The Morris County chronicle., 1908-03-03
WASHINGTON LETTER
[speeial Correspondence.l !

! for the bureau of engraving and print
ing have been forwarded to the speak
er of the house by Secretary of the
Treasury Cortelyou. Secretary Cortel-
you recommends that new site be
| selected and that the buildings be
erected at cost of $2,S25,000. The
site will cost $250,000, making the en-
tire appropriation $3,075,000.
New Buildings Planned.
With his recommendation Secretary
Cortelyou sent to the speaker plans
for the buildings They contemplate
a building $40 by 302 feet, with light
court 396 by ITO feet. This main
building is to be five stories high, with
basement and subbasement. 1t will
be constructed with a steel frame,
stone to the first floor and brick and
terra Gotta above.
A building 28S by 20 feet is planned
for the light court, to be one story and
attic. with basement and subbasement,
to cost $175,000. The annex is to con-
tain power plant laundry and sta
bles, and it is to be 250 by 151 feet,
with a light court 154 by 55 feet
BattIeship Models.
Visitors to the state, war and navy
department building miss the models
of the big ships which once stood in
the Railways. There are one or two
models still in existence, but they are
of the smaller gunboats, and they lack
the interest which attaches to the big
turreted vessels with their guns, which,
even in model form, are frowning and
savage looking enough.
No inquiry personally has been made
as to why the models of the ships have
been sent into the closet. 1t may be
that the authorities did not care to
have them inspected at close range by
representatives of foreign governments.
1t would seem, however, that this
argument would be no reason for the
removal of the models, because repre-
sentatives of foreign powers have no
trouble at all In securing entrance to
the battleships themselves.
A Wax Figure Show
In the hallway of the army part of
the state, war and navy building there
are wax figures of men clothed one
after the other in the uniforms of the
service since Revolutionary days.
These wax figures are pretty well
done, inasmuch as they are not so
ghastly looking, so "shuddery," as are
some of the wax figures that one sees
in store windows.
Picturesque Uniforms.
BY far the most picturesque of the
uniforms are those which were worn
in the Revolutionary days. OF course
the uniforms shown in the war depart
ment are spick and span and made for
the show occasions. 1t isn't at all like
ly that many of the soldiers of the
Revolution had such fine duds to wear
as these to be seen in Mr.. Tafts de-
partment. The buff and blue are beau
tiful. much more beautiful than some
of the uniforms which followed
The rifemen of the Revolution wore
deerslins on their bodies and coon
skins on their heads. These uniforms
are shown with the others, and they
add to the picturesqueness of the dis
play. 1t must be said, however, that
the present field uniform of the United
States troops is by far the most COM
Portable and serviceable of all that
have been used since the American
army came into existence.
An Expensive Change.
Few persons realize how much mon
ey will be involved by the change
made necessary in the United States
flag by the addition of another star for
Oklahoma on July 1.
The method of arrangement of the
stars has not yet been decided. At
present there are six rows, alternat-
ing seven and eight to the row. Sew
eral ingenious designers have submit
ted propositions for a new arrange
ment, and doubtless when newspaper
readers begin to realize how great the
change will have to be there will be
lively competition for submitting an
appropriate arrangement.
The addition of the star will result
in changes in every flag owned by the
government, and most of those now in
use will have to be thrown away.
What with all the postotfices, custom
houses, ships and army posts the bunt-
ing required will run into millions of
yards
The Drill at Fort Myer.
At Fort Myer, just across the Po
tomac from Georgetown, troop of
cavalry and battery of field artillery
of the regular army give an exhibition
drill in the riding hall every Friday