Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1908-07-03
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Corresponden,c.e.1

!
dation of national gallery up to con-
gress. The first gift in point of time
! was Harriet Lane Johnston's bequest
to the nation Of large collection.
principally. although not entirely. con-
sisting of European paintings. Though
unequal. it contained much Of value.
The National Gallery.
The bequest occasioned a friendly
suit between the Corcoran and the
Smithsonian to determine which insti-
tuition should have the paintings and
as consequence should carry out
some rather onerous conditions attach
ed to their possession. The courts de-
cided that a gift Of pictures to the
! nation should 90 to the National gal
lery. This National gallery. it appears,
was created upon paper sixty years ago
as part Of the Smithsonian inStitu-
! ton, and. although no such gallery has
as vet been erected. the Smithsonian
, undertook to hang the Harriet Lane
, Johnston pictures tenn .orurily in its
: lecture room
Then came Il deed Of gift from
/ his collection after his decrease goes to
the nation, together with Il large sum
| for the erection Of a special building
: to contain it. uUEing tive owners life
time. however. his famous Ministers
: and Tryons and Dewings remain In
his own home at Detroit
Mr.. Evans Gift.
! w. Il. Evans Of New York. known as
most discriminating and generous
purchaser Of American paintings. offer
ed about year ago to deed group
Of choice contemporary works to the
National gallery. These. for want Of
space in the Smithsonian. are tenn
, porarily hung in the handsome CORR
dor of the Corcoran gallery To them
the liberal donor has already added
several fine canvases from recent ex-
hibitions
1.-THE Pasture Lot" by Carleton Wig
gins, our ablest cattle painter; "A Fam
lily of Birches" by that poetic inter
prefer Of nature. Willard Metcalf: Sun
and Shower" Paul Dougherty's direct
transcript of confused white sea and
many hued rocks cleaning wet in fit
full sunshine; Robert Reid's 'The
White Paraso" carried by pale pref
ty woman standing decoratively in
field of tall red Iilies-these are the
latest accessions.
The Corcoran Collection.
The Corcoran gallery's own posses
sions are extensive, miscellaneous. in
ho fc I,1oh
forming. like every collection that has
passed its third decade. register of
changing atStes.
For one thing. it has a considera BILE
collection Of portraits of presidents
and other notables, most of which are
frankly bad Lenbachs Prince Bis
marck." Stuart's washington" Du-
plessis' "Franklin" and a few por-
traits Of painters by other painters
help to redeem this collection.
BattIeshp to Be Named Florida.
The president has announced, his in
tention of granting a request made by
Senator William James Bryan just be-
fore his death and will name one of
the new battleships now under con.
called on the president just before be-
!. ing taken i'll and preferred his request
At the time the chief executive made
no definite answer, but promised to
consider the request. He has. in view
of the untimely end of the promising
young Floridian. decided to honor his
memory in this way
f. Curious Claim Case.
OF course only part, very likely a
small part. of the claims entered
against the government have justice as
basis In order to find out the truth
OF things the government occasionally
is obliged to spend many times the
amount of money involved.
One of the most curious claim cases
ever known to congress was that of
Sonora Felciana Mendoza. who lived
at Angeles. Pampanga. Philippine Is
LANDS. The sonora rented a house to
Uncle Sam for the use of some of bis
tea msters.' When the mule driving
contingent moved out Of the house
after short occupancy the sonora de-
clared under oath that some of the
siding boards were missing from the
Kitchen wall. and she asked for 5000 In
gold to repay her for the damage to
/ her property. One Of the teamsters
sWpre that the boards were eaten by
red fants. i ..s.o,,..,t}sa>
S%:54S Costly Investigation.
army board which sat on the
case thought it was very doubtful in
strict justice if Sonora: Feliciana should
be allowed any money. but finally the
members granted her the sum Of $50
In gold. This action, of course. was
moi: final but the committees on war
.ciaims in the house and senate ap-
proved the finding. IT s$f@2.
ehe sonora received $50 and doubt i
less ii gave her some satisfaction to: 4
knew that Unclessanr had spent about:
$1,000 get authority TO par, for al
Kitchen siding, Whiela$Went to dpstruc4@
ti1n either by Way3&of: taatnster's foot i.
ora red ants stomach VT. "
.congressrnen,s Watches. s'.J .:5@
z5 Rivalry exists am ong members of