The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-09-11
LETTER
Especial Correspondence

uleAt VI coAiAL'SiSe "hu ldDOr puts III
nm expense account, he does not have
to take in oath as to its correctness
All he does is to certify upon honor
that the above account is correct"
The interior department adopted this
new regulation by reason of Secretary
Garfield's interest in the matter. The
department Of IN and labor
soon followed. and it is expected that
before long such a regulation will be
In effect in each department.
Saving Of Notary Fees.
While the abandonment of the oath
In connection with expense accounts
might be criticised as tending to lax
ity and prodigality. it is the conten-
ton Of Secretary Garfield and those
who favor certification on honor that
the later method is in nowise less
e%fficacious than the old method. It
Is pointed out there is great difficulty
in finding notaries to administer oaths
In many parts Of the country, especial
" in the mountain districts OF the
west. Moreover. notaries are wont to
tax the government official to the
limit. 1t is estimated that through
omission of the requirement Of swear
ing to the correctness of expense nc
counts, thousands Of dollars in no.
torial fees will be saved the govern
ment.
A Historic Railway Station.
The old Pennsylvania depot at
Sixth street. near Pennsylvania ave-
nue., will soon be abandoned. BY Oct.
Is the Pennsylvania railroad, and. in
fact, all the roads entering Washing
ton affiliated with the Pennsylvania
system. will lie using the magnificent
new union station, n Of the finest
railroad stations in the world.
The old depot possesses much his
toric interest, and vas the scene of
the shooting OF President Garfield in
1881. Hundreds of visitors have made
1t a point on coming to Washington
to see the spot where the assassina-
ton took place. The depot was con-
| structed in 1873.
Passing Of Old Landmarks.
Incidental to the abandoning Of this
depot by the Pennsylvania railroad
and the prospective early abandon
ment by the Baltimore and Ohio of the
one 1t uses, there Is a sad fate in store
for that part Of Pennsylvania avenue
that lies between Seventh street and
the capitol, about six blocks long. The
indications are that when the new
union station is opened business will
be rapidly shifted away from that part
of the avenue to streets farther north
west.
The effect is likely to be to compel
the closing down Of many of the places
Of business on Pennsylvania avenue
that have been landmarks Of Washing
ton for n generation or two.
An Ancient Jar Of Preserves.
Five hundred dollars is the price ask
cd by a Washington man for a jar Of
preserved pears Of which he has been
the owner for more than a quarter of
q century.
The fruit was put up Feb. %, 1873,
by Mrs. Ella G. Haller, then a resident
Of Paterson, n. J. A few years later
the jar was brought to Washington
and placed on exhibition in the old
Riggs House barroom, where it was
admired by statesmen and public men
generally. When 1t had been there for
a year it was rallied off for charity,
netting $1,000.
The "a who won 1t presented 1t to
his sweetheart. and she, when she mar
ried another. gave it to a relative, who
IL its present owner.
There is exactly n bushel of
pears in the jar. They We're put up in
peach brandy and are In a perfect state
Of preservation. The name Of the wo.
man who put up the pears. together
with the date, Is on the jar, the seal OF
which has never been broken.
Smithsonian Gets curios.
The Smithsonian institution has re-
ceived and installed among the histori.
cal exhibits in the hall of history the
valuable historical collection OF the
late Henry II. Magruder. who died sev
eral months ago in Florence, Italy.
For several years Mr.. Magrudel
made his home in Florence and de
voted much time to gathering valuable
works of art. Under the terms Of his
will he gave Il part Of his collection te
the United States for use of the Smith
sonian institution.
The collection includes a heavily golG
mounted sword and silver pitcher pre-
scented to Mr.. Magruder's father, Gen
eral John Rankhead Magruder of thu
Conferedate army, by the states Of Vir
ginia and Maryland in appreciation Of
his services: Il portrait Of the donor's
sister in pastel. Il porcelain plate Will
a picture Of Nine. du Barry and "al
oil painting Of 10" and an Aztec cross
Proposed Episcopal Cathedral.
The movement for the erection here
Of a Protestant Episcopal cathedra
has been given added impetus aud thu
aspect Of a national church enterprise
by the exhibition Of the plans.
The style Of the cathedral, as showI
by the plans. is Gothic Of the four
!. teenth century.
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