The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-02-12
LETTER
Especial Correspondence.l

dence of very rough usage. He ai
tributes this to The @re"; activity Of
business and to the modern method of
handling money. Treasurer Treat sIyS
that the use of the cash trolley" in
department stores not only mars the
appearance but shortens the life of the
notes and certificates. He saws that
the paper currency must be crumpled
to get it into the small cash carrier.
The wrinkles raise and disturb the sur
face. which soon wears away and
weakens the tensile strength of the
note. In a short time the note tears
easily along the line of folding or
wrinkling. and portions become detach-
ed and are frequently lost. He sug-
gests. as a matter Of economy. that the
paper issues Of the government should
be renewed before they are too badly
worn.
The cost attending the production, is.
sue and redemption of the United
States paper currency has been the
subject Of a careful Investigation.
With due allowance for every item of
expense incident thereto. It appears
that the average cost for each piece is
1871 cents.
Senate Ventilation.
A large new suction fan to ventilate
the senate chamber has been installed
at the capitol. The fan in use hereto
fore will be used to help ventilate the
committee rooms and corridors.
Ventilation at the capitol presents
many problems, and many of the sena-
tors have opinions as to how much hot
and how much cold air they can stand.
In consequence the roof over the sen.
ate chamber is ~honeycombed with
pipes and apparatus of all kinds to
preserve an yer temperature in the
chamber. 1t is the object Of the CAPT
toll engineers to keep the temperature
in the senate between II and q. and
they have been successful.
Government Equipages.
Some exceedingly amusing work in
the designation of official carriages can
be seer these days on Washington
streets. A few years ago congress had
one of it's periodic outbursts against of
ficials maintaining elegant %turnouts at
government expense. 1t passed Il dras-
tic law, as was supposed, prohibiting
such equipages except to the president.
his secretary and cabinet officers. To
make assurance doubly sure, it fur
Their provided that all wagons belong
ing to the government should bear in a
conspicuous place the name Of the bu-
reau or the department to which they
belong.
SkiIIfuI Painting.
These provisions were effective FOL
a time, but gradually government own
ed and maintained equipages devoted
to social and personal uses have re
turned. Every army and navy officer
who has pull enough. every bureau
chief sufficiently astute to find a gen
eral appropriation anywhere has a
strong limbed driving horse OF two, a
fashionable vehicle and a coachman,
who Is on the government rolls as n
messenger. These carriages crowd the
oAokPAhe oAoA An 5
every tea and reception.
The required lettering is somewhere
on the box of every such government
carriage. Generally one must have a
microscope to locate it. The charac-
ters are so small as to escape Observa-
ton. Quartermasters' officers Of the
army have devised an additional
scheme. The legend "U. s. Quarter
masters Department is printed upon
the rubber tired magnificent brough-
ans which the officers Of that corps
command, but it is a maroon that
shades into the ebony black so perfect
ly as to be q triumph Of the carriage
painters art.
The Tomb Of jackson.
When President Roosevelt was a
Nashville, Tenn, a few months ago M
visited the home and tomb of Presi
lent Jackson and there indicated hi
intention to ask the aid of the govern
ment for the maintenance of the place
which Jackson used as his home 70
forty years. Representative Gaines o
Tennessee called on the president re
Gently to consult with him about
bill he has introduced providing for ma
tional assistance. The Hermitage, tn
old Jackson place, was bought by tn
state Of Tennessee in 1856 for S4S,0O(
and in various ways the state has pai
out to this time $161, 600.
About eighteen years ago the stat
, set aside eighteen acres, which II
r clude the house and tomb, to the L.
t dies Hermitage association, which b
, membership fees and private subscril
lions has kept up the expense of mail
tenance. Mr.. Gaines says he agree
with the president that Jackson an
his history belong to the nation an
e that the nation should care for his la
resting place in a proper manner
II Is estimated that 5000 to $4,000
9 year would keep up the grounds an
q provide some improvement. 1t wou'
, be in the nature Of a gift to the He
mitagc association.
Naval Off;cers' SIGNALS.