The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-11-18
A Mathematical Sharp.

what the Ak was for. The answer was
grin.
A Mathematical Sharp.
Brigadier General Tasker H. Bliss,
president of the Army War college, is
one of the distinguished officers of the
service, one to whom promotion has
come fairly rapidly. The general is a
graduate of the United States Military
academy, and once on a time he was
sent back to the school for four year
detail as an instructor i'll mathematics.
The general was only lieutenant
then. but he knew more mathematics
than any other officer in the service
barring only Colonel Rass, who was
the head of the mathematical depart
ment at the academy.
After the Instructor had been at the
school about month the cadets who
came under his calculus and analytical
geometry rule said that his first name,
Tasker, fitted him and that his last
name. Bliss, was a woeful mistake
Viewing the man and the name from
whatever point they would, the cadets
had to admit that the soldier now at
the head OF the War college was a
mathematical sharp.
The Potomac Park Drive.
Probably nine-tenths of the people
of Washington refer to the Potomac
park driveway as the speedway" be-
cause of its derivation from drive
way constructed in 1906 by subscrip-
lions of lovers of the horse 1t was
permitted to drive there at speed, and
4 number of spirited contests were
pulled off between lovers of the road
During the spring and summer of
1907 there was more than 100000
worth of trotting and pacing stock
brought to the capital for use on the
speedway but shortly thereafter the
western part of the drive was needed
Potomac carriage driveway and the
Twenty fifth street. entrance to the
park; hence the horsemen saw their
contributions for constructing the
speedway swept away by the pump
ing of mud from the Potomac river
upon their einder road in order to
bring that section Of Potomac park
up to grade.
Now that the graded section has
thoroughly dried out a half mile
straightaway course is about being
completed and viii be conspicuously
inaugurated as gentlemen's speed
ing course for bloeded horses. 1t is
the purpose to hold matinees for cups
and other prizes, and daily brushes be-
tween rapid going horses will again
delight the multitudes, which in 1908
spent many hours enjoying he sport.
A General Recreation Ground.
Before long. however, Colonel Cos
by hopes to- be able to construct per-
manent speedway Of a mile straight
away in that beautiful section of the
Potomac park reservation lying south
of the railroad bridge Many persons
prefer permanent speeding course
north of the bridge, but in view of the
plans for the Identification of the park
it is not altogether clear that this can
be accomplished without their mate
rial modification. 1t is understood.
however, that if the speedway is sufi-
GENTLY patronized to warrant it strong
influence will be brought to bear to
have the permanent location at least
convenient to pedestrians who hereto
fore evidenced much interest in the
matter.
1t is the purpose Of Colonel Cosby to
supply within the radius of Potomac
park as near as may be every possible
character Of outdoor sport and recre-
alton.
Heat For the Capitol.
The huge power plant which Uncle
Sam has erected at a cost Of $780,
900 to carry light heat and power to
the capitol. the library of congress,
the senate and house office buildings
and the coast and geodetic survey
buildings will soon be in operation.
This does not mean that the plant will
be entirely completed. but it does
mean that steam from the great boil
ers will be sent TO the capitol and it's
auxiliary buildings and senators and
representatives will be warming their
hands over the radiators filed by this
steam.
The power plant stands on the site
Of old Garfield park. in the southeast
section Of the city. about $500 feet
from the capitol. IT IS even farther
from the senate Office building, but
the engineers reckon that there will
be little lost heat and power in the
long journey that those commodities
win have to make from the plant
The plant itself. aside from the pow
erful machinery which 1t viii contain.
Is large. Twin smoke stacks tower 212
feet into le air The boiler room,
containing sixteen horsepower boil
ers. is 100 feet leag ard 81 feet 4
inches wide. The turbine roonl. which
il located in the trent ct TIE building.
u 112 feet long By 81 vide Every
thing about The nlant mives the impress
sion OF vast power
CARL SCa 3FTEID.