Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-01-27

public New Years reception, called
by the unregenerate "a free-for-all'
was held at the White House. The
news tales of this reception already
have been told, but there are some
things which seem to have interest
connected with the January doings IN
Washington and which apparently
have escaped notice.
1t always has been the custom in
Washington for many of the old res
idents to appear at the public recep-
tons at the White House on New
Years day, even if they never leave
their homes for any other social event
during the twelve-month.
Some of the old inhabitants rather
pride themselves on being able to say
that they 'have shaken hands with
every President since Jackson's day"
There are still living one or two
men In Washington who saw General
Jackson when he was in the White
House.
0omc OF the Olo lin1eTSs
There are in the capital today con-
siderable number of women who as
children made the White House more
or less their playground. The writer
of this was talking early this month
with one woman not yet old and al
ways active In good works In the
capital, who told how as child and
as daughter Of a representative In
congress she stood with her mother
as a special guest of President and
Mrs. Grant while they were receiving
the public on New Years day back
in the first administration Of the Civil
war soldier
This woman still goes to the White
House receptions, and for years has
been the guest of Presidents and their
wives. She is Mrs. Frank II. Briggs,
wife of the marshal of the United
States court of customs appeals and
the daughter of the late Senator VIII
liam 2. Frye of Maine.
There are In Washington today
few army and navy officers whose COM
missions were signed by President
James X. Polk, who was in office from
1916 to 1849. 1t was only few years
ago that there died here Brigadier
General Rucker whose commission was
signed by Andrew Jackson. General
Fuckers daughter is living in Wash
ington. She is the widow of Gen. Philip
H Sheridan.
Only a few years ago the writer
was talking to a man born in this
city who was present when the re-
mains Of George Washington were re-
moved from one tomb to another at
Mount Vernon III the year 1882. This
man died recently. 1t is possible al
ways to find some living person in
Washington who can link the remote
past with the present, men who knew
this town when its streets were mud
lanes and its lighting means We're tai
low dips and whale oil lamps.
Many Changes in the City.
Men who have been absent from this
city not longer than a dozen or fifteen
years do not recognize it on their re-
turn save for the width of its streets
and for its continued presence of the
old-time public buildings. Changes
have come here rapidly. 1t is true
there are no skyscrapers in the ordi-
nary acceptance of the meaning Of
that term, but there are big CONNER
cial buildings, big bank buildings, and
in addition there is an activity which
was almost entirely absent in the elder
days when everybody here took things
in a leisurely way and did not seem
to care about the pecuniary matters
of tomorrow. Today Washington, like
other places, seems to be hustling for
the mighty dollar. Perhaps the change
is for the better and perhaps it is not.
The changes that have come to this
city within the short time Of four
wears are little else than astounding.
War IN way altered the whole face
of the place. Instead of one great
treasury department building, today
there are three, for two big permanent
structures have been erected for the
purpose Of housing treasury activities
made necessary by the World war.
One of the new structures is the scene
of taxation proceedings, and the other
houses the war risk insurance plant
and the veterans bureau.
The navy department has moved
from the old state, war and navy
building, and Secretary DENLY and AS
sistant Secretary Roosevelt, their
stats and their employees are housed
in a new structure not far removed
from the Pan-American building. Near
the new navy building is the munitions
building, which covers acres Of ground,
and in which the War department ex-
ponds large part of It's postwar en-
ergies.