The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1911-12-22
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Oattlesnip Maine was blown up iu
Havana harbor by an external explosion.
The board began work on the exposed
wreck at Havana on November 20 and
found that the injuries TO the bottom Of
the Maine were caused by the explosion
of charge of a low form of explosive ex-
terror to The snip between frames aS and
81, port side.
ibis resulted in igniting and exploding
the contents Of the 6,iuch reserve maya
zine. The more or less complete explo-
sion Of the contents of the remaining for
ward magazines followed.
The board emphasized the fact that II
found that what is called the port gar.
board strake--a continuous line of plank
ing running from stem to stern-was
stlished upwards as much as I'd inches on
a straight line;;'' that another strake.
technically called &C" was displaced up
ward and inward for 100 square feet. and
that part of the inner bottom plating was
displaced upward and left approxima-
tely six feet above its original position.
The destruction wrought by the two
"explosions of distinctly different charac.
teri was found to be much more extensive
than had been anticipated.
So
The ambitious project of Senator John
Walter Smith to establish national for.
est around Washington, which will ex.
tend into Maryland within few miles of
Baltimore, has received emphatic indorse
ment from no less source than Presi.
dent ]. Horace Mcfarland, of the Ameri-
can Civic Association, the great national
body which was in session il Washington
last week.
The bill was introduced in the Senate
at the last session by Mr.. Smith on Tune
81, and is known as the National Forest
Demonstration and Experimental Com.
mission Bill. 1t provides for the appro-
priation of $4,000, 900 in four eqnal in.
stallments of $500, 900, available each
year, beginning with 1873. for the pur.
chase of lands north of the Potomac
River and adjacent to the District of
Columbia. These lands are to be used
by the Department of Agriculture for the
practical illustration of experiments in
forest culture and in other experiments
which the department is constantly con.
Quoting to develop new lines of agricul.
tural activity.
~
A live and congenial partnership exists
between the larvae of the house fly aud
the eggs of the hookworm, according to
DIR. Woods Hutchinson, of New York.
who addressed the American Civic Asso.
citation convention in Washington on the
results and progress of the swat the fly',
campaign inaugurated by the association
last year.
He enumerated a long list of diseases,
including typhoid fever, Tuberculosis and
other geru-inspired scourges, which are
spread by the fly. The house fly, be
said, could not exist away from human
habitation. and if deprived of breeding
places would soon be driven ont of
existence.
*x*
The dismissal of Secretary of Agricul-
sure Wilson from the Cabinet because he
participated in the Brewers Congress at
Chicago as honorary president recently,
was demanded here at the National
Anti. Saloon League convention, which
likewise went on record as opposed to the
reinstatement OF the army canteeu
Information comes from a source be-
lieved to be authentic that Theodore
Roosevelt will neither seek nor decline
the Republican nomination for the Presi-
dency next year. Those who are work.
ing TO bring about the defeat of President
Taft by making Mr.. Roosevelt the nomi-
nee at the Chicago convention are salts
fed. it is said, that the plans will not be
upset by an eleventh hour statement
FROM Mr.. Roosevelt declining to permit
the use of his name.
~
so great is the interest shown in the
Panama-California International Exposi.
tion." said Col d c. Collier. of San
Diego. president of that enterprise. on
his arrival in Washington. THAT we
could hardly stop its expansion if we
would
Construction work is well in hand.
There is no tagging, Foundations have
been put in for the Administration Build
ingI aud the work on the California