Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-08-29
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of Alexandria Gazettel

4
Col. NJ. NJ. Patrick, Col. w. NJ.
Black and Capt. II. B. Ferguson, the
engineer officers appointed by Gen.
Bixbv to undertake the work of raising
the wreck Of the Maine in Havana
harbor met today for the first time to
consider preliminary preparations for
accomplishing the task They will de-
eide upon methods for inspecting the
wreck will take steps TO set divers to
work to make an examination and will
decide upon the date when they will 60
10 Havana. IN the meantime plans
proposed by various individuals and
companies for raising the bulk will be
gone over.
President Taft in q telegram to Maj.
Gen. Wood today approved the atti-
fude taken by the chief of staff regard
ing rainmaking with the big guns on
the Pacific coast as method OF check
ing The forest fires. Neither President
Taft nor General Wood would go so
fan as TO say that rain could not be
made in this way, but they have found
il inexpedient to make the experiments
i'm view OF the great cost. Rainmak-
ing being purely a weather problems.
Gen. Wood has turned over all the re-
quests and suggestions received at the
War Department to Willis Moore,
chief OF the weather bureau. The
question. which has been a burning
one during the past week, will prob
able never be answered officially. as
reports from the west indicate that
rain is now falling and the danger is
rapidly becoming less.
A complaint was filed by T. c..
Corby, Of the Corby Company OF Lang
don. in the District Of Columbia against
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to-
day for having changed the rate on
dried grain from Langdon to Baltimore
to seven cents "A hundred pounds. The
rate was ; cents and the commission
is asked to order that it be placed i'll
effect again,
A statement of the internal revenue
receipts for July, issued today, shows a
total OF 500. 719. O32, which is an in
crease Of $6,719,O32 over the receipts
for July 1909 The new corporations
tax yielded 50, 795, Gas in July
A coffer-dam will be constructed
about the wreck Of the battleship Maine,
in Havana harbor, according to pre-
liminary plans adopted today at the
first meeting of the board OF engi-
neers, in charge of raising the vessel.
The engineers decided that it was the
intent of Congress, in making the APP
preparation, TO regain whatever bodies
may be found and give them a
decent burial. The work will be
undertaken with this in view. The
board also propose to go about
the work in such way as to remove
any possible doubt as to the cause OF
the destruction of the battleship. 1t
is expected that by using the Golfer
dam. the wreck may be laid bare,
without being greatly disturbed. After
the preliminary inspection is made
any one of several plans may be
adopted for raising the ship. The
board will be in session several days.
The members of the board have
come TO the conclusion that it was the
intent Of Congress in making the APP
preparation for raising the Maine to
secure what bodies may remain in the
wreck and give them a decent burial
and to ascertain as far as possible con-
ditons which may probe some light
on the cause of the explosion.
The board will act under the idea that
its purpose is to remove whatever
stigma Of doubt that may exist regard
ing the cause of the catastrophe. To
this end the wreck will be laid bare, so
far as possible, without being disturbed
in order that thorough examination
may bed made The Golfer dam con-
Structiou will be made around the
wreck. in accordance with this idea.
When this has been done any one OF a
number Of plans now under cOnsidera-
ton may be adopted.
More confident than ever, Chairman
Lloyd Of the democratic congressional
campaign committee, returned here to-
day after a trip through the middle
west. There are now three parties in
the field, " said Lloyd. They are to
dem, cratic republican progressiyes and
Republican Stand-patters The feeling
between the factions in the republican
party is more intense than ever The
democratic party is the sole bene-
ficiary. Democratic victory is now
absolutely assured and we will control
the next House 10y ksafe margin. "