of the
navy has for months been working out
strstegicsl problems in which the Pa
cifc ocean is the principal scene of by
pothetical activity. Whether or not The
board has actually reported in favor of
concentrating the heavy fighters of the
navy in those waters, nobody in author
ity at the department will say. No
secret is made, however, of the fact that
the matter has been a subject of discus
sion. ANY movement of vessels TO the
Pacific coast at this time wOnld be
frowned upon by Japan and might be
construed as hostile manifestation. Of
fcislly there is no trouble between the
two governments.
Captain Horace F. Il Browne. of