Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-20
nIrs or WASHINGTON LlFE.
Minor scenes and incidents sketched
on the Srot.

Minor scenes and IncIdt nts sketched
on the Srot.
An insurance company in which he held
a policy a few days ago. notified Brisadies
General Daniel II. Rucker In Washington
that ne was dead" The general walked
into the local office Of the ompany to
convince the agent that the report Of his
death was greatly exaggerated" There
have been few cases similar TO the death
OF General Bucker. according TO insurance
men. General Rucker is s6 years old, and
the insurance men say he ought to be
dead, according to all the mortuary sta
tistics Of the insurance companies. Be
cause the mortality tables say his reserve
Is exhausted. therefore General Rucker
must be dead.
He isn't willing to admit It, however. and
has not decided to accept the check offered
him, paying up his policy.
General Rucker has seen long service In
the United States army. He first entered
the service as a lieutenant of dragons in
1887. During the civil war he rose rapidly,
and when he retired in 1882 he held the
rank OF brigadier general, with the brevet
of major general. One OF his daughters is
the widow of General Phil Sheridan.
NAlAt VI lnlllOdu AitAlbH lldNt I '
in conceiving stories Of the thrilling race
Of million-dollar freight or express trains
carrying hundreds OF thousands OF gold
coin, but none has been so daring as to
write about a train that carried the vast
sum OF 1000, 100000.
But Uncle Sam has, In his quiet way,
been accommodating the cargo Of such a
surprisingly valuable train-for II really
carried the 1900, 900, 00O-for several years,
and last week. without any ostentation
whatever, It was started on its journey Of
1000 miles or more without a ripple on the
surface of governmental tradition. reports
the Washington Star.
1t wasn't a shipment OF gold from the
United States treasury to the west, nor
was it a huge bundle Of bills, but the mil
lions Of Cancelled money orders that have
accumulated in the Postoffice department
in the last few years.
There were according to the official
count-just O,OOO,O 900 OF these cancelled
orders shipped on this treasure train, and
while they varied in amount, of course,
the average value is about IS per order, so
that the whole was worth just about $780,
900, 900.
These orders, sent from all parts of the
United States to the Postoffice department
In this city, are stored away year by year
and not destroyed until the law permits.
As In all matters that affect government
money or might affect 1t, there is much
caution exercised. When the government
destroys its paper money, as is we'll known,
1t requires a most careful inspection of the
act of destruction. The same principle
holds good in regard to the Cancelled money
orders, but there Is not the same degree of
supervision, because the Cancelled orders
are. naturally. not so inviting to thieves
as is good money with the government seal
on It.
1t is for this reason that the treasure
train-that would have made Mr.. Croesus,
ST.. or Mr.. Rockefeller cry with envy
was practically unguarded on its way from
Washington to Kalamazoo, Mich.
When the train reaches Kalamazoo the
government will again assume charge and
will turn the contents over to the con-
tractor, who will in the presence of in
spectors perform the last rites-macerate
the orders-and the 81. 900, 900, 900 train will
be a thing of the past, only to live again
in the years to come.
That palatial establishment for the com
fort of senator's, the new senate office
building. 1t is now announced, will be ready
for occupancy by the time congress meets
next December. 1t is now about 50 per
cent completed and the purpose is to rush
1t to completion in the next few months.
When finished the new senate office
building will have cost the public 81, 00,OIO,
inclusive of the site. This seems a large
sum to pay out to provide office rooms
for ninety-two members Of the senate and
their attaches. It Is rather more than the
cost Of the house office building, which
was occupied early the last session OF con-
gress.
When the senate office building is COM
pleted It will be connected with the cap
itol by a subway, as is the house office
building, and in the subway will be a side
walk and an electric car line. One will
be able to descend an elevator in the cap
itol, get into an electric car and get out at
the foot of an elevator in the office build
ing. The subway itself is already finished.
Each senator will be entitled to a suite
consisting of two handsome rooms and a
bath. The building will have ninety-nine
such office suites in the three principal
stories above the basement, ten single Of
fices and six committee rooms. beside a
conference room and a dining room. The
larger room Of each office suite is intended
for the use OF the senator himself and
will be sixteen by twenty-five feet. The
Sh'0hNA AcOaAf "NANS ~ "NhNJ ave Attlt
is for the senator's secretary.
One OF the convenient features OF the
building will be the conference room, back
OF the main stairs, on the second floor. 1t
will be fifty-two by seventy-four feet, will
seat 300 people easily and is intended for
public hearings.
Just before the adjournment Of congress
Senator Foraker, in passing through the
marble room adjoining the senate cham
Der, heard a man say TO the man in charge
Of the weather map which hangs on the
wall:
What is the temperature at Fargo.
n. D.?"
The senior Ohio senator stopped, glanced
at the speaker sharply, and then walked
up to him and held out his hand.
II know you" he said. "Your name is
Edwards"
you are right" replied the stranger,
with a surprised look, but you have the
advantage OF me, sir"
II do not wonder at that" said Senator
Foraker, with a laugh, for We have not
seen each other for forty-four years.
Don't you remember" he continued, down