The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-03-17
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence.l

congress. IL carried MIN as tne CQlru
richest man in congress, one whose
credit would be $25,000,O00 There
were thirty other supposed millionaires
on this senate list.
Discount those figures by 80 per
cent" said Senator Elkins in all seri-
BUSINESS as he surveyed the names of
his very rich colleagues, "and they will
be more nearly correct. 1t is the hon
est truth that many of the men listed
in the senate by these writer's as worth
all the way from $1,000,000 to $60,000,-
600 each would be willing to take 10
per cent of these estimates in cash
today.
Wealth In the Senate.
run over the names of the wealthy
men of the senate" continued Mr.. FL
kins. "There are admittedly some
wealthy men among its members. They
are nothing like as rich as they are
represented to be, but with only one or
two exceptions you will find they are
self made men, who started in very
modest circumstances.
"In some ways this kind of exagger-
ated talk about millionaires predomi-
mating in the senate is not just. / have
personal knowledge from my long bust
ness associations that the figures are
greatly exaggerated. Observers famil-
lar with affairs here know that very
rich men do not control in matters of
legislation. They bear their part of the
work according to their ability and
service just as do all other senators.
1.-THE impression that it is otherwise
does great injustice"
Not Many MilIionaires.
An equally rich senator and one Of
| long service, which has qualified him
/ to speak with some authority regard
/ ing the possession of worldly goods by
his colleagues, said that fully one
/ fourth of the ninety-two senators have
little else than their salaries of 81 800
year. Another fourth of the ninety
two have somewhere between $4,000
and $4,000 The personal fortunes of
another quarter of the senate would
range between $4,000 or 100000 and
100000. Most of this class of twenty
odd the senator thought, were worth
between 100000 and 100000. The
other quarter comprised senators all
worth one=half million and probably
ten or twelve only entitled to be called
millionaires, not multimillionaires, but
simply worth from one to ten millions.
New Public Buildings.
1t has practically been decided by
the house leaders to permit a public
buildings bill, carrying appropriations
amounting to not over $15,000,000, to
pass the house before adjournment.
] -Four great projects of interest to the
District are being considered by Rep
resentatives Bartholdt, Burleigh, How
ell, Brantley and Thomas, who COM
| pose the subcommittee on the District
and territories. One is for new
building for the bureau of engraving
and printing, the necessity of which
has been repeatedly urged because of
| the insanitary condition of the present
structure and It's inadequacy to meet
the requirements of public work. An
other provides new Washington city
| postoffice to be located near the Union
station and to be one story building
with plenty of light, such as have been
| suggested for Denver and Chicago. A
third Is for new building for the de-
partments of state, justice and COM
merce and labor This is Incorporated
in a bill which has already passed the
senate. A fourth proposition is for
new hall of records.
Story of Two Rings.
! Senators Carter and Dixon of Mon
tana presented to the president party
of visitors from their state, and among
them was a man whose story about
two finger rings greatly interested the
president. This man was Major w. r.
Logan, an Indian agent on the Fort
Belknap reservation. Major Logan's
father was Captain Logan Of the Unit
ed States army. He was killed by Nez
Perez Indians at the battle of Big
Hole in 1877 The Indians mutilated
his body and cook from his hands two
handsome rings, one of them bearing
emblems of the Masonic fraternity, OF
which he was a prominent member.
% Long Hunt Successful.
The son at once began hunt for the
rings. One of them was taken by an
Indian who was killed in battle two
years later Mexican half breed took
the ring off the Indian and went to old
Fort Benton to trade It. Major Logan
recovered it. The Masonic ring was
hard to trace, and 1t was twenty three
years afterward when an Indian
squaw, with the ring in one hand,
walked into Major Logan's office. So
soon as she spread out her hand Major
Logan recognized the ring The squaw
told long and strange story of how
she had obtained it from the buck who
had originally taken it. Major Logan
wore one of the rings and showed 1t to
the president.
Sheds For Farmers.
The commissioners have recommend
ed to congress that $4,000 be appropri-
ated for the erection of steel portable
sheds on the Haymarket square, bound
ed by Tenth. Twelfth, B and Little B
streets northwest. This action is the
result of recommendations made by
Colonel w. G. Haskell. sealer of
weights and measures, who has super
vision of the markets Of the city.
The commissioners have been plan
ming for some time to afford the farmers
4 who have stands along this square and
their patrons some conveniences In the
shape of sheds. Requests for such