The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-08-26
WOMAN RETURNS
TO RESCUED HOME
Western Woman Who Wins in
FightiBefore Congress Says
II am Happy"
TO GET CHECK FOR MONEY

II am the happiest woman In the
world said Mrs. Katherine Macdonald
yesterday. zone week ago It seemed
that there was nothing left for me in
life 1 could not pear the thought Of
going back to tell my SILK husband and
iittie girls that all was lost. But now
4 have won and feel like Il new woman
This morning Mrs. Macdonald will 60
to the Secretary of the Interior and
draw a check for about $4,000. including
LOCO Of her own. in accordance with
the bill passed by Congress Saturday
nisht, carrying relief to 400 claimants
who lost heavily when the contracting
firin erecting the great Shoshone dam in
Wyoming failed.
Mrs. MacDonald's triumph comes as
the result OF a long and plucky fight.
She has been In Washington three times
since the dam was completed In 1910.
and has been here continuously for the
last. seven months. She and her husband
operated a store at the Shoshone prof.
Get They accepted the time slips OF
the workingmen for the necessaries of
life, but when the contractors failed and
the government took charge the claim
ants got nothing.
Never Lost Faith.
llTe. hdGLtO1dlu IctdlucQs HtT IdiIn
the Justice Of Congress, when all the
others had gwen UP. and now she Is
hacly I'd think that her faith was justi-
fed
THE difficulty was to make them all
understand my case" she said. Il cas-
lily obtained interviews with all of the
Senators. and the Senate passed my bill
five times: but IL was impossible to
reach all the Representatives l am
deeply grateful to the newspapers of
Washington, who aided my cause by
bringing the matter before them in a
true light"
Mrs Macdonald told of her emotions
when the House defeated her bill last
week. All OF her hopes and those Of
her family were staked on that vote.
For two long hours before my bill
came up for discussion, the House de-
bated a point of order. When the tedi-
Gus debate was over. the members began
leaving. and as each Congressman passed
out OF the room my hopes fell, for 1
wanted all of them to hear the discus
sion and know that my case was Just.
when call Of the House was sounded
the members came struggling back, ask
ing each other what they were to vote
on. Few OF them were aware OF the
woman In the gallery, waiting with
clenched hands.
Then the roll call began. and each
pitiless mo- hurt like a blow in the face.
They defeated my bill by paltry six
votes II relief had not come in tears
would have lost consciousness"
No One Blamed.
Mrs. Macdonald added that she did
rot blame any OF the members.
1T was only because my bill was one
among SO many that IL did not receive
adequate consideration. 1 believe that
Congressman are the busiest persons on
earth. When ! sought them In the office
building, a vanishing coat tail or q polite,
but firm secretary was all that saw
Mrs. Macdonald spoke appreciatively
OF the kindness and hospitality of WASH
ington people. declaring that Washington
is the "homiest' city in the United
States.
People here are not too busy to take
an interest in each other" she said.
She spoke Of the great West, where
she lives. and of the wonderful work done
by the reclamation service OF the gov
eminent in that country. The Shoshone
dam is a great wall of masonry thrown
across a mountain torrent 1t Is the
highest dam in the world. and holds
water enough to irrigate 10000 acres of
land. Thousands of acres of desert have
been made more productive than the
long-cultivated lands Of the East.
The government has done wonders for
our country she said 1T hurts people
once in a while. but 1t does not mean to-"
Mrs. Macdonald has received a tele-
gram from her husband in reply to a
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