The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-04-07
WASHINGTON LETTER
[speclal correspondence. ]

ment few days ago preliminary ar
rangements We're made for the erection
on the plaza of the new Union station
in this city of a memorial to Christie
pher Columbus in accordance with the
provisions of the act of congress ap-
propriating 100000 for that purpose
AS a result of consultation with Mr..
Burnham Of Chicago. architect of the
Union station building, Colonel Brom-
WELL. the engineer officer in charge of
public buildings and grounds, and 9TH
er officials directly interested, it was
decided by the commission that the me-
mortal should be in the form of a
monumental fountain with a standing
/ figure of Columbus as it's leading fea-
ture.
Memorial to Columbus.
7 According to the general scheme APP
proved by the commission, the foun-
Tain will be placed directly in front of
the Union station at the juncture of
Delaware and Massachusetts avenues.
1t will be semicircular in form, with an
inner and an outer basin, having an
extreme width of sixty-four feet.
A stone column or shaft about forty
feet in height, surmounted with globe
representing the world, is the principal
feature of the rear of the fountain and
is intended to serve as a background
for a statue of Columbus standing at
the bows of a Spanish caravel similar
in general design to the picturesque
craft that first brought him to Amer
lea. The appearing PROV of the ship,
with its figure of Columbus. stands on
The line of Delaware avenue and faces
the national capitol. Two Incumbent
lions are placed on the walls of the
fountain, one at the east and the other
at the west side, and there are other
architectural and artistic details en-
bodied in the general scheme.
Small Rodent Ravages.
Some weeks ago the story came to
Washington of how the meadow mice
were laying waste the fields Of alfalfa
in Nevada. The biological survey sent
man out to the afflicted region tosee
what he could do to check the pest.
The biological expert found that the
birds of prey had been attracted in
large numbers and were doing what
they could to destroy the ravagers of
the grass fields, but the mice being in
millions and the birds being in hun
dreds it was an unequal contest.
Great Slaughter of Mice.
Finally the expert hit upon the
thought of trying chopped alfalfa soak
ed in a palatable but poisonous solu-
tion This he scattered through the
fields, and just what lie expected hap
pened. The mice preferred the chop
ped and deadly mixture to the stand
ing crop, and in less than twenty-four
hours the work of destruction was at
it's height. There were $4,000 mice to
the acre. and sthe government expert
succeeded in killing So per cent of
them and succeeded also in covering
all the way from thirty to 100 acres a
day. the latter figure being the high
acre mark. Admittedly it seems al
most Incredible, but in one day 1000,
900 mice were Killed, and on the other
days the numbers slain rarely fell be-
low 100000.
American In Jail In Hungary.
The president has been asked to
make representations to Hungary for
the release from Jail of Frank Pola-
kovic, a naturalized American. A petit
ton signed by 10000 Slavonians and
Bohemians in the United States was
handed to the president by Represent
alive SABBATH of Chicago.
Polakovic and several other Slavo-
mans who are citizens of the United
States by naturalization returned to
the old country late last summer to
make a visit. While in the town of
Rozshegy Polalzovic sang the hymn of
1.-THE Slovak Poor which was so dis
tasteful to the Hungarian authorities
that in October last they arrested him,
tried him and sentenced him to seven
months in prison and to pay heavy
fine.
Greenoush Statue to Go.
The historic Greenough statue of
Washington, which has decorated the
east plaza of the capitol and been the
CGlIltI VI dNuilidllOh anu AAuASuAC III
more than sixty-five years, is about to
be removed to some quiet and COM
paratively unobserved spot in the
Smithsonian Institution.
This was decided by the house when
it adopted a resolution to that effect,
introduced by Representative Mann of
Illinois, For some time Mr.. Mann,
Elliot Woods, superintendent of the
capitol, and others having influence at
the capitol have regarded the statue
as an architectural monstrosity in the
position in which it is now located.
1t was finally decreed that it should
go to a place where it would fit in with
the surroundings.
Davy Crockett's Book.
1t. has been discovered that Davy
Crockett when he was a member Of
congress wrote book making all the
charges against Andrew Jackson that
recently have been made against Theo-
dore Roosevelt, which goes to show
that there is nothing new under the
sun. Dayy charged Andrew with seek
ing to perpetuate his own influence in
the administration through man ia
vored for the succession"
The coonskinned Tennesseean was
known in his day as something of a
humorist when he talked. but the ele-
ment of humor is sadly lacking in his
book, a fact that has brought deep dis